City Manager Corrects "Misimpression"

January 22, 2003

Dear Editor,

I found your articles covering the January 14 City Council meeting that focused on the budget to be largely accurate, something we've come to expect of The Lookout. I hope, however, that you can correct a misimpression that will be left regarding my remarks that evening.

I believe your writer may have accurately captured my words, "The sad fact is schools won't be receiving any more money," but indicated that they referred to funding from the City of Santa Monica. In fact, my remarks referred to State funding.

My immediately preceding comments that evening related to the problematic budget proposal from Governor Davis that would redirect municipal redevelopment funds to schools, but not in a way that would constitute a net increase in school funding. His proposal lets the State off the hook, lessens local ability to stimulate the economy and represents no gain for school districts.

In regard to the City of Santa Monica's funding for schools, it is simply too early in our budget process to tell. We are cognizant of the District's ongoing need for secure funding and will make every effort not to erode current support levels.

Our challenge is to prepare a balanced budget that preserves valued municipal services at a time when revenue growth is less than robust and the revenue/expenditure gap that your article accurately describes looms before us. Nevertheless, we are not now at the point of saying with certainty that there will be no more City money for the schools.

There's nothing simple about State or local budgeting this year, and I appreciate your making this clarification.

Sincerely,

Susan E. McCarthy
City Manager