CommentsTHE GREENAWAY WAY--On May 3, 2018, a communication was released from Los Angeles Community College District regarding the “Option to fill Board Vacancy” in lieu of former Trustee/Board President Sydney Kamlager’s new elective office to the California State Assembly.
Why should taxpayers be concerned? Because the news release revealed that an election would cost taxpayers more than $4 million dollars. (Photo above, Left to Right: Dallas Fowler, Dr. Christine Burke, Warren Furutani.)
According to the 2018-2019 California State budget, no community college campus would receive less money than it did under the 2017-18 formula. But half of future additional funding would be tied to enrollment size; a quarter would depend on how many students receive state financial aid based on being from low-income families; and the remaining quarter would be tied to the number of degrees and certificates granted and the share of students who completed them within three years.
In all modern democracies, a number of public positions of great influence are held by non-elected officials. Elections divert resources and cost taxpayers millions. With the current state of the California budget and cuts to education, do taxpayers need to pay for this election? I can think of better ways that LACCD could spend $4 million. For starters, they can create avenues to begin eliminating the large number of homeless students within their districts.
There are three viable appointees for the seat; former Los Angeles City Commissioner Dallas Fowler, Charter School Consultant Dr. Christine Burke, and former State Assembly member Warren Furutani. We should not waste taxpayer dollars on an election. The members of the LACCD Board need to make the decision to appoint.
(Diedra M. Greenaway, MS/MBA, is Los Angeles City Budget Advocate Budget Committee Chair of Economic and Workforce Development and a CityWatch contributor.)
-cw
