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# CEPS gets chamber endorsement
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/ceps-gets-chamber-endorsement/
- Published: 2004-02-26T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T03:52:22.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Education, Malibu, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

The Board of Directors of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce has voted to back the “Excellent Public Schools Charter Amendment” headed for the ballot box this November. It’s sponsored by the Committee for Excellent Public Schools, a grass-roots organization of local residents and business leaders. Chamber officials say the organization has a long history of backing pro-education initiatives in Santa Monica and understands the long-term importance of an educated work force to the local economy and quality of life.

The CEPS initiative would amend the city’s charter to require City Hall to provide funds to the district annually in an amount equal to the greater of $6 million or 4 percent of the city’s general fund. The percentage would increase up to a maximum of 8 percent only if the general fund increases by specified amounts.

The chamber support for this initiative will be withdrawn if the city and the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District reach an alternative funding arrangement.

“Endorsing the CEPS initiative is reflective of the chamber’s long-time support for local education,” said Dr. Michael Gruning, chairman of the board of the chamber. “State budget cuts mean that local funding of our schools is critical and the district needs a stable source of long-term funding to plan for future of Santa Monica’s students.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 26, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/022604.pdf?ref=smdp.com)