SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — With the Nov. 3 election just around the corner, board candidates for the Lake Tahoe Unified School District and Lake Tahoe Community College fielded questions from the audience during a candidate's forum Wednesday night.

The Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation sponsored the forum at South Tahoe Middle School. An audience of about 35 listened as three school district candidates and four college district candidates discussed the issues — mostly fiscal —that are facing the districts.

For the school district, incumbent and board president Wendy David and incumbent Duane Wallace face challenger Judy Cefalu. For the college district, incumbents Roberta Mason, Molly Blann and board president Kerry David are challenged by former LTCC business instructor Mary Jane Sanchez-Fulton.

School finances a top issue

The school district candidates kicked off the forum by answering questions about top priorities and the condition of the district's finances.

David said her top priorities include preparing high school students for career paths, improving the district's fiscal situation and making the elementary schools more “magnet-oriented.”

Wallace said he would like to continue class-size reductions; protect activities surrounding sports, arts and music that may increase students' “sense of belonging to your school”; and increase magnet-like programs in each school so “schools have a higher degree of pride,” he said.

Cefalu advocated preschools for each elementary school in the district, small class sizes and the retention of arts, music and sports programs.

For the betterment of the district's finances, Wallace noted that you “can't cut your way to success” and would like to investigate the possible lease of unused property for extra revenue.

“The district's cut about all it can cut,” he said.

David praised the Educational Foundation and its fundraising efforts to help the district, while Cefalu said grants are a “godsend.”

Community college discusses budget

The community college district candidates were also questioned about district finances and how to overcome state budget shortfalls.

Mason, a member of board since the college's 1974 inception, said the board has always been fiscally conservative in order to retain a healthy reserve. Mason said she doesn't expect the state's financial situation to change soon and that the board will be looking at ways to increase revenues.

Sanchez-Fulton said the college's current strategies for managing shortfalls are “just short-term solutions,” and recommended programs like Young at Heart at Riverside Community College, which offers tuition-free classes to students age 55 and older.

Blann said the college has already cut a great deal of its expenses and additional cuts are expected in January. She said the college is limited on new revenue streams, but the board is looking to the Education Foundation and other partnerships to help.

Kerry David, who is married to school board incumbent Wendy David, said the couple has started a family fund at the college and is encouraging other community members to do the same.

Student Cheryl Beyer attended the forum as part of her LTCC “Lake Tahoe Issues and Agencies” class led by instructor Dan Sussman. Attending two public meetings is a course requirement. Beyer, a botanist with the U.S. Forest Service, also attended the South Tahoe Public Utility District candidate's forum on Oct. 6.

Beyer said she will likely vote for Mason, who has a background as a scientist.

“She's the only one that really is a scientist, and I would like to see more science classes at LTCC,” Beyer said.

Beyer said she was put off by Kerry David's closing statement encouraging voters to vote for the three incumbents as a group.

“I think it was a slap in (Sanchez-Fulton's) face in front of a large audience,” Beyer said.