When he strolls into the cafeteria at Lin Howe School on Irving Place a little before 5 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon, “I hope to see a hundred people from the community,” says the ever optimistic School Board member Scott Zeidman.
The occasion is a community meeting that was Mr. Zeidman’s idea.
The setting at Lin Howe will be an urgent but informal discussion of possible budget cuts — that seem likely to start as early as next week’s School Board meeting.
Establishing Priorities
What is cuttable?
What is, or should be, off-limits?
School officials say they want to know what parents are thinking?
Besides Mr. Zeidman, School Board member Jessica Beagles-Roos, School District Supt. Dr. Myrna Rivera Cote and Asst. Supt. David El Fattal, whose specialty is business and finance, will listen to opinions.
For at least 90 minutes, the school team is scheduled to field recommendations from families and others concerned with persons and programs to be eliminated.
A citizens committee has drawn up a list identifying 58 potential reductions. (See the outline at the end of the story.)
The Format
“When I proposed this meeting,” Mr. Zeidman said late this afternoon, “I saw it as a chance to say hello and get the community involved. We would acknowledge the City Council candidates who are in the audience so they will have a chance to meet with people later, and then we will listen to what people are thinking about budget cuts.”
Mr. Zeidman said the purpose of the meeting is to multiply the number of voices that participated in developing the Community Advisory Budget Committee’s recommendations last week.
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