Karen S. Kim
BURBANK -- On April 10, Burbank voters will be given the chance to
approve Proposition A, a $1.2-billion bond measure for improving the
conditions of schools within the Los Angeles Community College District.
The bond money for Prop. A would be repaid by a tax on property within
the district over a period of less than 40 years. The tax rate would be
no more than $25 per $100,000 of taxable property value, according to the
measure.
The money would be used mainly for rehabilitating facilities. None of
the funds can be used for school officials' salaries, according to the
proposition.
Burbank Unified School District officials said most community-college
bound students in Burbank head to Glendale Community College or Pasadena
City College -- schools that are not part of the Los Angeles Community
Colleges District.
However, a significant number of Burbank students do move on to Los
Angeles Valley College, a school that would receive funding if
Proposition A passes, officials said.
A 1999-2000 school district survey of 747 public high school students
indicated 18% of the 459 Burbank seniors planning on attending community
colleges were headed to schools within the Los Angeles Community Colleges
District.
Burbank, John Burroughs and Monterey high schools offer an "afternoon
college" program, where students attend classes at Los Angeles Valley
College for school credit two afternoons each week.
"The whole point of this program is to give kids a positive college
experience, so when they finish high school they'll want to go on to
college," Monterey High School counselor Morgan Higgins said. Higgins
added that 60% or 70% of his students move on to local community
colleges.
Officials of Los Angeles Valley College hope that Burbank will support
Proposition A.
"We're one of the schools that [Burbank students] tend to go to, we're
close by and we're affordable," said Florentino Manzano, the school's
associate dean of student services. "One of the things that we hear is,
'It's going to raise taxes, and I don't have a child that goes to that
school.' But [community colleges] are the access to higher education. I
think it's a good investment for a better society."
Manzano said that $165 million of the bond would be allocated for
rehabilitation projects at Los Angeles Valley College.
Proposition A requires 55% of the vote to pass.
BOX
Schools falling within the Los Angeles Community College District
Los Angeles City College, East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles Harbor
College, Los Angeles Mission College, Los Angeles Pierce College, Los
Angeles Southwest College, Los Angeles Trade Technical College, Los
Angeles Valley College and West Los Angeles College.
Based on a 1999-2000 survey of the Burbank Unified School District of
high school seniors.
(school*students who participated in survey)
Burbank High School*360 students
John Burroughs High School*353 students
Monterey High School*34 students
Students indicated they planned to attend these schools after high
school.
(school within Los Angeles Community College District*number of
students)
East Los Angeles College*1 student
Los Angeles Harbor College*1 student
Los Angeles Valley College*68 students
Los Angeles Mission College*4 students
Los Angeles Pierce College*7 students
(school outside of Los Angeles Community College District*number of
students)
Glendale Community College*130 students
Pasadena City College*140 students
For more information about Proposition A, visit o7 www.laccd.eduf7 .
