School Board Scrutinizes Budget Surplus

The Santa Barbara School District came closer to finding the source of its budget surplus as staff accountants discovered that four programs- retirement benefits, workman’s comp, property liability insurance, and dental/vision funds-were underfunded, accounting for a bulk of the excess cash. The School Board decided to discuss on 9/11 restoring the elementary school music program cut last spring. Aided by a pledge from the Santa Barbara Education Foundation to kick in $25,000 toward the cause, board members remained optimistic that the program could be restored.