EL CAJON — The East County Democratic Club had one of its own members, Mary Kay Rosinski, talk about her hopes of serving a second term as vice president on the Governing Board of Grossmont College.
Rosinski grew up in El Cajon. She attended Anza and Emerald elementary schools and graduated from Granite Hills High.
Rosinski is a trustee in District No. 5 of the GCCCD Board whose district received new lines for its five election areas.
EL CAJON — The East County Democratic Club had one of its own members, Mary Kay Rosinski, talk about her hopes of serving a second term as vice president on the Governing Board of Grossmont College.
Rosinski grew up in El Cajon. She attended Anza and Emerald elementary schools and graduated from Granite Hills High.
Rosinski is a trustee in District No. 5 of the GCCCD Board whose district received new lines for its five election areas.
As a trustee, for which she gets a few hundred dollars a month, Rosinski said that she dedicates herself to the Grossmont/Cuyamaca governing board remaining transparent in its business.
“The college district receives most of its money from the state,” she said. “If we have more students than the district has money for, we have to turn away students. And that’s what has been happening.”
The budget for the district had already been reduced by $6.3 million, Rosinski said, and 800 core classes have been cut.
“The district has turned away 16,000 students,” Rosinski said. “That includes kids who are fresh out of high school along with adults who have been laid off and the military who need re-training.
“It’s just heartbreaking.”
In the audience, Gordon Bosma, a three-year member of the Democratic Club, said that when he moved out here decades ago, community college classes were free. “What happened?” he asked.
“We’d love to offer classes for free,” Rosinski said. “But it’s the California budget, and it’s killing us.”
The excellent thing about the Grossmont/Cuyamaca District, Rosinski said, is that the budget is in the black.
“We are proud of our board, but we still have had to turn students away.
“Our governor says that we need to raise taxes. It’s either that or we’re going to get another $4 million cut,” she said.
The district has always put students first, Rosinski said, but the budget picture is grim.
What she intends to do if she is reelected to the Board is to ensure its transparency and to work with the state.
“We are hoping to encourage things like the ‘Millionaire’s Tax’,” she said.
“The colleges have empty classrooms, and we’ve had to lay off teachers.”
Rosinski said a high standard of ethics reigns in GCCCD. “I’m proud of it. The district’s recent eight clean audits prove their transparency,” she said.
“I’d like to continue to represent the District,” Rosinski said.
The Democratic Club endorsed Rosinski at the meeting.
The group also endorsed President Barack Obama and Dianne Feinstein for U.S. Senate.
