City leaders encouraging support for schools

Mary A. Castillo

The City Council went on record in support of the Laguna Beach

Unified School District’s fight against Gov. Gray Davis’ proposal to

cut allocations from property taxes to basic aid districts.

“I think the governor’s proposal regarding how to balance the

budget has a disproportionate adverse and punitive impact,”

Councilman Steve Dicterow said as he introduced his agenda item to

oppose the governor’s plan at the meeting Tuesday.

The governor’s proposal will redirect $126.2 million of the

estimated $160 million of excess property tax collected by basic aid

districts and eliminate the $120 state aid add-on to the revenue

limit.

The cuts would reduce the 2003-04 Laguna Beach Unified School

District from an estimated $23,732,200 to $17,696,744, said Supt.

Theresa Daem, who could not attend the council meeting because the

school board met at the same time.

The quarter percent loss in income would force the district to

lay-off one-fifth of its teachers, including coaches, counselors,

assistant coaches, performing arts instructors, librarians,

instruction aides and bi-lingual aides.

“Legislators are getting annoyed with little Laguna Beach Unified

School District,” Principal Joanne Culverhouse said of the massive

letter-writing campaign initiated by Daem in January.

She urged community members to visit the district’s Web site and

use the form letters to write to their representatives. Councilwoman

Cheryl Kinsman said that she sent off her third round of letters and

seconded the motion to approve the recommendation.

The council unanimously approved the proposal.

At the school board meeting, Daem reported that the situation is

still very serious and the she will continue to urge pressure from

all sides until the governor takes his proposal off the table.

“On the surface, it looks like they’re taking from the rich and

giving to the poor,” she said. “This is an uphill battle.”

District Business Officer Normal Shelton reported that state

lawmakers are overwhelmed with the demands of the current year budget

and might not review the 2003-04 cuts in time for district’s March 11

layoff deadline.

“The parents are working hard sending letters to avoid the

situation at hand,” PTA Council President Kristin Thomas said. “We’re

feeling distressed by the seriousness, but we’re trying to be

optimistic.”