The setback will be reviewed and the strategy for filing an appeal with the state board will be discussed tonight at 7 at a meeting of the Ladera Heights Civic Assn. They will assemble at the Sheriff’s Station in the Ladera Center, near the Ross department store.
Meeting in Downey, the ten members of the County Board of Education evidently entered the session with their voting decision pre-cooked.
Ladera parent Cheryl Cook, a leader of the upscale neighborhood south of Culver City and a primary voice and strategist in the transfer campaign, made an impassioned plea.
Judging by the lopsided vote by the County Board, eight to two, Ms. Cook’s presentation did not change any minds.
Ms. Cook had plenty to say later. “It was all about money, not the educational environment at all,” she said in an email. “Measure K, the school bond that was passed (in the late 1990s) is holding us hostage.”
Ms. Cook said that a County Education official told her privately that “it was sad that it boils down to money and not about what is in the best interests of the children.”
In Ms. Cook’s opinion, the County vote drove her Ladera Heights colleagues into a corner. “Now we must continue to pay for a school district that we can’t and won’t use,” she said, “and still pay for private schools.”
She vowed that “personally, I never will vote for a school bond again.”
Here, in its entirety, is the speech Ms. Cook delivered to the County committee:
Hello, my name is Cheryl Cook.
First of all, I’d like to thank (County executive) Danny Villanueva and his staff for all their hard work this past year. Also, I’d like to thank my fellow chief petitioners and our community of Ladera Heights for their dedication and support.
First of all, I’d like to thank (County executive) Danny Villanueva and his staff for all their hard work this past year. Also, I’d like to thank my fellow chief petitioners and our community of Ladera Heights for their dedication and support.
As you can see on the map, Ladera is sandwiched right between Culver City and Inglewood. There is no section of Ladera in the city of Inglewood. There are approximately twenty-nine hundred homes, and there is no open space for new home development.
Now, I would like to talk to you about the impact of ADA (Average Daily Attendance), in other words, the number of students that would transfer, and the Assessed Valuation, in other words, the tax roll from Ladera that would transfer.
First of all, it is our position that Inglewood will not be negatively impacted by the transfer of three hundred and thirty-seven students, which represents about two percent of their total enrollment.
As of Dec. 2, 2005, (as stated in Inglewood’s “Response to Petition” on page 10), they show student enrollment to be 17, 458. That is five hundred and thirty-two students over their budget projection number which was 16,926. This means that they are over their budget projected goal by $2, 660,000.
After you remove Ladera’s three hundred and thirty-seven kids, they are still over their budget goal by $975,000. Besides, not all Ladera students will transfer. Some might stay for a variety of reasons, and we’re sure that Inglewood will gladly accept their permit to stay. I have given Mr. Villanueva copies of the supporting documentation for your review. There is no negative impact.
Next, let’s move on to the Assessed Valuation. When we first looked at the $975 million figure (which represents fifteen percent who would transfer), we felt intimidated by that number. But then we realized that it needed to be broken down to understand the true impact.
The Ladera assessed valuation represents approximately 2,900 homes. Inglewood has over 21,000 homes. When you divide the Ladera portion by 21,000 homes and then compute the school tax increase, it works out to an average tax increase of only $57 per household per year or $4.75 per month. It is hard to believe that Inglewood residents would turn down future bonds for that amount when they will easily pay over $100 for a pair of tennis shoes for their kids.
Now, let’s consider, for example, a house that is assessed at $150,000. It would incur an additional school tax of only $28 per year. Then, when you factor in the new housing development of three hundred and seventy-five single-family homes, the new retail developments on Century Boulevard, and future housing developments (most likely new homes that will replace the Hollywood Park race track), the tax increase will be even less.
Therefore, very minimal impact.
I have given copies of a property tax analysis to Mr. Villanueva, and pictures of the new home development and the retail developments on Century Boulevrd. I hope you will take a moment to review them. A picture is worth a thousand words.
In closing, this past year has been a real learning experience for me. I am not a consultant; I am not a lawyer. I do not have “doctor” as a title.
I’m just an average citizen. But I do have common sense, which tells me that it is time for a change in Ladera Heights.
Ladera deserves your vote to approve our petition. Give us the opportunity to vote for the future of our children. That’s all we ask. Thank you very much.