It's Time To Wake Up wrote on Jan 7, 2008 7:08 AM:The sales pitch for the Lottery was to prevent this from happening. The Indian casinos are giving you the same song and dance about their compacts. How much longer will the people be sucked in to believing gambling is the solution to the state's financial problems?

fedup wrote on Jan 7, 2008 7:53 AM:if the illegals were not here, we would not need so many school class rooms, teachers, supplies, etc

Ron wrote on Jan 7, 2008 8:48 AM:You see this? This WILL be your future if you vote to have this State take over your medical care. Every year they burp, it will result in fewer funds to ALL government activities. And school, education... as important as it is, gets hit every time we have a down turn.

community member wrote on Jan 7, 2008 9:06 AM:If the illegals weren't in the schools, there would be no education crisis. Period.

Spendthrift in good times... wrote on Jan 7, 2008 9:41 AM:Derelict in bad. Our state and local governments managed to spend more than they took in despite rates of growth of tax revenues that exceeded inflation plus population growth, thanks to the rapid increase in home values, and therefore property taxes. Now, with falling property values, but locked into ever increasing labor costs, we have a double whammy. Unfortunately, it's not the public sector employees who got the juicy early retirement packages, so they won't even be around, who pay for it, but us and our kids. I say we invalidate the graft-and bribery-gotten (yeah, they were "campaign contributions") contracts handed out under Gray Davis that got us in this mess. Paying more to people to retire early when there is a shortage of people to fill the jobs, so you have to pay more to fill them, is insanity.

GFN wrote on Jan 7, 2008 9:50 AM:Community member is right! The over-whelming number of illegals is the number one reason we have such an education crisis.

Politician, wrote on Jan 7, 2008 11:29 AM:No problem here -- just means we need to increase taxes.

Greg in Oceanside wrote on Jan 7, 2008 12:26 PM:Unfortunately, most of our educational woes are related to illegal immigration, and educating the children of illegal aliens. Our schools spend enormous money on, and dedicate a disproportionate amount of resources on ESL programs to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. This is not only a huge burden and undertaking, but it takes away from the children of hard-working, taxpaying US citizens. Educators and schools look at it this way; the more students, the more money. So, they look the other way when it comes to residency requirements. But this is a double-edged sword. More money, but exponentially more problems. If you are concerned, take a serious look at the Republicans and stay away from the Democrats running for president. Almost all Democrats are for open borders, or immigration reform (amnesty). Democrats want to create big government through increased taxes. Do you want more tax burden? I don't!

Sylvia wrote on Jan 7, 2008 12:44 PM:How would you like your child in kindergarten through 12th grade attending classes with kids who can't read, write, speak or understand English--or American education values? Furthermore, how would you feel if those students felt zero investment in education, in English and the American way? How would you like your child's education dumbed down to that of a classroom from the Third World? Guess what? Today, if you're a parent of a child in hundreds of classrooms across California, that's what's happening to your children with your tax dollars.

TemeculaMom wrote on Jan 7, 2008 12:51 PM:Sylia....way to generalize. I've seen kids that come into kindergarten not speaking, reading or writing English, and it's amazing how once their immersed in the school system, they are at the same level as all of those little "white" kids that you're saying are being dumbed down. I think that not being exposed to different cultures, etc. would succeed in your children being "dumbed down". I don't agree with illegal immigration, but you're generalizing just a little much.....some of those people that come over are trying to achieve the American dream that you and I both enjoy.

David wrote on Jan 7, 2008 12:52 PM:I have two daughters who do not attend public school - yet I pay taxes as if they did. So I guess my money is used to let illegals go to school. Government is here to help.

EUG wrote on Jan 7, 2008 12:55 PM:I have no respect for teachers who get off on labor day 4 day weekend, thanksgiving 1 week, Christmas 3 weeks off. thousand of parents now have to pay for child care because the school are always closed and teachers are off travelling around the world. School used to start in September and get out in June. School started at 800 and lasted until 330pm. Everyone spoke English or you had to learn it. I spoke German when I came to this country I now speak German, English, French Spanish, and Italian. Are schools have gone to pot Teachers are overpaid for the job they do. All they do is belly ache

Keep voting Dems in wrote on Jan 7, 2008 1:15 PM:ignorance is bliss!

to fedup community member sylvia, wrote on Jan 7, 2008 1:21 PM:Your comments are very bigoted. My kids have spent their entire school years in this valley and I can not name one year or class that was "dumbed-down" by illegals (you mean Mexicans,right?). I can however site many teachers who failed to provide my children with an adequate education. They weren't all Mexican, so I don't think we can blame it on that Hmmm.

