Third in a series
Re “Taylor’d to Fit the School Board?”
[img]2224|right|Rick Tuttle||no_popup[/img]Having spent 16 years as the City Controller of Los Angeles, now-retired Rick Tuttle was relaxing and noshing in a plump easy chair on Sunday afternoon in Mary Ann Greene’s living room.
Even from a sitting position, he was stumping aggressively for Vernon Taylor for the School Board.
Who better to assess the banker a fellow fiscal professional?
“I like Mr. Taylor for several reasons,” Mr. Tuttle said. “At a time of financial stress throughout the state, I think it would be terrific to have someone like him on the Board, a man who has a strong financial background. Many issues that will come up will be related to finance, and he has the expertise to handle them.
“He and I have spent time together. He has a very fine collegial personality.
Bradley Parallel
“He reminds me a little bit of then-City Councilman Tom Bradley,” said a gentleman who served under the longtime Los Angeles mayor.
“He has the same kind of temperament, a calming approach. Rebecca (Rona) and I hosted Mr. Taylor in our home a couple nights ago. I have seen him in discussions and in the candidate forums. He has done very well, well-versed in the issues.
“He has worked well with young men and women, not just in the education realm but as a parallel realm in the whole YMCA movement. I happen to be a YMCA kid back East. I know what the Y’s can mean. The men and women who volunteer – which he manifestly has done – is something that caught my attention early and caused me to look into his background.
Taylor Has Been Scrutinized
[img]2100|right|Vernon Taylor||no_popup[/img]“Finally, he has been civically involved with a number of commissions. I know enough about the vetting process here in Culver City to know that if someone gets involved, is appointed and reappointed, that means there is a group of Council members who have found Mr. Taylor to be terrific, as I have.
“Furthermore,” said Mr. Tuttle, “in a district approximately 45 to 50 percent young people of color, it would be good to have diversity on the School Board since we are losing Ms. (Patricia) Siever.”
Mr. Tuttle said that Mr. Taylor’s financial training – unusual for a School Board member – would come in handy when the School District is employing consultants “because he would press them, test them as appropriate. Remember, we the taxpayers, are paying for them. He would say to the consultants, ‘Can we have you come in and discuss your work papers? How did you arrive at this decision?’
“Someone who has the background of a banker,” said Mr. Tuttle, “would answer these kinds of questions, digging into the subject.”
