The head of the CUPE local for support workers in the Vernon School District isn't happy about MLA Eric Foster's statements on the loss of facilities grants.Mark Olsen, president of local 5523, says the district already had to deal with over 2 million in budget cuts."It's pretty short sighted to say when you take $1.6 million out of the operating budget of which 90 percent of the dollars goes to wages, that there won't be job losses."He says about a dozen teachers along with CUPE staff were cut already and loosing another 1.6 million will certainly hit hard.Olsen, who ran for the NDP in the May election, says the facilities grants directly funds workers to keep the facilities running."To say that it won't affect it is ridiculous. There's going to be job losses but the union and the district are working together to minimize the job losses."
Vernon Monashee Liberal MLA Eric Foster says the budget carries a substantial $2.8 billion deficit but there are some positives."Personal income tax exemption raise is kind of nice for everyone and the big thing to remember is we are increasing our funding to health care, maintaining and in some areas increasing our funding to education."The former Lumby mayor is also pleased there will be no provincial sales tax charge on home heating utilities like natural gas, electricity and fuel, when the harmonized sales tax takes effect in July.Foster was not aware of any job losses connected to the cuts to facilities grants that will impact school districts when
1 comment:
Not only does he look like Mortimer Snerd, but he has the same ability to control his own actions and say what is on his mind. Way to go Eric Foster.
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