Santa Paula School Budget

The Santa Paula Elementary School district has proposed a $515,000 budget cut for fiscal year 1990-1991.

Some of these cuts would include the following: cutting in half library services for kindergarten through fifth grade, more teacher layoffs, freeze teachers’ salaries, cut various supplies and other things which the public is not aware of at this time.

A $515,000 budget cut in our elementary schools is a very serious issue. Its finances obviously are in a poor state.

School budget cuts that affect our children’s education are a grave matter. On the one hand, the school board members and superintendents give many reasons for cutting the budget. On the other hand, school board members approve a 25% salary increase for our assistant superintendent and a bonus to our superintendent. It appears that there is accessible money for what the superintendents and school board members want, but none available for the needs of our teachers and their students.

News was released June 28 that the value of property in Ventura County increased last year and will yield about $13 million more in tax revenue than was expected. A percentage of this revenue will go to our school district. I wonder how our school district will allocate these new funds.

ELEANOR KARNEKE

Santa Paula