EDITORIAL TAXING QUESTION SCHOOL BOARD PUTS OFF FEE DEBATE UNTIL AFTER NOVEMBER'S ELECTION.

FOR months, members of the Los Angeles school board have gone back and forth on the question of whether they should charge nonprofit groups for the off-hours use of LAUSD facilities, such as athletic fields. And on Wednesday, they decided to postpone the decision altogether - for what appear to be largely political reasons.

For board members, the question of charging for use of the facilities is tricky.

On the one hand, making the public pay to use public property would bring in some $5 million in revenue, and the Los Angeles Unified School District can always find ways to spend more money.

But then there's the matter of public relations. In November, the LAUSD plans to hit up taxpayers for a $3.85 billion bond measure - the fourth tax increase in eight years. The board realizes that it's a tough sell to ask voters to fork over money for facilities that they will be charged (read: taxed again) to use down the road.

Therein lies the conundrum. The LAUSD would like the extra $5 million in rental fees, but not at the expense of $3.85 billion in bond revenues.

So members struck upon the perfect solution. They will table the issue, and revisit it in January, ostensibly so they have time to explore private sponsorships that would eliminate the supposed need for a charge.

Of course, by postponing the decision, the district can also make a piece of bad P.R. disappear until some safe date after the election, while still keeping open the possibility for yet more revenue.

Voters must not be so easily fooled. When casting your votes on the bond measure come November, remember - yet another tax may still be in the offing.