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news
Bill may bring
bucks
By Larry W. Brunson
Jr.
On-line Forty-Niner
A new California
Senate bill will try to regain money that was turned down
last summer for 108 community colleges across the state
The California Senate had to approve several budget cutbacks
in order to pass the current state budget. California
community colleges suffered one of the largest cutbacks, and
are now forced to go without basic maintenance and equipment
for their buildings.
Senate Bill 735 plans to change this. If the bill is
passed, community colleges will receive funds for maintenance
and yearly upkeep on their buildings, as well as funding for
new library equipment.
According to Kevin Gould, legislative director to Assemblyman
Bob Pacheco, the governor cut the community college budget
in July when the state budget was approved. However,
this senate bill will restore the community college budget.
"The $112 million budget is for structural maintenance
for the 108 campuses," Gould said. "When the
governor approved the new state budget, he cut funds for structural
restorations, now he is going to approve to get the funds
back."
However, Gould said, the governor may not approve the entire
$112 million budget.
"The bill is on the governor's desk right now,"
he said. "He is favorably looking at the bill,
and we hear that he'll reduce the amount of the bill."
The governor may only approve half of the $112 million bill,
and he has until Oct. 14 to approve the bill, since he is
given a 31-day period to look at the bill. This is the first
time in 15 years that these funds have been cut from the community
college budget, Gould said.
There has always been an ongoing fund for building restorations
for the community colleges, however this is the first year
that the community colleges have had to go without, and many
of the colleges have several projects that need to be taken
care of.
Cutbacks have been initiated at Long Beach City College in
order to fund some of the restoration projects, said Gloria
Cordero, director of governmental relations at Long Beach
City College.
"We are cutting back on our faculty conferences and our
staffing here on campus," Cordero said. "One
of the buildings needs a roof, we need to replace the swimming
pool plumbing, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning
in the classrooms."
Cordero said several projects have already been funded with
the funds used from the cutback budget, but several projects
can't be completed until funding comes from the senate bill.
"We have been doing more with less, and we will have
to live with it and use the resources we have," Cordero
said. "The community college continues to grow
and the problems affect our students."
Students are experiencing discomfort in the classroom due
to inadequate ventilation, air conditioning, heating, other
structural problems. Also, the school lacks library materials,
equipment, and instructional materials, Cordero said.
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