Vancouver school board wants 'unacceptable' funding cuts reversed
VSB lost $10.6 million after its annual facilities grant was cut, leaving only $160,000 in its coffers from last year’s reserve
The Province
By Katie Mercer
September 10, 2009

School trustees in Vancouver are demanding the provincial government restore the “incredibly disrespectful” cuts to their funding grants.

“The government is saying it’s hard times and everybody needs to tighten their belts, but we’ve been tightening our belts for years,” Vancouver School Board chair Patti Baachus said.

“It’s really difficult to take more from a budget that’s already been stripped to the bone.”

Baachus and trustees expressed outrage Wednesday night at a series of funding slashes at an emergency school board meeting.

“I think our advice to other sectors is that you pray the provincial government doesn’t consider you a protected service because it doesn’t bode well for you if you’re unfortunate to get that designation,” trustee Sharon Gregson declared to stifled chuckles.

The concern arose out of continued cuts which began after the cash-strapped B.C. government announced its budget update last week.

School boards across B.C. have been reeling after the government cancelled its $110-million annual facilities grant (AFG) last week….

“How can districts do any kind of reasonable planning ahead if the fund[s] we have been assured we have we don’t have?” vice-chair Jane Bouey posited.

“If millions of dollars can be taken away from us how can we possibly get through year after year if we can’t do that kind planning?

“... It’s just incredibly unacceptable and an extremely dangerous precedent.”…