2 Items Buried in Schools Budget Draw Controversy

Two items buried deep in the Los Angeles school district’s proposed $5.3-billion budget drew controversy at Monday’s Board of Education meeting:

* The school board learned that a domestic partner benefits package under consideration by the Los Angeles Unified School District would cost nearly double original estimates--$3.1 million next year and up to almost $7 million by 1999.

* A board majority rejected a proposal to set aside $2 million in overtime for three key district divisions pending a study of whether more employees should be hired instead.

The domestic partners plan, to be voted on June 2, calls for using leftover reserves from the benefits budget to offer medical, mental health, dental, vision and life insurance to unmarried heterosexual and homosexual partners of district employees and retirees.

However, board member Julie Korenstein asked whether it would be fiscally sound to use the reserve funds, causing board President Jeff Horton, who is gay, to accuse her of “singling out” the item.