Schools

Venice High Officials to Explain Governor's Budget Proposal

There will be a meeting on Thursday, March 17 at Venice High to discuss how the state budget will affect the local school.

Venice High will host a meeting Thursday evening to talk with parents and concerned residents about what Gov. Jerry Brown's Revenue Initiative could mean to the school.

Brown's budget plan, which eliminates some tax benefits, and extends income and sales taxes and the Vehicle License Fee, would secure funding for schools. 

“Schools have borne the brunt of spending reductions in recent years, so this budget maintains funding at the same level as the current year,” Brown said in a January press release on his website, announcing his budget proposal.

Find out what's happening in Venice-Mar Vistawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In order for the revenue portion of the proposal to go into effect, legislators in Sacramento will have to allow it onto the June ballot for voter approval. Several Republican legislators oppose allowing the vote, so the Los Angeles Unified School District has asked schools like Venice High to do community outreach to garner support for the governor's plan.

On Thursday, "We're going to be presenting what the scenarios are that the school is facing and what they would look like if the initiative passes or doesn't pass," said Venice High principal Elsa Mendoza. The meeting will take place at from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Find out what's happening in Venice-Mar Vistawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Like most schools around the state, Venice High has been subject to budget cuts in the past few years. According to LAUSD data, Venice High received $5,578 per student in 2009-10, which covered all expenses for materials and staff. This year, that number fell to $5,122, representing a more than 8 percent decline in spending per student.

as a result of the budget shortfall, and all the LAUSD schools face 12 furlough days taken over two years, cutting back on the required 180 days of school.

LAUSD supplied a suggested letter to the principals to hand out to public schools in the district. (A full copy of the letter is in the PDF file under the photo to the right. It is also available on the Venice High website.)

The suggested letter, in part, says parents should write:

“I am writing to notify you of the ‘doomsday’ budget of LAUSD . . . because my child’s school is really feeling the impacts at our campus. . . The Governor’s balanced budget proposal is one that really prioritizes education and it acknowledges the disproportionate cuts education has taken during the economic downturn. It is now time to reverse that trend.” 

Brown's proposal needs four more votes to get on the June ballot.

Spokespeople from Venice's representatives, State Senator Ted Lieu and State Assemblywoman Betsy Butler, both Democrats, said that they support Brown’s plan. Letters to those offices will merely support their own positions.

The word needs to get to the legislators who don't want the vote, said a mother from the “Let Us Vote” campaign, Crystal Brown, who continues to get parent organizations help Brown put this to a vote. She helped collect 30,000 parent votes and said, “It’s silly if we don’t have the right to at least one vote. Our children are caught in this political crossfire and that’s unfair.”

Politicians opposed to the vote include:

Connie Conway, R-Visalia (click on name for direct email)
State Capitol, P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 319-2034  
(916) 319-2134 fax

Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga
State Capitol, Room 305, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4031

Bob Huff, R-Diamond Barr
State Capitol, Room 5097, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone:(916) 651-4029
  Fax: (916) 324-0922

Bill Emmerson, R-Rancho Cucamonga
State Capitol, Room 4082, Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 651-4037
 Fax: (916) 327-2187

Tom Harman, R-Huntington Beach
 State Capitol, Room 5094 Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 651-4035 
Fax: (916) 445-9263


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here