By Hannah Heineman

The four 50th Assembly District candidates discussed current education issues at a recent education forum organized by the Santa Monica League of Women Voters (SMLVW).

The 2011 state redistricting process united Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Topanga, Malibu, Brentwood, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Carthay Square, West Hollywood, much of Hollywood, Hancock Park, the Miracle Mile, as well as a portion of the Santa Monica Mountains and Agoura Hills in the 50th Assembly District. Santa Monica was previously in the 41st Assembly District.

Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom and the two other Democratic candidates, Assemblywoman Betsy Butler and non-profit executive Torie Osborn, along with Republican Bradley Torgan responded to questions from education activists, the audience, and questions from community members, which were submitted prior to the forum.

California’s ongoing budget crisis took center stage. All of the candidates agreed that public education is important but differed on how the state should finance it. Osborn wants a fair state tax code that would fully fund education. She supports closing the commercial property tax and corporate loopholes created by Prop 13, and imposing an oil severance tax. She emphasized, “This is the reason I’m running for office.”

Butler, on the other hand, believes “education should be taken out out of the budget completely and be funded through public/private partnerships.” For now, however, she hopes voters will approve one of the school tax initiatives currently slated to be on the November ballot.

To Bloom “the most important challenge is to find a dedicated funding stream and make it inviolate,” pointing out that the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District now has such a stream that comes directly from the City of Santa Monica.

Torgan believes “the state’s priorities are wrong …because spending on education needs to put at the top.” However, to him “business owners should be rewarded for their long-term commitment and for stabilizing our community” so making a change in Prop 13 to fund education would be counter-productive. He would prefer to see the state “unshackle mandates to free up funds.”

The candidates also responded to a question on whether the state’s initiative and referendum process has hurt its public education system. Osborn expressed her lack of support for the process by pointing out the passage of Proposition 13 ruined the California’s education system. Bloom stated, “ballot box legislation is not a good idea because it has to do with money. It’s not a good system also because it leads to unfunded mandates.” Butler doesn’t like the money involved with the process either. Targon disagreed, expressing his support for Proposition 13 and stating, “in general direct democracy is a good idea.”

Also discussed was the Governor Jerry Brown’s proposal to move pre-school education from the state’s Department of Education to social services. Both Bloom and Butler supported the Governor’s proposal. However, Osborn disagreed by stating “it just makes sense to keep it where it is. The department that houses a program is critical.” Torgan noted, “Perception is reality. By making the shift, the emphasis will go from early education to baby sitting.”

Another issue the candidates discussed was the state’s programs for English language learners. All of the candidates were on the same page on this issue. Butler called for “every resource they need,” but added that the state budget crisis had put such programs in jeopardy. Bloom emphasized the “importance of this issue in California” and noted that programs for English language learners should start as early as possible. Torgan agreed with Bloom while Osborn saw it as “part of a larger issue of immigrant integration.”

The forum was held at on May 5 at the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District headquarters.