Comment: "State's Looming Disaster" Requires Yes on Meas. K

Again it was a challenge selecting a Comment of the Week. Our article asking for reader suggestions on what to do with the generated many responses and intriguing possibilities. We also received a number of notable comments on articles about the after 66 years, a and an of Marty's Motors.

But since the June 5 election is coming up soon, we turned to another article that drew attention, a May 15 guest column on the proposed parcel tax for West Contra Costa schools, "," and selected a comment from Todd Groves. (He incidentally was honored with this year's "" from the Ed. Fund.) In the comment below, Groves is responding to another comment by reader Marguerite Meade, who said the district's problems are not related to funding and that after 13 years having a kid in district schools, she had "not seen money improve anything."

Todd Groves:

Marguerite, I tend to agree with your assessment, though I will be voting for this measure. The board is showing more salt over the last few years. Hard choices are being made. The end of lifetime benefits was politically painful, bringing hardship to many current employees, yet it was the only viable choice. More tough decisions lay ahead. No more easy cuts can be made. Do we take out elementary class size reduction, police in schools or adult education? Or do we dump the talented new teachers in middle and high school? At present, we haven't the money conitine the WriterCoach Connection. Our high school health centers will lose substantial parts of their budgets. 

Few have been as vocally critical of WCCUSD as me, but I cannot fathom these cuts, as they will be devastating, especially coupled with the state's looming disaster. I agree we must push for more effect and efficiency within our current means, and pledge to hold the district to account for better academic results. However, we need to pass this measure to avoid furthering impairing the futures of our kids in middle and high school.

• Editor's note: We welcome reader comments on our articles. The Comment of the Week doesn't necessarily reflect the view of El Cerrito Patch. It's chosen according to what we believe will be of general reader interest. For other examples from our Comment of the Week series, please click .