Immigration, Both Legal and Illegal, Puts HUGE STRAIN On The Country wrote on Jan 7, 2008 1:30 PM:"Immigrant use of social services might not be a problem if they generally paid more in taxes than native-born Americans. But the median income of immigrant households is 21 percent lower in California than that of native households, and immigrant households are 36 percent larger on average. The household is the primary unit by which taxes are assessed and services paid. This means immigrants will tend to pay less in taxes than natives and tend to use more in services. This is not the same as saying immigrants do not pay taxes. In fact, even illegal immigrants pay some taxes. However, it does mean they will be a fiscal drain." SOURCE North County Times http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/12/19/perspective/1_13_2712_15_07.txt

Sylvia wrote on Jan 7, 2008 1:35 PM:I live in Murrieta and my children are forced to attend public school in the Menifee School district where 40% of the students are classified as ESL. That is not good enough for me so I enroll my children in private schools in Temecula. I should know as I am a public school teacher in Temecula, and you might just be surprised at how many public school teachers have their own children enrolled in private schools.

Concerned Parent wrote on Jan 7, 2008 1:37 PM:In 2005, the cost of educating California's three million illegal aliens with their children exceeded $2.2 billion annually. It may be noted that over 100 languages must be dealt with in that state. (Source: California Department of Education) California supports the most illegals and suffers the greatest state debt at $38 billion.

Dave wrote on Jan 7, 2008 1:40 PM:Your taxes pay for the schools in Los Angeles, and you cannot tell me that a majority of those kids speak English

Big Government Nanny State wrote on Jan 7, 2008 1:47 PM:What me worry? Everyone knows that the root of this problem is the ignorant and greedy taxpayers who don't want to 'contribute' their fair share. When are you idiots going to learn that it just takes a village? Hillary said it best...'We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.' You greedy taxpayers need to have more things taken away from you so we can keep our public school teachers employed and our teacher unions flushed full of cash. Come on home you taxpayers! Open up your wallets and purses and then you too can come and suckle off of the teets of the nanny socialist welfare state.

The American Educational System.... wrote on Jan 7, 2008 1:48 PM:has been and is now designed to produce the future workers businesses will need in the immediate future. Rich white male children go to fancy private schools where they learn to be be future managers and executives. Middle class children excel in the better public schools and the children of the poor founder in the worst of the public schools. A great man once wrote that the educational system is designed to oppress the working classes and continue the dominance of the elite. Read "Das Kapital" by Karl Marx or "Schooling in Capitalist America" by Bowls and McGinty. Of course schools in poor area of the county do poorly....they were set up that way....rather than being a failure, I'd say they have succeded in their oppressive mission.

TO : to fedup community member sylvia wrote on Jan 7, 2008 2:14 PM:Nowhere in my post did I mention Illegals or Mexicans. Those must be your own values that you read into it. Nor am I Caucasian ………….

COST OF CALIFORNIA EDUCATION FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ESTIMATED AT $7.7 BILLION EACH YEAR IN 2004 wrote on Jan 7, 2008 2:22 PM:California's nearly 3 million illegal immigrants cost taxpayers nearly $9 billion each year. Educating the children of illegal immigrants is the largest cost, estimated at $7.7 billion each year. SOURCE : North County Times Story by Edward Sifuentes http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/12/06/news/top_stories/19_56_5812_5_04.txt

Knowing monies would be tight wrote on Jan 7, 2008 2:23 PM:Why did Temecula Valley Unified School District add 1.5 million to their over budgeted budget last June with new Administrators added to the District Office, and the rehires to support the 9 to 11 new positions, plus promotions of Directors?
Even though the new Superintendent is nice and friendly, why THEN did the School Board raise her salary in one year from about $165,000.00 to $192,000.00 for this year?
And, why is the TVUSD worried about supplies? For the last three years they show 10.2 million, 10.9 million, and now over 11 million for supplies and textbooks, yet spend barely half of it? Sometimes not right with their figures.

