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# Donner was a deflector
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/donner-was-a-deflector-editor/
- Published: 2006-10-24T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T21:45:16.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By John Robert Kennedy Professor of Mathematics*

Tom Donner has not been an able defender of Santa Monica College's fiscal stability, despite the claim of Ruth and Jim Mount in a recent letter to SMDP (Oct. 17, page 4). In fact, Mr. Donner, as the college's chief financial officer, is more responsible than anyone else for the budget difficulties at the college during the last five years. The truth is that under Gov. Gray Davis, SMC received record budget increases, yet within two years the college had a $6 million deficit, thanks to overspending by Mr. Donner. Did he accept responsibility for this? No. Instead, he falsely claimed that the state had cut SMC's budget, then proceeded (against the advice of the faculty, staff and students at the college) to oversee the elimination of eight high-demand vocational programs, and cut the college’s course offerings by 25 percent. The college has yet to recover from this blow, and as a result, may have budget difficulties for years to come.

And now Mr. Donner wants to serve on the SMC board?

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 24, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/102406.pdf?ref=smdp.com)