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(-) Remove Summary of Conclusions filter Summary of Conclusions
Annual Report (102) Apply Annual Report filter
Report X Technical Advice X Summary of Conclusions X
09/06/2010 10-333 Technical Advice- The Equivalence between the Japanese Regulatory and Supervisory Framework and the EU Regulatory Regime for Credit Rating Agencies CESR Archive, Credit Rating Agencies Technical Advice PDF
17/05/2011 2011/144 Final advice- ESMA´s Technical Advice to the Commission on Fees for CRAs Credit Rating Agencies Technical Advice PDF
04/10/2011 2011/323 Final report- ESMA's technical advice on possible delegated acts concerning the Prospectus Directive as amended by the Directive 2010/73/EU Prospectus, Corporate Disclosure Technical Advice PDF
16/11/2011 2011/379 Final report- ESMA's technical advice to the European Commission on possible implementing measures of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive Fund Management Technical Advice PDF
01/03/2012 2012/137 ESMA's technical advice on possible delegated acts concerning the Prospectus Directive as amended by the Directive 2010/73/EU Prospectus, Corporate Disclosure Technical Advice PDF
1.32 MB ESMA publishes today the second part of its final advice (ESMA/2012/137) on possible delegated acts for the Prospectus Directive (PD). The advice was submitted to the Commission on 29 February 2012. In its advice, ESMA proposes how to use a prospectus in a retail cascade and provides input on how to review the provisions of the Prospectus Regulation concerning tax information, indices, auditor's report on profit forecasts and estimates and audited historical financial information. Today's advice follows a public consultation started on 13 December 2011. Overall, the technical advice aims to achieve a high level of investor protection and to increase across Europe the legal clarity and efficiency of the prospectus regime. Investment prospectuses as such are aimed to provide investors with easily accessible information on financial products so as to foster in-formed decision-making.
18/04/2012 2012/259 Technical advice on CRA regulatory equivalence- US, Canada and Australia Credit Rating Agencies Technical Advice PDF
697.78 KB On 12 June 2009 the European Commission requested CESR, now ESMA, to provide its technical advice on the equivalence between the legal and supervisory framework of Japan, The United States, and Canada with the EU regulatory regime for credit rating agencies. (Regulation (EC) No. 1060/2009 of the European Parliament and the Council on credit rating agencies ). On 17 November 2009, the Commission also requested CESR to provide its technical advice on Australia. On 28 September 2010, the European Commission published an equivalence decision on Japan. With regard to the compliance with the EU requirements on endorsement, ESMA had already indicated that it considers the legal and regulatory regime for CRAs supervision of the following countries as "as stringent as" the EU requirements: - On 22 December 2011, Japan and Australia; - On 15 March 2012, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore. This report sets out ESMA's advice to the European Commission in respect of the equivalence between the US (Part I), Canada (Part II) and Australia (Part III) respective legal and supervisory frameworks and the EU regulatory regime for credit rating agencies.
20/04/2012 2012/236 ESMA's Technical Advice on possible delegated acts of the short-selling and certain aspects of CDS Short Selling, Market Integrity Technical Advice PDF
04/04/2013 2013/302 ESMA's Technical Advice to the Commission on Fees for Trade Repositories Post Trading Technical Advice PDF
On 14 January 2013 ESMA received a formal request from the European Commission (the Commission) to provide technical advice to assist the Commission in formulating a Regulation on fees for Trade Repositories (TRs) by a delegated act. In order to deliver its advice to the Commission, ESMA consulted market participants regarding the proposed fee structures for registration, supervision and recognition of TRs. Respondents to this consultation were encouraged to provide the relevant data to support their arguments or proposals.Given the time period established for providing this advice, ESMA was compelled to require responses to the consultation within a short timeframe. In total, ESMA received 8 responses to the consultation. Non-confidential responses can be found on ESMA's website. ESMA would like to thank respondents for providing input given the short period ESMA was able to consult for. This document sets out a summary of the responses received by ESMA regarding the fee structure for registration, supervision and recognition of TRs in the EU and includes ESMA's final technical advice to the Commission on the future Regulation on fees for TRs which will be adopted by the Commission in the form of a delegated act. It is worth noting that all major ESMA proposals were supported by respondents and where comments were received ESMA has considered how best to adjust the original proposals. Next steps ESMA will follow-up on this work with the Commission as they work on the adoption of the Commission delegated regulation on fees for TRs.
31/05/2013 2013/626 Technical advice on CRA regulatory equivalence on Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Hong Kong and Singapore Credit Rating Agencies Technical Advice PDF
840.48 KB The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has provided advice to the European Commission in respect of the equivalence between the EU regulatory regime for credit rating agencies and the respective legal and supervisory frameworks of Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Hong Kong and Singapore. This is in response to the European Commission's request for technical advice from ESMA on the equivalence of these jurisdictions legal and supervisory frameworks with the EU regulatory regime for credit rating agencies as set out in Regulation (EC) No. 1060/2009 of the European Parliament and the Council on credit rating agencies. The European Commission has already published equivalence decisions on US, Canada and Australia, on 9 October 2012, and on Japan, 28 October 2010. Regarding compliance with the EU requirements on endorsement, ESMA has already indicated that it considers the legal and regulatory regime for CRAs supervision of the following countries as "as stringent as" the EU requirements: 15 March 2012, Hong Kong and Singapore; 18 April 2012, Argentina and Mexico; 27 April 2012, Brazil.
03/06/2013 2013-614 ESMA's technical advice on short selling regulation Short Selling Technical Advice PDF
2.3 MB Final Report 2013/614 ESMA's technical advice on the evaluation of the Regulation (EU) 236/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on short selling and certain aspects of credit default swaps
10/06/2013 2013/619 Annex II Comparative table of responses from EEA States Prospectus Report PDF
2013-619_report_liability_regimes_under_the_prospectus_directive_published_on_website.pdf
10/06/2013 2013/619 Annex III Individual responses from EEA States Prospectus Report PDF
03/09/2013 2013/1157 Technical advice on third country regulatory equivalence under EMIR – US Post Trading Technical Advice PDF
03/09/2013 2013/1158 Technical advice on third country regulatory equivalence under EMIR – Japan Post Trading Technical Advice PDF
03/09/2013 2013/1159 Technical advice on third country regulatory equivalence under EMIR – Australia Post Trading Technical Advice PDF


