Measured Retraction of an Old Stereotype

I stopped 66-year-old Frank Carr outside a pharmacy Thursday in Laguna Woods, Orange County’s enclave of 20,000 residents dominated by Leisure World.

After he told me he voted for Proposition 39, the initiative that will make it easier for school districts to pass bond issues, I asked if it was an easy or difficult vote. I asked because, as a senior, Carr has no children in public schools, yet would pay for future improvements.

In other words, a yes vote Tuesday was against his financial self-interest.

“Very easy decision,” he said.

Before giving you Carr’s thinking, I must purge:

In January, I wrote a column that pained me.

With a rather broad brush, I painted senior citizens in the Irvine Unified School District as being selfish. District voters had rejected a parcel tax increase ($95 a year) that school officials wanted, and much of the post-election commentary focused on opposition from senior citizens.

Lamenting their opposition, a member of the public relations firm pushing the tax had said of the seniors: “A lot of [them] have the sense that, ‘We’ve put our children through the schools; we’ve done our duty. It’s time for someone else to give back.’ ”

That was enough for me to mount my high horse. I chided the seniors--still in the throes of being lauded by Tom Brokaw as “the greatest generation”--for being shortsighted. I limited my criticism to those who were well off financially, but that probably got lost in the translation.

Today, 10 months later, I’m happy to say it is I who was shortsighted back then.

Not that seniors needed to redeem themselves, but, boy, did they make a statement Tuesday.

On at least two ballot propositions, Laguna Woods residents--who average 78 years of age and tilt slightly more Republican than Democratic in voter registration--voted against taking the cheap way out.

Leading on Two Measures

On both votes, Laguna Woods residents not only backed public education, but cast a higher percentage of votes in support of it than any other city.

Proposition 39 will reduce from 66.6% to 55% the figure needed to pass bond issues for school improvements. The countywide vote went against it; Laguna Woods residents supported it 58% to 42%.

On Proposition 38, which would have siphoned off public school funds to pay for vouchers to private schools, the county voted against it 64.4% to 35.5%. Laguna Woods voters rejected it 73% to 27%.

OK, I asked Carr, you’ve paid taxes a long time, you’re retired and you have no kids in school. Why did you vote against what seems to be your self-interest?

“It was something that has to be done,” he said. “We [his wife and he] voted because it was needed.”

I was about to play devil’s advocate, but Carr saw my question coming: “You mean, it’s going to raise my taxes?” he said. “So what? Someone else paid for my kids when they were in school.”

Carr and his wife are former teachers. Possibly, he said, that factored into their decision. That doesn’t dilute, however, the overall selflessness of Laguna Woods voters--unless all of them are retired schoolteachers.

We often hear that seniors feel they’ve paid their dues and won’t pony up for “extras” like school bonds. “Who wants to spend extra money?” he asked rhetorically. “But I’ve been around to some of these schools here, and there are too many portable classrooms.”

A small part of Laguna Woods sits in the Laguna Beach School District. Most of it, however, is in the growing Saddleback Valley district.

In other words, school people may come calling someday. They may want yet another “sacrifice” from this older generation.

Fine, Carr said, if the money is truly needed. “Prior to Proposition 13 (passed by California voters in 1978), California was a leader in education,” Carr said. “Now, it’s a follower, well back. That’s too bad. I’m a liberal, realistic person who realizes, yeah, if you want things to be good, you’ve got to pay for them.”

Carr didn’t ask to be a poster boy for Orange County seniors. And maybe Laguna Woods seniors aren’t typical of others in the county.

But their record Tuesday is unchallenged: With perhaps less personal stake than anyone else in the fate of public schools, they led the county in supporting public education.

Looks like many in the greatest generation aren’t through giving, after all.

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Dana Parsons’ column appears Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Readers may reach Parsons by calling (714) 966-7821 or by e-mail to dana.parsons@latimes.com.