California's community colleges are supposed to be protected by the same funding formula that safeguards the public schools. But as in George Orwell's classic allegory "Animal Farm," some educational animals are more equal than others.

Proposition 98 was passed by voters in 1988 and earmarks 42 percent of the state's general fund to kindergarten through community colleges. But it has been applied altogether unfairly to the community colleges. For starters, they have yet to receive the 11 percent funding due them under the initiative because a provision in the law allows the Legislature to suspend the rule and shortchange the colleges. And shortchange them the lawmakers have, by shaving about 2 percent each year.

Since the Legislature stubbornly refuses to right this funding wrong, Assemblyman Rod Pacheco, R-Walnut, is trying a different tack. His bill, AB 1417, would protect community colleges whenever the state Department of Finance overestimates property tax revenues.

Under current law, if those revenues come in below the projected estimates, the K-12 system receives the difference in the form of a backfill from the state's general fund. Such is not the case, however, for the community colleges' share.

Pacheco's proposal would require the state controller to transfer money from the general fund to the school fund or vice versa, depending on the amount of property tax revenues. This would help ensure that the community colleges are treated fairly.

The community colleges have always been willing to bear their fair share of belt-tightening during tough times. But it makes no sense for the state to keep stiffing these schools, especially when they are so crucial to retraining unemployed and underemployed adults and getting them back into the work force.

These colleges educate thousands of poor students at a fraction of the state funding allocated to the University of California and the California State University systems. They are a valuable resource that deserves far more than the repeated back of Sacramento's hand.