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Mania Kay
Follow the survivor's journey
Mania Kay was born in 1920 in Oświęcim (Poland). Soon after the Germans invaded Poland, Mania's family was forced into the ghetto. She witnessed the development and construction of the Auschwitz concentration camp and was sent to work there occasionally. In 1940, she and her family were deported to Sosnowiec (Poland). Mania worked in a factory manufacturing shirts for the Germans, and after a year, was forced to move into the ghetto where she met and married her first husband. In August 1943, the Sosnowiec ghetto was liquidated and Mania's family was deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. She was separated from her family and husband upon arrival, and never saw them again. Mania worked as a slave labourer carrying stones and building roads, and was later transferred to the German Siemens factory. In January 1945, she was forced on a death march to Gliwice (Poland), loaded onto a cattle car, and taken to the Bergen-Belsen camp. She was liberated by the British in April of that year.
After liberation, Bergen-Belsen was turned into a displaced persons camp and Mania stayed there with her new husband and their daughter for three years. In October 1948, they immigrated to Canada through the Tailor Project, a program initiated by the Canadian Jewish Congress. Mania's family settled in Kitchener, Ontario, where her brother-in-law lived, and the family opened the Kay Brothers tailor shop on King Street West. Mania dedicated her life to Holocaust education in Kitchener and played a key role in establishing the Waterloo Region Holocaust Education Committee. She died in 2012 at the age of 92.
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A "cool" game for everyone to play. Hit the target and the water balloon bursts, soaking whomever is seated below! Or get creative and fill balloons with applesauce, confetti, chocolate pudding or whatever else you would like to surprise the lucky person with, who is seated in the chair below!
* Please call us for any questions on our pitchburst rentals in Pipersville PA, Hatfield PA, and Bucks & Montgomery Counties in Pennsylvania.


