School Board’s Plans for Opinion Poll Challenged

A taxpayers’ watchdog organization has challenged the Los Angeles Board of Education’s decision to spend school district funds on a public opinion survey to explore local voters’ views on paying to build new schools and repair old ones.

In a letter to Board President Jackie Goldberg, Joel Fox, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., said the $93,000 expenditure violates a state law that prohibits school districts from spending public funds “for the purpose of urging the passage or defeat of any school measure.”

Norm Apperson, an attorney for the district, said the board is on firm legal ground because the survey will not advocate a position on a possible tax increase. Apperson said conducting such a survey is a prudent step to take before incurring the cost of an election if the board ultimately decides to try for a local bond measure.