Money won’t solve the problems

I have attended coffees, the forum, and read up on the issues. I encountered many of these issues when our three students went through LCUSD. The same bad teachers still fail to teach the same subjects, so it is not a surprise that the math and science scores have flat-lined at an unacceptably low level; it would have been a surprise if they hadn’t.

At her coffees and the debate, candidate Ellen Multari says we need another parcel tax, this one as high as $1,000 per-year-per-home, and a 2.5% real estate transfer tax on the sale of homes in LCF. This is the same mistake our board always makes, thinking that you can solve every problem by throwing someone else’s money at it. The monies raised will not solve the mismanagement of the district by this school board. And voting for the incumbent, who has presided over the board forever, is not an option.

The conclusion I have reached is the candidate that can do this, who can turn the herd, is Andrew “AJ” Blumenfeld. He is steeped in the education policy — this is his field. As a college project, he dissected our current union contract and knows how to use the tools already available. Andrew understands that by attracting and retaining great teachers, we can keep the in-district students enrolled in public schools. Parents won’t have to look outside our system. All in-district families and property owners will benefit from great schools. The numbers of permit kids can be reduced and the pressure for additional taxes is removed. Voting for Blumenfeld is a vote for the future, for long-needed changes, for a move away from the status quo and away from crippling new financial burdens on La Cañadans. And this is exactly what this moribund board needs.

Lauren Oakes

La Cañada