Athletic Budget Escapes L.A. Cuts : High school sports: School district votes to maintain funding, but suggests that in the future outside help be sought.

The athletic budget for the Los Angeles Unified School District was spared for 1992-93 at a meeting of the board of education Friday, but several members suggested that the district begin looking for outside funding.

The board voted, 6-1, against a proposal to reduce the athletic budget by $930,000 through reduction in transportation expenses and coaching salaries.

But several of the members who voted “no” suggested that future athletic funding should not come from the district. Roberta Weintraub asked Deputy Superintendent Sid Thompson to meet with owners of local professional teams to see if they could help.

“I don’t think we should eliminate funding before we have secured outside money,” Weintraub said. “But maybe there are some possibilities we could explore.”

Weintraub referred to the success San Francisco public schools have enjoyed this year with their athletic programs being subsidized by a tax on tickets for the Giant and 49er games.

Chicago cut its district funding for athletics earlier this week and officials there are exploring similar possibilities.

Mark Slavkin, the only board member to vote in favor of the proposal, said that eliminating funding of athletics would result in an outpouring of help from the business community. He also said that such a measure would bring much needed attention to the severe problems of the district.

“When it comes to people outside of the district, this is the only issue that is being talked about,” Slavkin said. “We’re cutting instructional programs left and right, but it is athletics that is getting all the attention. It is alerting people to our crisis situation. You mention sports, and everyone seems to have an opinion.”

The board voted on a final budget for the calendar year on Friday, trimming $400 million from its base of $3.88 billion. Most of those cuts are in employee wages.

But of the 36 reduction proposals voted on Friday, none drew as much discussion as the one concerning athletics. Five of the seven board members gave lengthy speeches on the subject.

“We need to press pro and college teams that we need support and want them to give their fair share,” Jeff Horton said. “After all, their programs rely on high school athletes.”

Warren Furutani said he would not eliminate athletic funding simply to bring attention to the district. He said he would not cause youngsters pain to get a desired reaction.

The district trimmed the athletic budget 20%, or by nearly $1 million, to $3.7 million in June of 1991. Only junior varsity football was eventually eliminated.