Superintendent Mario Contini should study California history and math if he believes "crisis is the result of a fall in revenue, not a plethora of spending," (March 19 T.O. Acorn, "Public education in California is taking a major hit due to budget cutbacks.")

Questioning budgets using inflationadjusted rates is convenient when wishing to increase spending, regardless of economic realities. A simpler measure is "How do we rate now?" The Federal Education Budget Project shows California No. 25 of 50 at $7,700 per student.

Without evaluating efficiency of spending and comparative value delivered, it's impossible to judge. If taxes are well spent, schools might be fantastic.

Nine of the top 10 "spenders" are in New England. I don't want a New York public education, even at $12,900. Absolute spending is an inconvenient measure.

California is not at the bottom of the scale—at least not in spending.

We are, however, bottom dwellers in pupil performance. Only two states rate lower in reading; only 21 percent of our fourth-graders read at grade level! Only Louisiana's 20 percent and Mississippi's 18 percent are below California.

Enough inconvenient truths.

Contini's mischaracterization is dangerously ignorant and blatant misrepresentation.

Undisputed facts: California increased spending 50 percent in the last five years and more than doubled it in the last 10. California's former finance director summarized the problem. Had California taken Gray Davis' 1999-2000 budget and increased spending only by increases in inflation and population, California would have a budget surplus today even with revenue falling due to recession!

Tell legislators to stop spending on social engineering and focus on needs. Improve schools, don't just spend money. Reward wonderful teachers and remove those who underperform, regardless of seniority. Dedicated and effective teachers are grossly underpaid absent effective performance evaluation and rewards.

Perverse preservation of the worst means saying goodbye to the best and brightest.

Demand that officials address difficult topics using accurate, not convenient data, and make brutally honest evaluations.

Government employees cannot be treated as if they have a job for life regardless of performance, especially where our most valuable resource is concerned, our children.

Steven C. Walton Thousand Oaks