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The Wonder List
10 of the last great wildernesses in the world
Jini Reddy, for CNN Travel • Updated 21st June 2017
Editor's Note — This article was originally published in March 2013.
Computers, cell phones and Aeron chairs will only get you so far in life.
Great outdoors satisfaction still reigns supreme, especially at this collection of wild spaces, some of the world's last great wildernesses:
1. Tarkine Rainforest, Tasmania
A rarely visited, ancient and pristine forest wilderness, the Tarkine calls to mind myth and legend. It's in the northwest corner of Tasmania and is often referred to as the "forgotten wilderness."
It's not entirely that. It's a wonderland of wild rivers, secret waterfalls, giant tree ferns, rare birds and the near-extinct Tasmanian devil (the world's largest carnivorous marsupial). Hikers who make it here leave enchanted.
How to do it: Tasmanian Expeditions offers a five-night walk on the Tarkine Rainforest Track, the only multiday rainforest trek of its kind. You'll be led by professional guides and spend nights camping in haunting and beautiful surroundings.
+61 (0)3 6331 9000; www.tasmanianexpeditions.com.au
2. Knoydart Peninsula, Scotland
Rugged, isolated and beautiful Knoydart Peninsula is often described as the last wilderness in Scotland. Tucked in the Highlands, it's accessible only by boat or on foot.
The journey is worth the effort: There are exhilarating mountain passes to cross and sandy inlets to explore. Whether they have soaked in epic sunsets or caught glimpses of the whales, dolphins and porpoises that live in its waters, visitors usually leave feeling spiritually restored.
How to do it: Wilderness Scotland offers extended guided trips.
+44 (0)1479 420 020; www.wildernessscotland.com
Scotland road trip: Is NC500 the best route ever?
3. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
The stunning, lunar-like salt flats in the southwest of Bolivia are the largest in the world, covering 3,860 square miles.
June and July are arguably the best months, when the whole area appears blindingly white. After the rains, the salt "desert" resembles a giant mirror. It is beautifully barren and straight out of sci-fi central casting. You would be hard-pressed to find a more meditative escape. At more than 11,400 feet above sea level, you'll need to be able to handle high altitudes.
How to do it: A 10-night Bolivia itinerary taking in the Salar de Uyuni operated by UK-based Sunvil.
+44 (0)20 8758 4774; www.sunvil.co.uk
4. Sossusvlei, Namibia
Few sights are as nourishing as the apricot-colored dunes at Sossusvlei, in the southern part of the Namib desert.
So much of Namibia is a natural paradise seemingly drawn by eco-genies. Highlights include the white salt pans of Etosha National Park, the stark beaches of Skeleton Coast, the remote, little-visited wilderness of Kaokoland in the northwest and the lush Kunene River.
How to do it: Wilderness Safaris' Great Namibian Journey is an 11-night adventure that captures the best of this astonishing land.
+27 11 807 1800; www.wilderness-safaris.com
5. Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia, Canada
Never heard of it? All the more reason to visit. The Great Bear might fly under the radar, but this is one of the largest remaining tracks of temperate rainforest left in the world.
Stretching along British Columbia's island-dotted coastline, its marvels include ancient red cedar cathedrals (some of the trees are more than a thousand years old) and other towering trees, glacier-fed fjords and wooded islands.
Estuaries and rocky beaches are "guarded" by brown and black bears, gray wolves and cougars. Eagles soar overhead and humpback whales put in an appearance in summer, joining orcas, dolphins and seabirds.
How to do it: Great Bear is remote, so the best way to access it is from the water. Nature Trek offers a seven-night, full-board "Cruising the Great Bear Rainforest" trip, which includes daily shore excursions to explore the forests, estuaries and coastlines on foot.