Right On David wrote on Jan 7, 2008 2:26 PM:That is my whole point. My children are also enrolled in private schools at great expense to my family and we also pay our taxes to support a failing public school system. It is like paying twice.

Everyone has missed the point wrote on Jan 7, 2008 2:32 PM:The state is in trouble due to Gray Davis allowing the electrical companies to cause rolling black outs and over charge the state. I have never read that SDG & E and other electrical companies found guilty of conspiracy ever paid the monies back to the state, or the costs for their trails and hearings. Secondly, the State Assembly Members and the State Congress have voted themselves to be paid full salaries for the rest of their entire lives when they leave office. That's only a few billion over the years.

Arny,s Army wrote on Jan 7, 2008 2:49 PM:you fools think this is a Dem. created mess the Repukelicans have been dismantling public education since the greatest president of all time, do i have to tell you who he was ? or are they teaching it in school now? if your kids are failing then you will have to look no farther than the mirror for the responsible party

Did I read somewhere that wrote on Jan 7, 2008 3:02 PM:Beginning budgets in 2008-2009 have to start at a zero balance...and not be using the accrual accounting of flowing over into the next fiscal school year?
If so, thank goodness. They will actually have to subtract an expediture when a Purchase Order is generated in the Temecula Valley Unified School District. They won't be able to float unpaid contractors and new school expenses invisibly. And, the 2005-2006 statement in that year's final audit report might no longer be true, as stated by the TVUSD's own auditors, "A bill is not a debt until paid".
Whow, no more candy spending.

very fed up wrote on Jan 7, 2008 3:06 PM:Did you know you can look up what percent of the school gets free or reduced lunches and bus passes? Most of the schools around here are about 70%. We left fallbrook,because we were tired of 6th graders still not speaking english. There would be an interpreter in every school open house because the parents did not speak english or even try. I got tired of my tax money paying for k-3 grade to teach the kids everything in spanish and giving them 45 mins of english, but my child was not given the opportunity to learn spanish in the same kind of setting. Also remember the school board and superintendent is a voted postion. Lets see what they have to say come Nov.

TK wrote on Jan 7, 2008 3:10 PM:EUG - don't brag about how educated you are, then make a grammatical mistake such as "Are schools have gone to pot..." instead of the appropriate "OUR schools...". It makes you look like an ignorant buffoon.

And to say teachers are overpaid is just ludricous. Look at it from this point of view - if teachers got paid just to babysit (which is what you evidently want them to do for you - babysit your kids instead you having to pay for child care), they'd be paid over $120,000 per year. Trust me, I've done the math. At a conservative $5 per hour, per kid watched, with 180 days of school, and middle school and high school teacher seeing upwards of 200 kids per day, this is a conservative calculation. This would be a sweet deal that any teacher would take. Instead, they are required to actually teach, in overcrowded classrooms, and listen to PARENTS that "bellyache", all for less than half of babysitter pay.

TK wrote on Jan 7, 2008 3:18 PM:EUG - don't brag about how educated you are, then make a grammatical mistake such as "Are schools have gone to pot..." instead of the appropriate "OUR schools...". It makes you look like an ignorant buffoon.

And to say teachers are overpaid is just ludricous. Look at it from this point of view - if teachers got paid just to babysit (which is what you evidently want them to do for you - babysit your kids instead you having to pay for child care), they'd be paid over $143,000 per year. Trust me, I've done the math. At a conservative $5 per hour, per kid watched, with 180 days of school, and middle school and high school teacher seeing upwards of 200 kids per day, this is a conservative calculation. This would be a sweet deal that any teacher would take. Instead, they are required to actually teach, in overcrowded classrooms, and listen to PARENTS that "bellyache", all for less than half of babysitter pay.

