ELECTIONS SCHOOL BOARD : Foes of Parcel Tax Lie Low, but an Easy Win Not Expected : Education: At a candidates’ forum, all three school board contenders expressed support for the tax.

It was supposed to be a debate.

But the sponsors of last week’s forum, on the eve of Culver City’s school board election, were unable to round up any opposition to a school parcel tax on the Nov. 5 ballot.

“We just weren’t able to find anybody who would speak out publicly in opposition to the parcel tax,” said a flustered Rusty Kostick, who moderated the forum, which was sponsored by the League of Women Voters.

“We were in a very uncomfortable situation,” she added later. “I don’t like to present one side.”

The forum sponsors were able to attract all three candidates running for two seats on the Culver City Unified School District Board of Education.

Incumbent Bess Drust is seeking her fourth term on the board. The other two candidates are Madeline Ehrlich, a registered nurse, and Michael Eskridge, who operates a flower shop.

The parcel tax was designed to raise money for Culver City schools, which have suffered unprecedented budget cuts this year. In June, more than 70 full-time positions were eliminated, affecting everyone from teachers and counselors to nurses and security guards. Many educational programs were cut entirely, including music and physical education at the elementary schools. All swimming programs were canceled, and the district’s indoor pool was closed.

The school district and members of the community placed the school parcel tax on the ballot as an emergency measure. If it receives a two-thirds vote, Proposition E, as it is called, will levy an annual $98 fee on each parcel of land in the city for four years, and will generate about $1.1 million for the school district annually. Residents 65 and older would be entitled to a full refund of the fee.

There has been no organized opposition to the tax in Culver City, unlike in Beverly Hills, where the district met stiff opposition to its attempts to pass a school parcel tax. The third attempt met defeat earlier this year. In Culver City, no one even filed a statement of opposition for the official ballot.

“There just have not been leaders in the community that felt strongly enough about it to form an opposition group,” said Diane Pannone, a leader of the campaign to pass the tax. As far as individuals, “it would be very intimidating to ask John Smith, voter, ‘Would you come to a forum and debate with the mayor?’ ”

Pannone added that even though support for the tax is strong, getting the two-thirds vote required to pass it will be difficult. Campaign volunteers, including Culver City schools Supt. Curtis Rethmeyer and several school principals, placed thousands of phone calls to voters and found that only 62% of them said they would vote for the tax. Ten percent said they would vote against it, and 28% were undecided.

If the parcel tax is passed, it will go into effect in July, 1992. At that time, administrators would decide which programs to reinstate from the $2 million in budget cuts made this summer. The district’s general fund for this year’s budget was about $16 million.

At the forum, the three school board candidates expressed support for the tax.

All agreed that business should be involved more in sponsoring school programs. They agreed that alternative sources of revenue must be found to offset the ever-tightening budget.

But Drust criticized the idea of sponsoring events to raise revenue, saying, “Fund raising is not really what a board member is all about.”

Drust was responding to Eskridge’s idea to hold a Mardi Gras style fund-raiser and Erlich’s idea to hold a farmers market.

The issue of how to prevent gangs from infiltrating Culver City schools also drew slightly different responses.

“We need a professional security force,” Eskridge said, adding that gang members should be kicked out of school.

Drust advocated a program that would get jobs for students.

Ehrlich said, “Gang members come from families,” and the schools should work with parents to ensure that problems are caught when students are young.

Candidates for Culver City School Board

Bess Drust

Age: Declined to state.

Background: Member of school board since 1979, and a former teacher and principal at Culver City High School. Now runs a business and education consulting firm. Has been a member of PTA and Education Foundation, a nonprofit group that raises money for the schools. Served on committee that acted as informal liaison between district and community.

Campaign: Supports education programs for students with special needs. Advocates an individualized educational plan for each student. Believes community service should be a graduation requirement.

Michael Eskridge

Age: 42.

Background: Part-owner and operator of Culver City Flower Shop. Moderator for the district’s education committee. Has been a classroom volunteer and PTA member at Farragut Elementary, and on committee that picked district’s financial manager. Has been a member of Education Foundation.

Campaign: Supports a well-rounded education, including vocational training for students who do not go on to college. Advocates educational partnerships with business and increased security at school sites, and believes district needs to be run “more like a business.”

Madeline Ehrlich

Age: 49.

Background: Registered nurse, independent contractor specializing in insurance health exams, physicals. Has been a PTA president at La Ballona Elementary and has served on numerous committees dealing with school issues. Helped found Education Foundation, and has been active at state and national level in educational causes.

Campaign: Advocates creating magnet programs at elementary schools, and allowing parents and children to select a magnet school. Also wants a recognition program in which a district employee is honored for outstanding service each month.