BOARD GIVES SUPPORT TO SCHOOL BOND MEASURES.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

GLENDALE - Three state bond measures that would generate about $39 million for Glendale schools won backing this week from the school board.

The Glendale Unified School District board endorsed propositions 55, 57 and 58 on the March 2 ballot. The first would bring in $36 million to help with the district's planned construction projects, while the others would create $3 million to help offset the district's $8.1 million projected deficit in 2004-05.

``Proposition 55 is essential to getting matching funds for our own local school bond, Measure K, and we will not be able to complete the work we've started without that money,'' said school board President Pam Ellis. ``We have several schools left, and we need to have matching funds to do all the work we have planned.''

Proposition 55 would generate $12.3 billion statewide for public school facilities renovation, modernization and construction. The measure is not expected to raise local property taxes.

Glendale campuses that would benefit from the money include Columbus, Mann, Marshall and Mountain Avenue elementary schools; the former Edison Elementary site; Wilson middle school and Glendale and Hoover highs.

If the bond measure does not pass, the scheduled improvements at these schools likely will be delayed by years.

Proposition 57, if approved, could bring in about $2.5 million to $3 million more for the district in 2004-05.

If voters reject the $15 billion state bond measure to pay for previous and current obligations, reductions may be triggered in local classroom spending, school officials said.

Proposition 57 would only go into effect if Proposition 58 - which would mandate the state to adopt a balanced budget, establish a budget reserve and prohibit most future state borrowing to cover future budget deficits - passes.

``Propositions 57 and 58 will prevent us locally from making about $2.5 million in cuts to our own personal budget, and if those two propositions fail, we're either going to have to make those cuts and all of us are going to see our taxes raised,'' Ellis said.

School board member Mary Boger urged voters to pass the measures.

``I think it is always wise as property owners to support the best possible schools,'' Boger said. ``If we teach children that we should have beautiful malls and lovely theaters and not teach them they should also have beautiful schools, then we're not truly teaching them how important education is.''

Naush Boghossian, [phone]

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com