Before Wilson...the Governor who took us from 3rd highest in the Country in Education wrote on Jan 7, 2008 3:24 PM:Duke Magean...spelling. He took nearly 6 or 8 Billion Dollars out of education in CA for his pet projects with a promise to put it back.

Karl wrote on Jan 7, 2008 3:42 PM:Quit chipping on minor grammer flaws folks. The gist of the point by all bloggers should be the focus. I try really hard to get my grammer and spelling right but this hunter/pecker makes plenty of mistakes. When you chip on grammar you lose credibility on the subject and look to be trying to discredit an opposing position like our dishonest, sold to the highest bidder politians. Come on folks, stick to the issue and move on.

They have been put on notice that next year could be a tough year," Okun said. wrote on Jan 7, 2008 4:10 PM:Did you know that two or three years the School Board seized the SIP...improvement monies from the schools.
Did you know that in 2004-2005 the Governing School Board fully funded the Operational Monies of each school, then took back 70 Percent of those monies and ASKED ALL OF US TO DONATE SUPPLIES AND MONIES TO THE SCHOOLS?

Arnold Told Everyone early wrote on Jan 7, 2008 4:27 PM:That the money is not here. If the real estate failure and loan situation does not improve, the brakes might fail.
Help out the costs.
Put your children into private school, home school them, or ask for more Charter Schools, who run their businesses with General Accounting Zero Balances at year end.

Kat wrote on Jan 7, 2008 4:46 PM:Here's a partial list of what immigrant students at many public elementary school in Escondido receive (I know - I'm at teacher): free breakfast & lunch, free after-school tutoring (& the tutors will even come to their house), free or reduced entrance to the Boys & Girls Club and YMCA activities, all school supplies free (they can also get backpacks & uniforms free if they ask), free summer school & lunch all summer (for any kid in the neighborhood), free reading books, free referrals for dental work, free referrals for glasses, free referrals to see a doctor, & many also receive donated clothing, bicycles, and even Christmas presents! Their parents also receive free English, Spanish, & GED classes (also taught in Spanish), free parenting & other classes, & free attendance & transportation to conferences. Finally, many of the teachers spend their own money buying clothes, supplies, book, and presents for their students. Of course, I didn't even mention the community benefits: reduced HUD rent, reduced telephone service (look on your bill-you're paying for it), free access to the ER and some clinics, free literacy services & tutoring at the public library, and the list goes on and on. I have lived in another country and traveled a lot. I have never seen another country that offers immigrants all that I mentioned, plus, the opportunity to go to community college for almost nothing and the chance to open a business, get a good job, etc. I challenge anyone to name one country that treats its "immigrants" better.

TVUSD Can Easily Save Money wrote on Jan 7, 2008 5:15 PM:They have low enrollment at five or more elementary schools.
Sparkman Elementary has had their play yard fenced off,Sparkman saved money for three years by all landscaping dying in the fenced off area without water and have parked full semi-double trailers parked in their school yard. Whose big rigs and trailers are they allowing to park on dirt that is supposed to be our children's play yards? For the last three years the District froze their enrollment at Sparkman and sent students onto other schools. Is their enrollment still in the high 300's or low 400's. It had a capacity of over 1200 students. All of the elementary schools have had their portable classrooms removed, thus limiting enrollment seating capacities. Temecula Lusieno Elementary sat vacant for 17 months. When it opened 250 students were transfered from Red Hawk Elementary, and mandetory transfers were done at Jackson Elementary over to Temecula Luiseno Elementary.
TVUSD can save millions to the state and to the developers by building no more elementary schools.
Plus, not to mention costs of more transfers, hiring of unneeded principals, secretaries, Vice-Principals, etc.

TVUSD Can Save $250,000.00 wrote on Jan 7, 2008 5:18 PM:With a frozen no hire new jobs in place, as per Jeff Okun, their two of three personnel hiring directors should be fired. That would save at least $250,000.00 up to $290,000.00 by not having to pay their benefits, social security, payroll taxes, etc. on tell. Then, anaylize how unneeded clerks, etc. work in their Human Resources Dept., and save those monies, also.
The Fat Cat has known no lean.

