Candidate for
Board Member; Temecula Valley Unified School District

Our schools are good, but with a ever increasing global economy now is not the time to cut classes that are proven to aid our childrens' development such as Music, Art and Computers.

While we all are very much aware that we live in a tough economy, putting these programs as well as retaining our teachers will require outside the box thinking.

At a recent Board Candidate Forum, all of the Board Candidates talked about lobbying Sacramento better, working with parents and local businesses as a way of achieving our goals. And while I agree with these methods, they are too slow and we need immediate, pro-active thinkers on the Board.

This is why I have come up with two solutions to immediately cut millions from our budget while at the SAME time increasing teacher pay and developing "Green" jobs for our students, many of whom cannot or will not attend college.

First we need to rein in health care costs. Currently we spend more than $16,000,000 in health care benefits. For a large number of teachers, they already have health insurance through their spouse. But TVUSD currently does not offer a teacher so much as a single penny NOT to take the district benefits. As a result, we take away millions of dollars every year from our teachers and children and give that money to insurance companies.

My solution is simple. Right now we spend about $9,000/year on benefits per teacher per year! But if teachers already have insurance through their spouse, they can "OPT-OUT". When they do we take the money from the insurance company and split it in half with $4,500/year going directly to the teacher and $4,500 going to fund Art, Music, Computers and Physical Education. Teachers are still insured, teachers make more and vital programs are restored.

We can expand this price reduction further by pooling with local agencies and Districts and buy our insurance in a larger pool, which lowers premium costs for all.

Secondly, we need to "GO GREEN" today! I have developed a course where juniors are taught about various types of alternative energy sources. Then in their senior year they are installing solar panels on school buildings.

Today we are taking $6,000,000 every year away from our children and giving it to energy companies. Why? Because we have failed to think outside the box. In a land of abundant solar energy, this course not only saves the district millions each year, it moves us towards energy independence, trains our children vital job skills that are well paid and cannot be outsourced. Additionally because SCE must buy back unused energy (which is created on weekends, holidays and vacations) we go from a financial loss to a financial gain!

In conclusion, both solutions working together save the district millions, create jobs, pay teachers more, lowers costs and restores Music, Arts, Computers and Physical Education without so much as a single dime more in revenues we already have. In essence we are redirecting money from insurance companies and energy companies and putting that money back into higher teacher pay, and vital skills development for our children.

And this is why I am asking for your vote. Please help me help our children by spreading the word with your neighbors and friends to "CAST your Vote!" for Doug Cast.

Thank you for your time and consideration.