Hopes Ride on Bond Measure

The Los Angeles Community College District is pinning its hopes on a $1.2-billion bond package to modernize, repair and finish building its nine campuses. The bond issue will be decided by voters in Los Angeles and throughout the district, which includes Burbank, Monterey Park and Culver City.

Proponents of the 40-year bonds--instructors unions and all of the candidates for the board of trustees--say passage of the measure would provide the district with safe, well-equipped classrooms for a coming surge in student population by raising property taxes about $14.53 per $100,000 of valuation.

Some homeowners groups, such as the the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. and United Organization of Taxpayers, agree that the facilities need to be upgraded but criticize the district administration for a poor financial record. Those groups favor a smaller improvement plan that would not increase taxes.

Two new trustees will be added to a seven-member board that unanimously supports the bond proposal. Michael Waxman, public affairs director for a cable company and son of Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles) is running against Dan Rosales Jr., field deputy for City Councilman Alex Padilla, for Office 2. Waxman, a district outsider, said he wants to promote the colleges’ image through cable programming. Rosales, who attended Mission College when classes were held in San Fernando storefronts, said his firsthand knowledge of the campuses gives him an advantage in resolving the issues.

In the race for Office 6 are National University professor Deborah Le Blanc, who emphasizes the need to lift the transfer rate to four-year universities; Samuel “Joey” Hill, chief of staff to state Sen. Kevin Murray (D-Culver City), who wants to increase outreach programs to minorities and urban students; TV producer Mark Gonzaga, who advocates using the colleges to promote racial harmony in the city; and environmentalist and part-time instructor Nancy Pearlman, who has complained that unions wield too much influence over the board.