L.B.
takes no stance on after-school act
By Joyce Kelly
On-line Forty-Niner
City officials in Long Beach are not rushing
to take the side of the “Terminator,” and
they have little concern whether Proposition
49 passes in Tuesday’s election.
Proposition 49 was authored by Arnold Schwarzengger
who thought children needed places to go
and things to do after school. In campaigning
for his proposition, he said children would
not get into trouble if they had safe, educational
and recreational places to go after school.
The funding for the proposition would come
from future growth in state revenues.
It is supposed to allow $400 million in
grants to elementary and middle schools
for their programs.
Those who object to the proposition believe
it is a good idea, but it has a bad approach.
They feel it will interfere with projects
that deal with public safety, health care,
environmental protection, tax cuts and other
after-school programs. The proposition will
take money directly from top programs. This
will occur during good and bad economy years.
“Money for this pet program will take funds
from other established programs,” said Trudy
Shafer, member of the League of Women Voters
of California.
Long Beach has many after-school programs
for its children because it has been active
with other entities to provide many services.
“We have thousands of after-school programs,”
said Cathy Wieder, chief of staff to Long
Beach Mayor Beverly O’Neill.
Long Beach has a working relationship with
its police department, churches and other
nonprofit organizations to provide after-school
programs for its children.
“Our after-school programs are through the
police [department], libraries and parks,”
she added. “We also collaborate with non-profit
organizations and churches.”
Wieder said she wasn’t aware of any stance
officials at city hall had taken on the
propositions that are on the ballot.
But, both sides of Proposition 49 have been
the concern among the two Los Angeles County
supervisors, Don Knabe, supervisor of the
4th District (which includes Long Beach)
and Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, supervisor
for the 2nd District (which includes Los
Angeles).
Burke is against Proposition 49 and has
concerns for the funding that will affect
the project and other similar ones that
exist.
“There are no added funds for that program,”
said Dell Huff, educational deputy to Burke.
“Funds will go to that program and leave
all others out.”
Proposition 49 requires that the funding
to implement its programs come off the top.
But, there must be matching funds.
“There are no matching funds,” Huff said.
“The funds for the program must be taken
from the general funds. It is mandated
that funds come off the top for Proposition
49.”
John Musella, press deputy for Knabe, said
his supervisor is in support of Proposition
49.
Weider said the city of Long Beach has so
many programs that Cindy Fogg, a youth service
superintendent, created a special pamphlet,
Weider said.
“It is a project that Beverly O’Neil wanted
for the programs that were available for
Long Beach youth,” Fogg said.
The pamphlet is a directory that gives information
to parents and caregivers about programs
which children can participate in before
and after school. The options are
available for school-aged children in the
Long Beach community.
The programs vary by school and the ages
of the children. They are listed in the
pamphlet, according to the organizations
and schools the children attend.
Some possess the before- and after-school
programs that are provided by the city.
With collaboration, its various organizations
are: Boys and Girls Clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl
Scouts, YMCA, and Camp Fire Boys and Girls.
The interest in after-school programs has
occurred within the past 10 years.
More people are getting involved with the
need, and are showing more concern.
“After-school programs weren’t prioritized
until a decade ago,” Fogg said. “Before
the programs for after school, I was paying
over $800 per month for my kid. After
school was a fee-based program.
“It’s a good idea, but the way it is written
continues to take after school priority,”
she continued. “I have been receiving faxes
from organizations that deal with children.
They are against Proposition 49.”
One of the organizations that Fogg said
she has received in opposition to Proposition
49 is the Child Development Policy Institute.
“CDPI has opposition,” she said. “They said
to take a no stand on Proposition 49.”
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