Culver City : Parcel Tax Vote Postponed

The Culver City school board voted Tuesday to postpone putting a parcel tax before voters until November of next year, heeding advice from consultants that area voters are more likely to support a tax during a Board of Education election.

The 5-0 vote to pass up a tax measure for the March ballot comes on the heels of a similar decision by the Beverly Hills school board last week. The Beverly Hills Unified School District has already endured two tough parcel tax defeats, one by four votes in June. Culver City school officials say they want to avoid repeating the same mistake.

“We need to generate more awareness in the community about this issue,” Supt. Curt Rethmeyer said, explaining why he supports delaying any parcel tax proposal. “We need to identify those who will support it and then get them to vote.”

School board members were told by consultants, who had been hired by the superintendent to gauge community attitudes toward a tax, that Culver City voters under age 45 who have children in school are most likely to support a tax. In addition, this core group is more likely to turn out for a November election corresponding with school issues, they said.