+44 (0)1962 733051; www.naturetrek.co.uk
6. Kakadu National Park, Northern Territories, Australia
The untamed Outback, wild and beautiful, is arguably nowhere more picturesque than in Kakadu, the largest national park in Australia. The park's aboriginal owners have spent centuries amid its rock art, wetlands, gorges and stunning escarpment scenery.
How to do it: Audley Travel offers a seven-night "Top End Explorer" package from U.S. $2,990 per person, excluding flights. The trip starts in the Northern Territories' capital of Darwin, where guests are picked up in a hired car and taken to the Outback.
+44 (0) 1993 838 800; www.audleytravel.com
Never-before-seen views of Australia's largest national park
7. The Bohuslän coast, West Sweden
If you've ever fantasized about gliding silently through the water on a kayak, camping on deserted beaches, enjoying the midnight sun, spotting seals and soaking up the spirit of the sea, you'll find no shortage of experiences here.
This sublime stretch of coastline extends to the border with Norway and is dotted with an archipelago of some 8,000 islands and islets.
How to do it: Nature Travels offers self-guided kayaking adventures around the scenic islands of Orust and Tjorn, a sheltered area on the rocky coast. Maps, drop-offs and pick-ups and induction lesson included.
+44 01929 503 080; www.naturetravels.co.uk
8. Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan
The largest nature reserve in Jordan is a protected region about 120 miles to the south of Amman. It's an Aladdin's trove of hills, canyons, gorges and deserts, wildlife (including the rarely spotted Nubian Ibex) and plant species. It's perfect for hikers, nature lovers and those seeking a slice of serenity.
How to do it: Base yourself at the award-winning Feynan Ecolodge on the western border of the Dana Biosphere Reserve. This is no ordinary guest house: set up by Jordan's Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, it's entirely solar powered and has won awards for its ethical practices.
You can hike, ride mountain bikes, stargaze, visit Bedouin homes, sip mint tea or unwind in serene courtyards.
Travel the Unknown offers week-long tours, including a four-night stay at the lodge, hikes and bikes.
+1 347 329 5524; www.traveltheunknown.com
9. The Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom
For wannabe castaways, little compares with what's probably the most beautiful spot in the UK, a tranquil sun and windswept archipelago 28 miles off the Cornish coast.
Bryher Island, with a population of around 80 (all trusting locals who leave their doors unlocked) offers coastal walks, sandy coves, wildflower-strewn bays and rocky outcrops for a wind lashing by Atlantic breakers. Further away from it all still is the uninhabited Samson Island, an easy boat ride away.
How to do it: Isles of Scilly Holidays offers a package that includes half-board at the magical Hell Bay Hotel and accommodation on neighboring island Tresco, as well as helicopter flights from Penzance to Tresco and boat transfers.
+44 (0)1720 423 239; www.islesofscillyholidays.co.uk
Check out these 10 British islands
10. Uttarakhand, Himalayas, India
Uttarakhand state forms a part of the Himalayas, but one that's often overlooked by tourists. Yet two of India's greatest rivers, the Ganges and the Yamuna originate in the glaciers here.
Glittering peaks and vivid landscapes create an environment that can calm the most unsettled of hearts. The region is home to some of the holiest of Hindu shrines, rare species of plants and animals and the quixotically named Valley of Flowers National Park.
How to do it: Full local immersion is available at the gentle Dunagiri retreat, an accommodation constructed by villagers with entirely local materials.
From here you can embark on wilderness hikes and treks, village walks, practice yoga, learn to paint a mural with a local artist, take a cookery lesson, meditate, deepen your spiritual practice (or acquire one) and learn about local medicinal herbs.
+44 1924 280808; www.hotelsunder100.co.uk


