> ## 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.

# Q-Liners: City should give more to schools
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/q-liners-city-should-give-more-to-schools/
- Published: 2003-06-13T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T02:19:20.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Education, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless

There was overwhelming response to this week’s Q-Line question: “Should the city of Santa Monica give more to the local school district? Why or why not?”

Here are your responses: ■ “Sure I think they should give more money to the schools, why not. They can give $1 million to fight an ATM fee that was simply asinine, they can give money to support the homeless, they can give $10,000 to buy fireworks that go up in smoke, the list goes on and on. The students are the backbone of tomorrow’s society and if the schools go downhill, people will move away to districts where they have a better school, better grades and everything else. Hindsight is foresight and they should do more to support the schools and a little less to support the homeless.” ■ “The City Council should definitely come up with an additional $6 or $7 million in addition to the $3.5 million they now give to the public schools to close the deficit. They waste an enormous amount of money, including $72 million for a library, a lot of money to expand Broadway and Santa Monica boulevards which is not necessary, and a lot of other unnecessary expenditures. The public schools are probably the most important investment they could make in Santa Monica. It improves our quality of life and the value of all our homes.” ■ “I believe the city should give more money to the schools. The city right now only gives 1 percent of the total budget to the schools and the schools give so much back to the city. I think that the financial crisis that the city is facing pales in comparison to the crisis that the schools are facing and priority should be given to who is the weakest, who is the smallest and who needs the money the most. That has to be our children, they have to come first and Measure S passing is a huge victory to our schools and for our children but it only cuts 50 percent of the deficit for the state. I think it is obscene for the city not to make up the deficit and give on-going support to the schools to at least 5 percent of their budget.” ■ “I 100 percent agree with the idea. It’s the one thing we can do to make sure the city of Santa Monica has an educated workforce. It will keep the property values high and it will make it a better, more Democratic place to live. If we are going to invest anywhere, invest in education.” ■ “I think the city should give as much as possible to the school district. They have given $3.5 million. They should at least double it. They say education is their No. 1 priority and it’s time they put their money where their mouth is. If they can spend $72 million on a library that we were told would cost $25 million then they can certainly find another $3.5 million for the schools.” ■ “Absolutely the city should give more funds to the schools. The city’s contribution to the schools should be commensurate with the wealth of the city and the value of the residents who clearly support good public schools.” ■ “Yes, I believe the city should give more support to our local school district.

Strong schools are important for a strong community.” ■ “Yes, I think that the City of Santa Monica should give more money to the schools. Our children are our most important resource and we already do not spend enough money on our kids. I think teachers should make more money than they do, compared to how much people in business get paid for, which is unfortunate. It is a difference in our culture which, I think in the future will change, as we realize that the most important value we should have is our children.” ■ “I think the City of Santa Monica should definitely give more money to the public schools. The children of Santa Monica deserve the best in education. We are an affluent community who, in my opinion, after being a taxpayer here for 18 years, does more for the homeless than we do for our own kids. I am enraged at the cost of the new library that is going up that essentially will act as a shelter. I really feel that is money that would be better spent and should go toward our own children.” ■ “Yes, and how we can expect our children to grow up to be well-educated responsible adults running the country if they are not well educated. We are ranked in the bottom in terms of how much we spend per student in this state and that is a pathetic statistic. The schools are great and they need to stay great and they need the money to do that.” ■ “Absolutely, yes. After having $13 million in budget cuts, with only half of it restored by the recent Measure S that just passed, how can the City Council refuse to support the school district that is ranked well in the state that will be devastated by an additional $6 or $7 million in cuts. How can the city of Santa Monica go back on its support to the community? The entire community has voted and said yes, we do support the schools, we’re even ready to pay for it. How can the city not match what the community is going to give?” ■ “I believe very strongly that it should. The city has a primary directive and that is ensuring the well-being of the citizens and the qualities of our schools is directly related to the well-being of our citizens, in that it contributes to the value of our homes and the safety of our neighborhoods. Not just the education of our children. I think it is time the City Council stood behind the school district. I think it is time for people to stop wondering whose responsibility it is and for everyone to own this situation that came about not through any responsibility or negligence on the district’s part but because of the failure of a state to meet its public mandate.” ■ “Yes, because the value of the property in Santa Monica and the quality of life are directly related to the quality of the schools. Everyone knows that the local schools in Santa Monica are much better than the schools in Los Angeles and it’s only as a result of the financial ability for the schools to provide what they need for students. We are threatened with this because of the state’s deficit and the city of Santa Monica should step up to show a little responsibility and allocate money to the schools.” ■ “As a mother, I do think that education is very important for the children. It is important to gain understanding between cultures and a better world as well.” ■ “With the city of Santa Monica’s per capital general fund budget more than double any of the other cities in the top 25 in L.A. county, I think our revenue shows that we can give more to the school district to make sure our schools stay excellent.” ■ “Yes, we do want the city of Santa Monica to give more money to our public schools. Just because the state has abandoned public schools in California doesn’t mean our city should too. Our voters have already resoundingly approved a $225 a year tax on their property for the schools. That’s a message that we want the city to kick in more money to help the schools. Our city rises and falls with the quality of our public schools and I don’t want to sit around and watch it fall.” ■ “Yes I think the city should give more money to the school district so that our private public schools can keep wonderful, high standards and we can be proud of them.” ■ “Studies overwhelmingly show that education is the key to better living and that, reading, in particular, affects a child’s behavior and self-image for his entire life. We want a lower crime rate and a civilized lifestyle for the inhabitants of Santa Monica. The more we spend on education, the better and safer our city will be. A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” ■ “The city of Santa Monica should definitely allocate more funds to our public schools because they say education is their No. 1 priority and it seems to me they don’t fund it as their No. 1 priority. They fund social services and other projects at a much higher level than they do their city’s children.’’ ■ “I definitely support the City Council and the mayor if they give proper funding to the schools. It would make an enormous impact on our community. We need to show that we support education for everyone in the community. That will speak immeasurably about a life-long learning community. Education for all people of all ages is key to having us live harmoniously.” ■ “I think the city should give more to the local school district. It will bring stability, community involvement and a solid tax base.” ■ “The city of Santa Monica should give more to the local school district. Good, strong public schools are what make Santa Monica the city that is for everybody.” ■ “I believe the city should help out with the school district budget. The school district is still about $7 million in the hole. The schools attract people to the community. It is important for the public to keep supporting public schools. This is clearly a good expense and it will help the poor kids in the community.” ■ “I have four daughters in the Santa Monica school district and I definitely think the city should give more money. We owe the future citizens of Santa Monica. Education is not a privilege, it is something that they deserve. We have got to speak up for our kids.” ■ “I believe the City Council should give more money to our local school district because there is nothing more important than education. With the class size reduced, it will ensure that each child gets the attention that he or she needs. It will save our instrumental and after-school programs, it will keep kids in school and active and off the streets and reducing crime. There is nothing more important than education.” ■ “Of course the city should give more to the local school district. Within the city budgets, there are significant amounts of money that are allocated for both the homeless and the transients of Santa Monica. So why not provide significant hope for all of our children who don’t want to wind up on homeless row because of a lack of education?” LETTERS

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 13, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061303.pdf?ref=smdp.com)