California IN BRIEF : SACRAMENTO : Use of Settlement for Schools Urged

Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy and Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara) proposed using $180 million from a state antitrust settlement to lower student fees at University of California and California State University campuses and to restore budget cuts in the state’s elementary and secondary schools. McCarthy and Hart urged that $76 million of the windfall be used to roll back student fee increases from 40% to 10% at UC and from 20% to 10% at Cal State. The remaining $104 million would go to elementary and secondary school districts on a per-pupil basis to pay for new computers and lab equipment for math and science classes and to rehire teachers who have been laid off as a result of this year’s drastic state budget cutbacks. Cynthia Katz, assistant director of the Finance Department, said the Wilson Administration will oppose this effort and “all new spending bills” until it is clear whether the state is emerging from the recession.