Guest Commentary: Education Commitment?

One person wonders if Elk Grove Citizen Publisher Roy Herburger is really committed to public education.

by Dan Schmitt

There is no mystery that Roy Herburger, the owner and President of the Elk Grove Citizen, has been a spokesperson for conservative issues and candidates. That, of course, is his prerogative as “the man behind the newspaper.”

Likewise, the perception is that Mr. Herburger is a champion of public education, especially education within the Elk Grove Unified School District. That’s one of the reasons the Elk Grove School Board deemed it proper to name an elementary school after him.

So, I was more than a tad perplexed when the Citizen endorsed Dan Lungren over Dr. Ami Bera for the 7th Congressional District seat.

You see, Congressman Lungren voted for the Ryan Budget, which if passed, would greatly hinder our kids’ education and our nation’s economic future. By voting for the Ryan Budget, Congressman Lungren voted to:

1. eliminate Head Start access for 14,000 low-income children in his district.
2. cut 125 million dollars from California K-12 education.
3. eliminate after-school programs that serve 26,000 California students.
4. double federal student loan interest rates for college students.
5. cut 55 million dollars from Pell Grants, cutting financial aid to one-third of California’s undergraduates.

Congressman Lungren is no champion of public education. Those of us who see the importance of investing in our kids’ education now, who understand the connection between education and our nations’ future economic success, will disregard the Citizen’s endorsement of Dan Lungren and cast our votes for Dr. Ami Bera.

Dr. Bera understands how a commitment to education enhances future successes. He’s a product of that commitment.