Cuts put pressure on city
Richmond News
Nelson Bennett
September 04, 2009

A provincial budget that contains funding for all-day kindergarten, but no money to maintain schools has the secretary-treasurer of the Richmond School District flummoxed….

It also includes $151 million for all-day kindergarten, which is to start in the fall of 2010. But the local school board has lost its $4 million annual facilities grant.

"I'm shocked that they would be proceeding with a new initiative and not funding what (Liberal MLA) Linda Reid would characterize as core funding, and I would agree with her, that this is essential funding for the maintenance of public facilities," said district secretary-treasurer Ken Morris.

… The budget contains $1.5-billion worth of cuts to discretionary grants over three years, according to Richmond city hall's finance department.

City councillors fear the cuts could trickle down to municipalities, which will be expected to take up the slack….