More Democratic Board Representation - Redistricting

By Carl Pohlhammer

The issue of more democratic representation on the Board has become an important one to communities served by the MPC district. The board needs to reexamine its position on this issue.

Nevertheless, the fact that MPC may be perceived negatively on this issue should be of concern to any board member. As the college and the board face the demographic and funding pressures of the future, it may be necessary to return to the public for their support on future bond issues. As the college seeks to meet the needs of our students, our community and the college faculty and staff, it must be perceived well by the community. The community must feel that this is their college, be proud of it and want to support it.

After all, there is no other institution of higher learning that is so close to the people. The community college admits almost anyone. It trains more of our labor force than any post secondary institution. It is the college experience for the vast majority of Californians. It is truly the people's college. It follows then that the people must have the confidence that the board represents all the public and is truly democratic.

But the reality is that the costs of running in an "at-large" district are enormous and work to exclude people with more limited incomes from running or waging an effective campaign. The cost of placing a candidate's statement in the voters' pamphlet is approximately $2100. Any candidate who wants to be seen as a serious contender must file such a statement. The cost of one mailing of a 5 x 9 postcard to 90,000 voters is in the neighborhood of $3600. An ad of any useful size run one day in the only daily paper in this district costs approximately $1300 - $1600 per day depending upon whether it is a week day or Sunday. Yard signs will cost another $450 - $750 per 200. The budget to adequately fund a contested election will run about $10,000 to $12,000. The candidate must spend an enormous amount of time and energy to raise such money or be prepared to donate their own funds to the campaign. Few have such resources. Is their any doubt why so many see the present at-large district as un-democratic? In contrast, the cost of running in a community represented district (such as our neighbor Hartnell college) is approximately one-fourth the cost.

Today the communities of Marina and Seaside see that MPC's board members presently come and in the past have typically come from Carmel, Carmel Valley, Pebble Beach and occasionally, Monterey and Pacific Grove. A large percentage of our students come from north county. Based upon figures projected by an MPC study entitled "A Look At Our Community and Student Population" (2002) the district's population will increase 50% by 2020. By that year, the district's population is expected to have increased from today's 104,000 to 154,000. Approximately 42,000 of that increase will be in Seaside and Marina. This increase is roughly equal to the present population of Pacific Grove and Monterey combined.

It should not be surprising that the people of north county are pushing for community representation. This is no reflection upon the present board. But it is a clear indication that the present system is perceived as and is un-democratic. I have years of experience working with boards, with committees, with management and staff at the local and state level. I believe I can work within the system for greater fairness and broader representation. To that end I will urge the board to reconsider its earlier position on at-large representation