Sparks Fly Over District Bonds Plan

The Los Angeles Board of Education tangled Wednesday over a nearly $4-billion bond proposed for the November ballot, with members arguing about how best the money would be spent and then delaying a decision until today.

For nearly four hours, the seven-member board and district officials tensely debated how best to divide the bond money among various projects, and the wisdom of again turning to taxpayers less than a year and a half after they approved a school bond issue.

As board President Marlene Canter tried to call for a vote on the bond measure, board member Julie Korenstein stormed out of the meeting, refusing to cast a vote.

She was followed quickly by board member Jose Huizar, who shouted “Pass!” when he was asked for his vote as he left.

Korenstein, who said she had to leave to attend a family event, had grown visibly frustrated as board members haggled for more than two hours over how much of the bond money would be spent. Korenstein and several other board members made amendments to district staff recommendations, shifting tens of millions of dollars from one project to another.

Board member David Tokofsky and district officials said they thought Korenstein, who has often voiced concern about the district’s support for charter schools, was angry about the amount of bond money allocated to those publicly funded but independently run campuses.

Huizar, who is running for the Los Angeles City Council, said he had to attend a community council meeting and a campaign fundraiser, but added that his departure was aimed in part at postponing the vote. Huizar reiterated his belief that the bond measure should be placed on a later ballot.

“It’s not right for board members to be throwing millions of dollars around at the last minute. It’s not good policy,” he said. “I knew if I walked out, the discussion wouldn’t finish. I knew the vote would have to be tabled.”

The board decided to meet again today. At a session earlier this month, members refused to vote on the proposals, saying they had not had enough time to discuss them.

Their reluctance to act has been a source of concern for schools Supt. Roy Romer, who has pushed hard in recent months to persuade the board to place the measure on the November ballot.

“Our first priority is to get a bond passed,” Romer aide Glenn Gritzner said after the meeting. “If that takes another day, so be it.”

If approved, the bulk of the bond money would be used to help fund the district’s ambitious building and repair project aimed at ending severe classroom overcrowding.

Voters have approved more than $9.5 billion in three previous school-construction bond sales since 1997.

The board also will consider a property tax initiative for the November ballot that calls for a flat $150 charge on all parcels of land -- regardless of size or use -- within school district boundaries.

Money raised from that tax would be spent on reducing class sizes, improving instruction for poor-performing students and increasing campus security, among other things.