Community College District Problems

I am an employee of the Los Angeles Community College District and have worked in several different classifications and at three campuses since 1975. I am glad to see that the fiscal problems of the district have finally rated coverage the last few months. However, as a classified staff member, I think it is important that the district’s financial woes not be laid on the backs of the staff (“College Board Mulls Unpaid Leaves for Staff,” Feb. 22.)

New contracts for classified staff employees (the bulk of the district’s payroll) do not start at 12% as stated repeatedly. According to my pay stub, I have received a two-tiered increase of 2% (July 1996) and 5% (November 1996), for a total increased of only 7%, which actually went into effect on my hourly salary in September 1997. My total income for 1997 was approximately $28,000 before taxes, hardly the kind of income in Los Angeles that can stand losing two weeks worth of pay. Classified staff are still waiting for our retroactive increases in accordance with the negotiated hourly contract covering the period from July 1996. By only mentioning the 12% initial step increase for administrators, your article gives the impression that this is the lowest level increase in salary in the new contract.

The district’s financial problems began a minimum of two decades ago, when the district administration and Board of Trustees did not take adequate steps to deal with the ramifications of the passage of Proposition 13. The mismanagement has continued and been compounded annually by deficit spending, poor management of investments, real estate purchases and the like. Budget cuts and changes in the method of fiscal management must come through the top levels of the district. Unpaid furloughs for administrators could be arranged on a voluntary basis in an overlapping manner to maintain necessary coverage of the operations of district and campus offices. There are many ways that the district could alleviate the current fiscal crisis that would not put the burden on those employees who are least able to handle any loss of wages, the classified staff.

MARSHA SMITH SHAW

West Hills

* As a former resident of the Valley, I was appalled by the suggestion that the [Los Angeles] Community College District solve its fiscal woes by selling portions of Pierce College to commercial developers. The open spaces at Pierce are a legacy that should be preserved for the benefit of everyone. Given the Valley’s documented lack of recreational space, the city or county should purchase the property for parkland.

The long-term fiscal woes of the community college system will not be resolved by sacrificing the last of the Valley’s open spaces.

STEPHEN M. MARTIN

Mayor Pro Tem,

West Hollywood