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Effective January 1, 2010 the corporate income tax rate falls to 18% from 21% before January 2008.
The RST, also known as the Provincial Sales Tax (PST), is a tax based on the retail price of most goods.
Corporations will not have to pay corporate income tax by instalment unless their total tax liability is more than $3000.
You can deduct any reasonable expense you paid or will have to pay to earn business income.
Our Canada Income & RRSP Tax Calculator and Canada Tax Information assist your tax planning to minimize your tax bill.


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Q: Cannot resolve symbol 'JsonException' - Json Simple import problem I want to use Json simple in my project, however I can't get it to work. I tried versions 1.1.0, 3.1.0, 3.1.3, 4.0.0 and every time I do import com.github.cliftonlabs.json_simple.JsonException; I have error Cannot resolve symbol 'JsonException' I use InteliJ, every time I tried a version I went to File> Project Structure and added .jar file. Then I add dependecy compile group: 'com.github.cliftonlabs', name: 'json-simple', version: '3.1.0' into my build.gradle. The error repeats every time. How do I fix this?

A: I managed to fix the issue, I used
implementation 'com.github.cliftonlabs:json-simple:4.0.0' in build.gradle
and refreshed the gradle build

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In 1993 Michael Moorer was not well known outside of boxing circles, even though he was ranked as the number one heavyweight contender by the International Boxing Federation. However, when he defeated Evander Holyfield in April of 1994, Moorer had become the toast of the boxing world and a celebrity. He has held the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight titles and has battled both seasoned veterans and young upstarts.
Moorer was born on November 12, 1967 in Detroit, Michigan and grew up in Boca Raton, Florida. He had a difficult childhood and was often involved in fights. As a high school student, he reportedly started a fight at a football game that resulted in injury to another student. Although police were called to the scene, no charges were filed.
In 1988, Moorer was a young boxer when he was approached by sports agent John Davimos. Davimos recognized Moorer's talent and worked hard to arrange boxing matches for him. By 1992, Moorer had compiled 29 wins and it was becoming increasingly difficult for Davimos to book fights for him. Few boxers wanted to challenge Moorer due to his exceptional talent and devastating left hook. In addition, many boxers demanded a guaranteed part of Moorer's purse before stepping into the ring. As a result, both Moorer and Davimos were losing money with each fight. This situation changed dramatically when Moorer defeated Holyfield and captured both the World Boxing Assocation and International Boxing Federation crowns. That victory completely erased Davimos's financial deficit and earned both men a healthy profit.
Born November 12, 1967 in Detroit, Michigan; married Bobbie; children: Michael Moorer, Jr.
Career: Defeated Ramzi Hassan to win WBO Light Heavyweight Championship, 1988; defeated Brett Cooper to win WBO Heavyweight Championship, 1992; defeated Evander Holyfield to win the WBA and IBF Heavyweight Titles, 1994; lost IBF Championship to George Foreman, 1994; defeated Axel Schulz to reclaim IBF Championship, 1996; lost IBF Championship to Evander Holyfield, 1997.
Addresses: Contact —Main Events, 811 Totowa Road, Suite 100, Totowa, NJ 07512.
The two faced off in the ring on August 22, 1994, in Las Vegas. Early in the fight, Holyfield rocked Moorer with a hard punch and sent him to the canvas. Moorer recovered quickly, however, and gradually dominated Holyfield as the fight progressed. After a bruising twelve-round bout, Moorer was declared the winner by a 3-2 majority decision.
After defeating Holyfield, Moorer proposed a title defense fight against George Foreman. Foreman had held the heavyweight championship from January 1973 to October 1974, eventually losing the championship to Muhammad Ali. Foreman was in the midst of a comeback and had performed well in fights with lesser opponents. However, many boxing insiders believed that Foreman was too old and overweight to compete with Moorer. When the Moorer-Foreman bout was proposed, the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation refused to sanction it and threatened to strip Moorer of his title if he fought Foreman. After Foreman passed a series of medical tests, the WBA and IBF agreed to sanction the fight.
The Moorer-Foreman bout was held on November 14, 1994, in Las Vegas. Many boxing fans felt that Moorer would easily defend his title. For most of the fight, Moorer held the upper hand and seemed to have victory well within his grasp. Two minutes into the tenth round, however, Foreman surprised Moorer with a vicious punch and knocked him out. Moorer announced his retirement from boxing shortly after the fight. Two days later, he announced that he would not retire and had made the previous statement because he was frustrated by the loss to Foreman and difficulties in his personal life. He also declared that he had already agreed to a rematch with Foreman. The second Moorer-Foreman fight was scheduled for February 29, 1996. It was cancelled in January of 1996 after both sides failed to agree on how to promote the fight and distribute the multimillion-dollar purse.
On November 8, 1997, a rematch was held in Las Vegas between Moorer and Holyfield. Holyfield held the WBA title, while Moorer held the IBF belt. Moorer began the fight strongly, employing many of the same tactics that he had used three years earlier to defeat Holyfield. His right jab was very effective during the first three rounds and he landed a strong right hook that buckled Holyfield's legs. Following the third round, Holyfield changed his strategy to counter Moorer's outside boxing style. He quickly took control of the fight and knocked Moorer to the canvas five times—once in the fifth, twice in the seventh, and twice in the eighth. Although Moorer was able to get to his feet after each knockdown, referee Mitch Halpern stopped the fight in the eighth round on the advice of the ringside physician. Holyfield had avenged his earlier loss to Moorer and claimed the IBF title.
In 1998, Moorer was mentioned as a possible opponent for WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis after talks for a fight between Holyfield and Lewis fell through. Moorer was also considered as an ideal first opponent for Mike Tyson when Tyson's suspension from the WBA and IBF are lifted. A hearing was scheduled for the fall of 1998 to determine whether Tyson's boxing license would be reinstated.
Michael Moorer has proven himself to be a competent fighter and a worthy opponent. Although he has often stated that he plans to retire from the ring early in his career, his boxing future continues to look promising.
Cable World, September 8, 1997.
Jet, May 9, 1994; November 21, 1994; December 9, 1996; November 24, 1997.
Multichannel News, January 10, 1994; January 31, 1994; January 1, 1996; October 6, 1997; November 17, 1997.
Plain Dealer (Cleveland), November 7, 1997; December 29, 1997.
Sports Illustrated, May 2, 1994; August 22, 1994; November 14, 1994; November 28, 1994; May 29, 1995; January 29, 1996; November 17, 1997.
"Moorer, Michael 1967–." Contemporary Black Biography. . Encyclopedia.com. 20 Apr. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.


