RUNOFF ELECTIONS WILL COST LAUSD, LACCD $8 MILLION.Byline: SUSAN ABRAM Staff Writer A May 15 runoff Runoff The procedure of printing the end-of-day prices for every stock on an exchange onto ticker tape. Notes: If the "tape is late" then it can take a long time to print off all the closing prices. election for two seats on the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. board and one seat on the Los Angeles Community College District The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) is the community college district serving Los Angeles, California and some of its neighboring cities. In addition to typical college aged students, the LACCD also serves adults of all ages. board will cost the two districts $8 million total. The districts have to reimburse the city for the election. For retired sheriff's Deputy Roy Burns, who forced LACCD LACCD Los Angeles Community College District board member Georgia Mercer into a runoff, the cost of the election has raised personal questions. Burns, of Reseda, was one of four Republican challengers who ran against what they called the board's mishandling of bond measures voters passed in 2001 and 2003. The $2 billion in bond money is for construction and upgrading costs at the nine college campuses. But critics said board members have wasted time and money. Board members argue that high construction costs and bureaucratic bu·reau·crat n. 1. An official of a bureaucracy. 2. An official who is rigidly devoted to the details of administrative procedure. bu red tape at the state level are to blame for any delays. "One of my goals is to save taxpayers money," Burns said Wednesday. "I do believe there's some changes necessary on that board, but I have to evaluate if (the upcoming election) is counterproductive to my goals." Incumbent Mercer received 46 percent of the vote and Burns garnered 32 percent, while Mercer's other challengers, Mike Rives Language Rive (plural : rives) is a French word meaning "bank" (of a river). Geography Rives is the name of several places: France Rives is the name of 2 communes in France:
Three other incumbents, Mona Field, Warren Furutani and Sylvia Scott-Hayes, each secured solid wins, capturing at least 65 percent of the votes cast in their respective districts. Each was elected in 1999. Mercer said she is more frustrated frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: about the cost of heading into another election than she is about the three challengers who want her seat. "This election process has really been frustrating frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: for me because I have a lot of experience and I really care," Mercer said Wednesday. "I just happened to be the unlucky one that got a number of challengers who qualified to be on the ballot, who have never been to a board meeting. But that's a democracy." Also facing off on the May ballot are school board member Jon Lauritzen and challenger Tamar Galatzan, who had Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's political and financial backing for the District 3 seat. And Richard Vladovic, who won 46 percent of the vote in District7, and will face a runoff with Neal Kleiner, who received 32 percent. susan.abram@dailynews.com (818) 713-3664 |
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