Stephen wrote on Jan 7, 2008 5:38 PM:"Arnold Told Everyone" hit a homerun. We need to get our kids out of the public school system. It is only a place for the illegal aliens who need a babysitter to take care of their kids while they make money and send it back to Mexico. We need to cut the budgets for the public schools and build more freeways.

Karl wrote on Jan 7, 2008 6:00 PM:Mo money, Mo money, Mo money.

Same old, same old wrote on Jan 7, 2008 6:39 PM:cries from the unions who would break the backs of the workers. Lets tax cigarettes, open casinos, proposed taxing "fats". How about a tax on those "renting"... Users need to pay their fair share. Tax diapers and those who opt to have more than two children. After all they are over burdening our system. Crazy you say? Yes it is and so is what our State is doing to its citizens. California is out of control.

Credit Due wrote on Jan 7, 2008 6:52 PM:TVUSD has it together when it comes to serving the communities classroom needs this is a state problem that effects everyone with children still in the choked
system their is nothing greater to give your children than education its something you must afford for their future and americas future its time to sacrifice all generations due invest in books not bombs

community member wrote on Jan 7, 2008 7:32 PM:Vote NO on all school bonds. The public education system is CRAP. I taught in the public schools for 15 years. If I were a young parent I would scrape every penny I could get my hands on to put my kid in a private school. Otherwise your kid might just as well be going to school in Mexico. Same difference.

How Can You Ignore These Numbers wrote on Jan 7, 2008 8:46 PM:A study conducted by the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, D.C., and released in August 2004, said that illegal immigrants cost the federal government $10 billion more than they pay in taxes. The federal government pays about $2.2 billion in medical treatment for uninsured immigrants. It pays $1.9 billion in food assistance programs, such as food stamps and school lunches, for low-income families. And it pays $1.4 billion in aid to schools that educate illegal immigrant children. States bear most of the cost of illegal immigration. "State costs are much higher on a per capita basis because of the fact that the largest expenses are medical care and education and those are borne at the local level, not the federal. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/12/06/news/top_stories/19_56_5812_5_04.txt

Skip wrote on Jan 7, 2008 10:24 PM:California’s public schools, once considered to be among the nation’s best, are now being questioned as to their condition, performance, and ability to meet the needs of the state’s diverse student population. California already spends nearly half its annual budget on education, a total of $66 billion in the current fiscal year, or about $11,000 per student in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Money for California schools must be tied to reform, studies say wrote on Jan 7, 2008 10:30 PM:One estimate in the documents obtained by the AP says California might need to spend as much as $1.5 trillion a year to meet its performance goals, an amount equal to about half the annual federal budget. California already spends nearly half its annual budget on education, a total of $66 billion in the current fiscal year, or about $11,000 per student in kindergarten through 12th grade. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/03/15/news/state/15_30_463_14_07.txt

Roby wrote on Jan 7, 2008 10:31 PM: Question: What happens when you ask an educator how much money is needed to "properly" educate a child? Answer: They don't know how much, they only know that it more than we're currently spending (a lot more)!

Hey, who's using my name (Roby)? wrote on Jan 8, 2008 8:03 AM:Mr. Okun, are you kidding me?
"District officials there have also asked principals to be frugal with their campus supply budgets so that they can possibly roll over any balances to next year."
Please explain how principals (& teachers) can be frugal when they are currently ONLY allowed to spend a fraction of what is budgeted?
Are there ANY parents in Temecula that truly believe their children's schools & classrooms are adequately supplied?
Further, since supplies make up ONLY 5% of the budget, perhaps you should be looking somewhere else to save money. My suggestion would be in the administrative salaries/positions area & NOT those assigned to our school sites (translation: district office positions).

The last four years classroom allowed budgets wrote on Jan 8, 2008 11:43 AM:Elementary school teachers in TVUD have testified in public forum and at their TVUSD School Board Meetings that their classroom budget for supplies is $125.00 for one fiscal school year. Parents are asked to supply tisue paper for their children's noses, pencils, paper, xerox paper, etc.
PTSA Joint Council...where are you?
Why are you not protesting the misuses of the General Fund Budget?
PTSA Board Council why are you not protesting being asked to supply your schools with supplies that District will not allow Principals to supply?

