Tustin : School Board Approves Consolidating Elections

Trustees for the Tustin Unified School District have approved consolidation of school board elections with the county’s general elections, thereby extending some incumbents’ terms by one year, district officials said Wednesday.

The consolidation proposal, approved 3 to 2, is designed to save the district money and to increase voter turnout, said Chris Layton, newly elected board president. The decision now goes to the county Board of Supervisors for approval.

By pushing back the next school board election from November, 1987, to November, 1988, the consolidation would also mean extending some of the trustees’ terms.

Tustin is the first school district in the county to act under a new state law that allows school boards to consolidate their elections with general, primary or municipal elections, said Larry Sutherland, business manager for the district.

Layton voted for the proposal, as did Trustees Barbara Benson and Joyce Hanson. Trustees Jane Bauer and Gloria Tuchman were opposed.

Critics argued that voting on local school district issues would be influenced by the other issues on a consolidated ballot.

But Layton said the school board should “reflect the philosophy of the entire community. You’re more likely to achieve that when . . . 50% of the registered voters are voting.”