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.