Did You Know that wrote on Jan 8, 2008 11:46 AM:TVUSD runs their own Preschool and takes monies to run it from the K - 12 General Funds?
The Federal Government supplies monies for the Special Education Preschoolers diagnoised therapies.
Spending dollars and not linking them to the Preschool costs saves increasing their Maintainence of Effort Monies each year.

Dear Skip wrote on Jan 8, 2008 11:53 AM:CA schools rank about 49th in our country. We spend less monies on our students. This has been true for a long time...since the 70's.
But, your TVUSD School Board are the ones who take the money and spend it however they can manipulate. They've removed Reading Specialists are the elementary schools. They've removed tutorial assistance except for those with not passing grades at the middle school. They've limited summer school to only those failing. Yet, at the end of summer school, pass them on to the next grade to remove the failing students from their campuses. You can not make up straight F's and pass summer school. Read reading is not offered to the general enrollment. Only teach to the standards...NOT improve reading.

Enough wrote on Jan 8, 2008 12:59 PM:If we took the money spent in one month on the wars started by our president under false pretenses and used that to support programs at home, we would have no budget issues.

Enough you estimate is incorrect wrote on Jan 8, 2008 5:00 PM:The reason the bridge collasped in Minnesota last summer, the repair monies of our country have been spent on the war, as well.
Our great grandchildren will be paying for what has been spent.

School Services For All wrote on Jan 8, 2008 5:37 PM:I am a teacher and here is what I see as far as cuts for student services. Here's a partial list of what migrant students at many public elementary school in North County receive : free breakfast & lunch, free after-school tutoring (& the tutors will even come to their house), free or reduced entrance to the Boys & Girls Club and YMCA activities, all school supplies free (they can also get backpacks & uniforms free if they ask), free summer school & lunch all summer (for any kid in the neighborhood), free reading books, free referrals for dental work, free referrals for glasses, free referrals to see a doctor, & many also receive donated clothing, bicycles, and even Christmas presents! Their parents also receive free English, Spanish, & GED classes (also taught in Spanish); free parenting & other classes, & free attendance & transportation to conferences. Finally, many of the teachers spend their own money buying clothes, supplies, book, and presents for their students.

Hasta La Vista, California wrote on Jan 8, 2008 5:55 PM:Not surprisingly, given its woes, California over the past 10 years has lost a net 1.4 million mostly middle-class citizens to other states, while filling the void increasingly with millions of poor, illegal entrants from Mexico, Central America and Asia. The middle class is voting with its feet.

School Services For All wrote on Jan 8, 2008 6:39 PM:Of course, I didn't even mention the community benefits: reduced HUD rent, reduced telephone service (look on your bill-you're paying for it), free access to the ER and some clinics, free literacy services & tutoring at the public library, and the list go on and on. I have lived in another country and traveled a lot. I have never seen another country that offers immigrants all that I mentioned, plus, the opportunity to go to community college for almost nothing and the chance to open a business, get a good job, etc. I challenge anyone to name one country that treats it's "migrants" better. As far as services for U.S. Citizen Students, they are available in some case, but in most cases their parents will pay for them.

Roberto1 wrote on Jan 11, 2008 9:28 PM:to School Services For All wrote on Jan 8, 2008 6:39 PM: Give up your citizenship if you believe the stuff you print..."I challenge anyone to name one country that treats it's "migrants" better." = Canada and most socialist countries like Norway, Sweden etc.

Up in arms? YOU BET! wrote on Jan 19, 2008 7:26 AM:There is a bigger picture here, a much bigger one. If this is passed, it's just the first in a very huge, all consuming snowball effect for California. We are already heading into a recession, people all over the state are losing their jobs, their homes... Spending is getting less and less leading to more job losses, yet people's mortgages are continuing to rise. We are already in a state of panic with the election coming up as well and now all these budget cuts are being proposed and this is supposed to help how? My kids shouldn't have to pay the price for what has been laid before them and neither should the hard working TAX PAYING people. It's time to cut the severe bloat from the higher ups and make the illegals start paying what is due from them. We need a real change that doesn't creat a bigger line at the welfare office!