College hit hard by state budget cuts

BY ALEX CANTATORE

State Assemblyman Bill Berryhill (R-Ceres) paid a visit to Turlock’s Community Continuum College on Friday to get an up-close look at the sort of special education programs being hit hardest by the state budget shortfall.

Berryhill toured classrooms offering developmentally disabled adults instruction in subjects such as computing, money and math, and art. In the music classroom, two vision-impaired students performed on the piano for Berryhill, playing songs from Simon and Garfunkel and The Beach Boys.

State budget cutbacks have forced a $42,000 reduction in the Community Continuum College budget, enough to amount to two fewer staff members for the college. David Toliver, executive director of CCC, expressed his regret over the cuts to what he termed, “one of the state’s most cost-effective ways to provide services.”

Toliver and Berryhill discussed ways that the State could assist the college, either through restoring some funding or relaxing some regulatory restrictions that make it difficult for CCC to operate with diminished funding. Toliver stated that CCC would be aggressively pursuing donations and private support in hopes of avoiding layoffs and continuing to provide services.

Berryhill came away from his visit impressed with the facility and eager to pursue the sort of changes requested by the college.

“My hat’s off to you for the work you guys do,” Berryhill said to the CCC Board. “It’s amazing.”

To contact Alex Cantatore, e-mail acantatore@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2005

Originally published in the Turlock Journal 5/1/2009.
Retrieved from the Turlock Journal Web site.