News-Press' endorsements, and why

For anyone to actually want to serve as an elected official these days, it takes an eyes-wide-open approach to what surely will be a very hard four years.

Crushing budget deficits — whether by maddeningly short-sighted decisions made years ago, or by the axe in Sacramento —almost surely will force some hard decisions as our elected representatives grapple with changing the structure of public service, be it in our schools, City Hall, utilities or other areas.

It’s against this grim landscape that the Glendale News-Press pressed candidates for City Council, the Glendale Unified school board and Glendale Community College Board of Trustees in a round of endorsement interviews. Our endorsements for the GUSD and GCC boards appear below. Endorsements for City Council will appear in next Saturday’s edition. Whether you agree with us or not, please remember to cast your ballot April 5.

GLENDALE UNIFIED SCHOOL BOARD

Mary Boger

In her many years on the school board, incumbent Mary Boger has become the rock.

A public servant for years before she even reached the board, Boger has represented Glendale’s education interests tirelessly — be it College View, the campus that serves those with special needs, or in Sacramento, on the state board of education.

She has also shown a desire and ability to reach out to community stakeholders, including the City Council, to address joint issues, something that no doubt will become a key strategy in navigating what could be crushing state funding cuts for education.

Jennifer Freemon

Yes, her husband is the former president of the teachers union. But those who let that stand in the way of an honest evaluation of Jennifer Freemon would be letting politics get in the way of making what could be a refreshing addition to the school board.

She has demonstrated in forums and in interviews her command of issues facing the district and classrooms. A teacher herself, with three children, Freemon would bring to the board a perspective that hasn’t been represented strongly enough.

Freemon could also bring some credibility and bridge-making ability with the Glendale Teachers Assn., which very well could be asked back to the negotiating table next year after the district has exhausted its federal stimulus funding.