> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # City Hall tackles school funding issue - URL: https://www.smdp.com/city-hall-tackles-school-funding-issue/ - Published: 2004-03-11T16:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T03:59:21.000Z - Author: John Wood - Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica, #archive-import *School boosters withholding judgment on council talk* COUNCIL CHAMBERS — Local leaders gave a frank assessment Tuesday of City Hall’s role in a controversial political battle to secure millions of dollars for local schools. Faced with a proposed charter amendment that would force the city to hand over at least $6 million each year, members of the City Council have asked city staffers to seek out secure funding for the school district. They hope to diffuse support for the charter amendment by finding an alternative. That alternative has been elusive. City Manager Susan McCarthy said it would cost between $80 million and $100 million for City Hall to purchase or lease hand-picked properties from the school district, which could be used for parks or to build more parking. The idea was put forward by council members who said the charter amendment is flawed because it doesn’t define a new revenue source. McCarthy said City Hall likely will find an extra $3 million this year to add to the annual $3 million payment it makes to the school district. But she criticized the way school boosters have pitted schools against City Hall, adding times are difficult — and layoffs imminent. “So, these challenges in regard to a long-term agreement are not insuperable, but I think we all realize that they’re being tackled in a time of purposely inflated expectations, and both innocent misunderstanding and willful misrepresentation of the circumstances, in terms of finances,” McCarthy said. Members of the Community for Excellent Public Schools, the group behind the proposed charter amendment, declined to comment Wednesday on the city officials’ discussion. They said they will consider it as a group at their weekly meeting on Friday and then issue a response. CEPS leaders in the past have said the bottom line is City Hall spends tens of millions of dollars on new buildings like the library and the public safety facility, and should be able to commit to $6 million or more each year for schools, a fraction of its budget, which exceeds $380 million. “We have a goal and that is resources for our schools,” said Shari Davis, CEPS co-chair. “It’s really simple and it really shouldn’t be posed... as divisive. It’s about having the city share a very small percentage of its budget to greatly benefit our schools.” > “It’s about having the city share a very small percentage of its budget to greatly benefit our schools.” — — SHARI DAVIS CEPS co-chair City officials said the school boosters are purposefully simplifying the argument to gather support. They added it’s irresponsible to write a check without identifying a revenue source. Mayor Richard Bloom said last week the proposal is politically driven and threatens to draw deep divisions in the community. What’s more, Bloom said it could ruin the city’s strong bond rating and ultimately lead to cuts that affect local school kids. That’s because City Hall pumps more than $12 million into afterschool and other youth programs that could be reduced as a result of the proposed charter amendment. “There are a lot of political agendas involved in this that have nothing to do with kids or the financial health of the city,” Bloom said. “For some people who are backing this, they see it as a tool to unseat the current council majority. And I think for others it’s a matter of personal political advancement... “It’s well intentioned and I understand that people will be inclined to sign a petition,” added Bloom, a parent who has children in the local school district. “It’s fatally misguided.” Bloom said the leaders of CEPS seem not to care that there is no new revenue source. “Money isn’t growing on any trees I see in the city,” he said. “We don’t have extra money. All of our dollars are allocated. And, in fact, for the last two budget cycles we’ve been cutting, not adding. “So the simple, mathematical truth and practical truth is that we have to have a balanced budget, which means if we take $3 million and allocate it for the schools, we have to cut $3 million from other city programs and services,” he added. “The folks over at CEPS appear to not care about that. They want to leave that problem to someone else.” Davis dismissed the idea that any members of CEPS have a political bent. “That’s just patently false,” Davis said. “The agenda of CEPS is to improve funding to our local schools. We are an independent, broad-based coalition, committed to the betterment and preservation of our public schools. We are not involved in trying to think about candidates. We are focused on the excellent public schools measure — period. “CEPS has been around for several years and we’ve had community forums,” she added. “We have engaged in the Measure S campaign, before that the Measure EE campaign. We have a very bright, informed, politically savvy group on the steering committee, and with all the experience we’ve had over the past 25 years, to sit down with all the people and draft a charter amendment is a process that brings many different perspectives to the table... “Six million dollars is only a very small amount above what they give now,” Davis continued. “Beyond that, let’s look at what the city finds money for — $60 million for their police facility and $70 million for the library. C’mon, let’s be realistic.” The problem with those examples, city officials said, is that the money is already earmarked — in many cases from capital improvement budgets from other years. Davis declined to respond to that argument, except to reiterate that City Hall should pri-oritize and find a way to fund schools. City Hall last year gave the school district its standard $3 million, plus an additional $2.25 million in one-time funds, and has given millions of dollars in years prior. Louise Jaffe, the other CEPS co-chair, said last week the community has spoken in the past about the importance of education. “It’s a horrible situation,” she said, referring to the state’s budget deficit. “But this is not your everyday, run-of-the-mill town. This is a prosperous community and this is a priority of the community, they have proven that time and time again.” The two groups have until the first week of May to reach an agreement. That’s when CEPS must hand over its signatures to qualify the charter amendment for the November ballot. In the meantime, McCarthy’s comments at the Tuesday night meeting earned praise from the City Council, who said it’s rare for leaders to speak openly about a divisive subject. They also expressed optimism in reaching common ground on the matter. “I think this can be moved ahead,” City Councilman Herb Katz said. “I think there’s great hope we can resolve it.” > “I think this can be moved ahead. I think there’s great hope we can resolve it.” — — HERB KATZ City Councilman *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 11, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/031104.pdf?ref=smdp.com)