EDITORIAL MORE OF THE SAME A WHIFF OF SCANDAL EMANATES FROM BELMONT.

IT should come as little surprise that there appears to be yet another conflict of interest in the Los Angeles Unified School District's handling of the Belmont Learning Center.

Belmont deal-making has long been as toxic and as noxious as the leaky oil field on which the school sits.

The latest potential scandal involves the Eastridge Cos., a Washington, D.C.-based real estate development firm that is bidding for the contract to complete Belmont. Between June and August of this summer, the firm also served as an LAUSD consultant for property acquisition and new school construction in the San Fernando Valley.

Having access to the district's facilities division, while at the same time trying to win a district facilities contract, has the makings of a potential conflict of interest. And in a district with a long history of fraud and abuse, one would think that officials would be careful to safeguard against even the appearance of any possible impropriety.

But LAUSD officials don't seem too worried. Superintendent Roy Romer approved of Eastridge's dual roles, provided that it used different employees for the two jobs (presuming employees of the same company don't speak to each other).

It certainly sounds and looks fishy, but we guess that's to be expected from the LAUSD.