“Yes on S” Takes to the Street

Photo by Leonard COUTIN Fremont Principal Christin Walley’s son Jake showed his support for Yes on S.

By Jason KUROSU

On April 5 the city of Glendale will hold its municipal election to determine, among other things, whether or not Glendale citizens want to approve Measure S, a new bond resolution intended to provide continuing funds for schools in the district.

Parents, students and educators have enthusiastically supported the measure, as they did with Measure K, the bond measure passed in 1997 which similarly provided funds for school facilities. The “Yes on S” campaign has attempted to reach out to voters in various ways.

The most recent promotion was a community-wide precinct walk around the Crescenta Valley area, going door to door with pamphlets, handouts and other literature (and “Yes on S” lawn signs for those swayed by the campaign). The measure’s supporters, which included parents, students and staff members from local schools, gathered last Saturday at the parking lot of Crescenta Valley Insurance, where they received their handouts and instructions from Campaign Coordinator Bo Patatian.

Patatian addressed the volunteers before they set out on their trek in the neighborhoods.

“I know there are probably a million things you could be doing on your Saturday. But this shows that you understand the gravity of what we’re trying to do.”

Patatian continued by providing tips for the volunteers on how to effectively communicate their message during the walk, such as using the words “Measure S” as much as possible while speaking with voters and splitting up in groups, each taking one side of the same street in order to increase productivity.

Patatian spoke separately about the commitment of the volunteers saying, “It’s a unique experience seeing these people spending their Saturday mornings doing this. It’s a really important issue. When it’s a candidate you’re campaigning for, people are often 50-50 in their support. But when it’s something that affects schools, whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican doesn’t matter.”

The volunteers concurred on the importance of the measure.

Lincoln Elementary Principal Bill Card said, “Measure S is a very important item on the ballot that will help our schools move into the 21st Century.”

Monte Vista Principal Dr. Susan Hoge said, “This measure provides life preservers for the schools.”

Similar precinct walks are also happening in Glendale, requiring more manpower and shifts to cover the much larger area. After collecting their campaign materials, the volunteers made their way through La Crescenta, hopeful to spread their message before the afternoon was up.