Hopeful looks to dodge deficit crisis
Molly Shore
When Paul Krekorian pulled papers for the school board, he
surprised many people in the community who were certain this was the
year he would run for city council.
“It was a very hard decision for me,” Krekorian said. “I would
have loved to serve the city. There was less competition in running
for the council than running for the board.”
But the deciding factor for Krekorian was that he saw a greater
need for his services on the school board. The primary elect- ion is
Feb. 25.
“The city is functioning quite well,” he said, adding the school
board faces a crisis in coming years because of deficits and cuts
from Sacramento.
And that is where Krekorian believes his qualifications as an
attorney who has advised businesses through troubled times will serve
him well.
“We can’t expect the levels of revenues we’ve received in the past
from the state,” Krekorian said.
Because of fewer anticipated dollars from the state, Krekorian
said it is necessary to look for opportunities in which nonprofits
and businesses could support some of the programs in city schools.
He said he would also like to see greater support from city
government to the schools, as well as dual use of school facilities.
“We have very extensive school facilities, and it is a tremendous
waste to have those facilities closed to the public as soon as school
lets out,” he said.
Instead, Krekorian suggests schools open their facilities to
outside groups that will pay to use them.