County Leaders Hail Governor’s Budget Proposal

Ventura County leaders Thursday hailed Gov. Pete Wilson’s revised state budget proposal and its unprecedented $4-billion surplus--but cautioned their enthusiasm may wane once the details have been worked out.

Wilson’s $75.8-billion spending plan earmarks the surplus for increased spending on education, public works and social programs and also includes a drastic cut in annual vehicle registration fees.

Local officials and legislators praised the spending plan, saying it would give residents a well-deserved tax break while bolstering area education and the county’s economy.

“We’re picking through the plan like tea leaves,” said Assemblyman Tom McClintock, a Northridge Republican who represents Simi Valley, Fillmore and part of ThousandOaks. “But it’s something that I think we can all be happy about . . . California and especially Ventura County residents have waited a long time for a budget like this.”

Wilson has targeted about $1 billion of that surplus to join the $2 billion already set aside for the state’s beleaguered public schools system, putting the budget $500 million ahead of minimum levels mandated by Proposition 98.

And that has school officials breathing sighs of relief, at least for now.

“It’s reassuring,” Ventura Unified School District Supt. Joseph Spirito said. “I once caught myself asking if children really were a priority for the state . . . with this budget, I’d have to now say yes, children are a priority.”

In Ventura, “We’ve got some major things to do here and that money would sure help,” Spirito said.

Wilson’s proposal for the schools includes $250 million for new math textbooks, $230 million for new library books, $45 million for teacher training and $60 million for summer educational programs for children in grades three through six.

While the plan increases spending on textbooks to about $60 per student--still below the national average of $75--school officials such as Spirito worry that those additional funds will be earmarked for a specific purpose.

“I’m really not sure all this money should be used for math and language arts books,” Spirito said. “It’s important that at least some of that money is unrestricted because we have needs here that aren’t going to be the same as another district’s.”

Educators agree textbooks are an important part of any classroom curriculum, but that curriculum has changed significantly over the past decade.

Specifically, area educators believe more money needs to be spent on computer technology and training teachers how to incorporate it into the classroom.

Area schools that have struggled to meet state mandates for class-size reduction also need to be expanded and refurbished, officials said.

“It would be nice to see some of that money used the way we would like,” said Lowell Schultze, interim assistant superintendent of the Simi Valley Unified School District. But he expects his district’s needs to be met.

Wilson’s budget also proposes slashing annual vehicle licensing fees by 75%, a move that would save Ventura County motorists more than $71 million a year by 2002 when the plan is slated to go into effect.

“When we have this kind of surplus, we have to give some of it back to people or else there will be a taxpayer revolt,” said Assemblyman Brooks Firestone, a Los Olivos Republican whose district includes Ventura, Santa Paula and Ojai. “It’s a symbol that California will not be a high-tax state and that has plenty of other benefits.”

Most of the money generated by the registration fees are channeled back to cities, which use them to pay for police, health care, parks and libraries.

Although Wilson has promised that other funds will be made available to cover the loss, with a possible amendment to the state Constitution guaranteeing that, some city officials eye the governor’s proposal with skepticism and fear.

“For the immediate future we’ll be fine,” Simi Valley City Manager Mike Sedell said. “But in the future we need assurances that that money will be there for us and protected from the prying legislative hands.”

* STATE SPENDING: Wilson proposes revised budget with huge surplus. A3

* COUNTY FIGURES: Despite windfall, two cities wallow in a deficit. B4