Second of two parts
Re “Chardiet Is Hopeful and Vigilant…Even Optimistic About CC”
[img]1686|right|Laura Chardiet||no_popup[/img]On the 338th day after the School Board’s first attempt at a bond issue was assassinated, a rejuvenated bond issue – pegged at a record $106 million – is expected to rise from the nearly dead on this Election Day and breeze to victory.
Measure CC needs to attract a minimum of 55 percent of the vote – and then the long-awaited physical repairs to schools can begin.
Although eloquent and thundering voices scatteringly have been raised against the total cost and financial terms of the bond, not one public doubt has been declared that CC will falter en route to the altar.
Today’s rosiness was a remote, perhaps even unattainable, dream on the night of last July 1 when former School Board member Karlo Silbiger delivered what some regarded as the quintessential speech of his career, breaking the back of the original bond. His reasoning was laid out in inarguable relief: Mr. Silbiger stunned the crowd at a special School Board meeting when he charged that not nearly enough details were known, a needless rush was under way, and the community was insufficiently educated in the nuances, highlights and objectives of the bond – for which no amount yet had been specified.
Four months later, almost to the day, it was, upon reflection, strongly believed that Mr. Silbiger’s rippling oratory ignited one of the biggest electoral upsets of recent times. Heavily favored, even a cinch, to retain his job, he placed a distant fourth on Election Night and was ousted.
When two new School Board members, Sue Robins and Dr. Steve Levin, took their seats last December, alongside a newly recharged and freshly re-elected Kathy Paspalis, the world of school bonds dramatically changed.
After Supt. Dave LaRose and Mike Reynolds, the assistant superintendent for business, designed a trumpets-blaring strategy to overcome last July’s wounding setback, the forces for passing a new and much richer school bond organized with almost unprecedented energy and commitment.
They formed an army sworn to wipe out any remaining shards of bad memory from last July 1.
Since last December, the only element more ubiquitous than air in Culver City has been the LaRose-Reynolds-Laura Chardiet volunteer army, passionately spreading the gospel of Measure CC.
Ms. Chardiet, the irrepressibly peppery president of the School Board, made it plain yesterday that less than victory at the polls today is unacceptable.
On the off-chance Measure CC fails to reach the 55 percent threshold, will the School District rebound with an alternate bond plan for November’s general election?
“Yes, I would,” said Ms. Chardiet. “We are going to do this thing until it passes.”
