School Official Backs Prop. 98

The Hueneme School District has released its proposed budget cuts for next year, compelled to do so to prevent deficit spending. Other districts are being forced to do the same, jeopardizing the quality of education for our children. It seems futile to haggle over which cuts are least harmful to our students. It’s like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic!

The voters of California passed Proposition 98 in hopes of solving school funding. But that funding has been under constant attack. Remember, Proposition 98 is not a funding ceiling, it is a funding floor. Last August, Gov. George Deukmejian cut schools’ cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to 3% from the mandated 4.76% and took away funding for programs such as driver education. In addition, the Legislature passed a measure permitting counties to charge schools and other entities for collection of taxes.

Our schools have been reeling from these hits. Now we are faced with Gov. Pete Wilson’s plan to suspend Proposition 98 and cut an additional $2.4 billion from K-14 schools.

Proposition 98 was passed by the voters to improve education in California--to lower class size. We already pack more students into our classrooms than any other state, and if we suspend Proposition 98 to balance the budget, it’s going to get worse.

I suggest that funding for education is the best-spent money in the budget. A dollar spent for schools today saves about $4 in welfare and prisons in the future.

DONNA BRANSTROM

President

Hueneme Education Assn.