School board to host special meeting on $1.7-million district budget cuts

The Pleasant Valley School District will hold a special board meeting Thurs., May 29 to decide how best to reduce its budget by $1.7 million for the 2008-09 school year.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at City Hall Council Chambers, 601 N. Carmen Drive, Camarillo.

With a lagging economy and a shortfall of more than $15 billion predicted for next year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggerhas proposed reducing the state budget for a number of programs, especially education.

"We are doing everything we can to keep the cuts from affecting our students," Superintendent Luis Villegas said.

Villegas said with the district spending 86 percent of its budget on people- salaries and benefits- one could begin to understand the challenge district administrators face.

Previous board meetings centered around recommendations for cuts and how they would likely impact schools, students and parents.

In stressing the importance of the May 29 meeting, Villegas said he anticipates the board will take action that evening to cut $1.7 million from the budget.

- Michelle Knight