1999: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

A cascade of events that kept the headlines blazing almost continuously finally brought down the bulwarks of the city’s most impenetrable bureaucracy.

It began with the February disclosure that Los Angeles Unified School District officials began construction of the $200-million Belmont Learning Complex atop a former oil field without adequately assessing the dangers.

Aided by Belmont outrage, a slate backed by Mayor Richard Riordan replaced three Board of Education members in spring elections.

A showdown between the new board majority and Supt. Ruben Zacarias got started with a scathing auditor’s report blaming nine senior staff members for Belmont and criticizing Zacarias’ supervision.

The district’s failure to prepare applications for nearly $1 billion in state funds to build 100 new schools brought on a clumsy coup. In September, the board called on former board member and real estate lawyer Howard Miller to salvage the building plan, then only two weeks later elevated him to the new post of chief executive officer, stripping Zacarias of almost all power.

The city’s Latino power brokers united behind Zacarias, throwing the district into turmoil. Seasoned reform superintendent Ramon C. Cortines, shown here with Zacarias at the podium, emerged as the key to a compromise. Miller became chief operating officer and Cortines interim superintendent in waiting. Zacarias got to exit with a modicum of dignity and a lot of money. He’ll receive $780,000 when he retires Jan. 15.