Day By Day August 23, 2010 – Kiss Off
Look at the $578 Million new school in Los Angeles Unified School District.
Next month’s opening of the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools will be auspicious for a reason other than its both storied and infamous history as the former Ambassador Hotel, where the Democratic presidential contender was assassinated in 1968.
With an eye-popping price tag of $578 million, it will mark the inauguration of the nation’s most expensive public school ever.
The K-12 complex to house 4,200 students has raised eyebrows across the country as the creme de la creme of “Taj Mahal” schools, $100 million-plus campuses boasting both architectural panache and deluxe amenities.
The fact is California’s budget cannot afford such largess. Bonded indebteness pays for these schools and with the success rate of Los Angeles Unified (very high drop out rate) it is doubtful that the interest on the debt service will be easily paid in future years – leaving the tab to other non-Los Angeles California taxpayers.
California’s public schools are a disaster because of the teacher’s unions and their involvement in the political process. Illegal immigration is also playing a big role in the decline.
One of these days, California taxpayers may wise up – or move out.
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