Cutting CRAs could help schools

Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to eliminate redevelopment agencies is sparking heated discussions among local and state officials, but education experts say the benefits for school districts are beyond debate.Connie Llanos in the Daily News.

The proposal to close more than 400 community redevelopment agencies would funnel an estimated $1.7billion back to California's coffers by 2012-13. State officials say about $1billion of that total would be allocated to schools, boosting the districts' finances after three years of devastating budget cuts.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other city officials are campaigning aggressively against Brown's plan, which they say will hurt communities and kill jobs. Education experts, however, say it would be a boon for schools.