EDITORIAL : L.A.'S RAW DEAL.L.A.'s community college district got aggressive and the state chancellor got even, convincing Gov. Gray Davis to veto legislation that would have helped L.A. modernize mod·ern·ize v. mo·dern·ized, mo·dern·iz·ing, mo·dern·iz·es v.tr. To make modern in appearance, style, or character; update. v.intr. To accept or adopt modern ways, ideas, or style. its decrepit de·crep·it adj. Weakened, worn out, impaired, or broken down by old age, illness, or hard use. See Synonyms at weak. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin d campuses. Now, it's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a for Chancellor Tom Nussbaum and the state Community College Board of Governors to work with L.A., and the other aging community college campuses around the state, to come up with a funding formula that works. Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Community College District The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) is the community college district serving Los Angeles, California and some of its neighboring cities. In addition to typical college aged students, the LACCD also serves adults of all ages. pushed for a new way to divide future state bond money to help older campuses renovate buildings, and the Legislature responded with Senate Bill 1283. But Davis vetoed the bill this week after Nussbaum lobbied hard to get the measure killed. Is Nussbaum a friend or foe? The state Chancellor's Office argued that SB 1283 was a special-interest bill that would have given L.A.'s nine campuses an unfair advantage for future bond money to the detriment of all 106 community colleges in the 72 districts. And it's understandable that when state money is limited, no one wants to get left out. But that's the problem. In previous budgets, the California Community Colleges board allotted al·lot tr.v. al·lot·ted, al·lot·ting, al·lots 1. To parcel out; distribute or apportion: allotting land to homesteaders; allot blame. 2. 50 percent of capital money to safety improvements, such as earthquake retrofitting, and 50 percent to expansion for fast-growing districts, which were suburban communities. Nothing was left for the dowdy dow·dy adj. dow·di·er, dow·di·est 1. Lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby: a dowdy gray outfit. 2. Old-fashioned; antiquated. n. pl. older campuses like Pierce and Valley in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . State officials say they're working to change the formula, and that would be a welcome move. It would mean a faster infusion of cash than even SB 1283 would have provided. And in vetoing the bill, Davis made clear he wants to see a more equitable distribution of money for capital improvements. Instead of the 50-50 formula, why not a third for safety, a third for growth, and a third for modernization? This time Nussbaum got his way. Now he needs to work with L.A. to help it grow, not hold it back. |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion