Council, school board protest funding cuts…restore money for culture, schools and condo repairs
By Doug Ward and Jonathan Fowlie
Vancouver Sun
September 10, 2009

…."We need to send a strong message to the province that cuts to these various areas are unacceptable," Vision Vancouver Coun. Raymond Louie said Wednesday....

The motion passed by Vancouver city council Tuesday night says the budget update introduced by the provincial government -- and the cuts to grants and other funding it contains -- will "negatively impact many citizens across Vancouver" and will have a "potentially detrimental impact" on the city's current budget preparations.

It states that Mayor Gregor Robertson will now write Premier Gordon Campbell, Finance Minister Colin Hansen and others, urging them to:

"Rescind cuts and implement robust and sustainable levels of funding to the areas of concern to Vancouver citizens including arts and culture, public education,transit, leaky condo repairs, public libraries, sport and recreation and childcare."

The motion passed with unanimous support ....

The VSB unanimously passed resolutions calling on the province to restore funding of the annual facilities grants (AFG) and to urge the B.C. Schools Trustees Association to develop a province-wide advocacy program to oppose education spending cutbacks.

Vision Vancouver trustee Sharon Gregson said that the VSB has to oppose the provincial cutbacks or else it would be "complicit" in the erosion of public education.

"I just want to go on record as saying how disappointing it is that our provincial government obviously does not care about the kids of Vancouver," Gregson said at the meeting.

Vision trustee Mike Lombardi said the provincial cuts mean that needed upgrades in schools will have to be postponed. "I was elected as a trustee to stand up for the kids of Vancouver and I am terribly upset at the decisions of the provincial government to cancel the [AFG] grant. It's an example of irresponsible planning and it puts boards in an untenable position of having to make decisions which are not in the best interests of public education and our kids."....

Hansen and Coleman were both unavailable for comment on the matter....