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Красногоровка — село в Богучарском районе Воронежской области.

Входит в состав Дьяченковского сельского поселения.

География
Расположено на правом берегу р. Дон в 22 км от г. Богучар и 16 км от центра сельсовета.

Улицы

Население

История
Впервые упоминается в 1773 г. как слобода Красногорская. В 1789 году построена церковь Преображения Господня. Советская власть установлена в селе в 1918 году. В 1924 году был создан колхоз «Победа труда». Позже отделение колхоза «Красный Дон».

Примечания

Населённые пункты Богучарского района

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Home • Smartphones • Apple's Latest Acquisition is the Digital Magazine Service 'Texture'
Apple's Latest Acquisition is the Digital Magazine Service 'Texture'
Apple has acquired the popular digital magazine service 'Texture' for an undisclosed amount. Texture offers over 200 magazines and is popularly known as the 'Netflix of magazines.'
Apple has announced the acquisition of a digital magazine service called 'Texture.' Owned by Next Issue Media, Texture is popularly known as the 'Netflix of magazines' thanks to its wide offering of over 200 magazines. The digital magazine service provides users with instant unlimited access for a monthly subscription fee.
"We're excited Texture will join Apple, along with an impressive catalog of magazines from many of the world's leading publishers," said Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services – Eddy Cue. "We are committed to quality journalism from trusted sources and allowing magazines to keep producing beautifully designed and engaging stories for users."
John Loughlin, CEO of Next Issue Media said that the "Texture team and its current owners, Condé Nast, Hearst, Meredith, Rogers Media and KKR, could not be more pleased or excited with this development." "We could not imagine a better home or future for the service," he added.
According to TechCrunch, Apple is buying the entirety of Next Issue Media along with its full staff. Neither Apple nor Next Issue Media has disclosed the amount of this deal.
Texture will continue to offer iOS, Android, Amazon Kindle Fire, and Windows 10 apps after the finalization of this acquisition. It is worth noting that the App Store editorial team selected Texture for their annual Best Of selections in 2016.
Source: Apple
Is Apple Doing Away with Free Lightning to Headphone Jack Adapter?


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Nasty Battle for Classroom Control
Doug Lasken February 28, 2007
As diverting as it is to speculate on whether Hollywood will go for Hillary or Obama, the Los Angeles Unified School Board races on March 6 have the potential to more directly affect Angelenos, from families with children to taxpayers who foot the bill for the sprawling district's more than 600 schools.
A major power struggle is afoot, with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa facing off against the 38,000-member teachers union, United Teachers Los Angeles, for control of the five-member elected board — and, ultimately, control over how the bitterly fought reform of the area's troubled schools proceeds.
Yet even against this backdrop, in which Villaraigosa hopes to sweep new candidates onto the board, and UTLA and its supporters want to retain several incumbents, some experienced political watchers are questioning whether the makeup of the school board even matters.
Alice Callahan, director of Jardin des la Infancia, a charter school for kindergarteners and first-graders in downtown Los Angeles, and a shrewd observer of school board politics, says, "Board members come and go, and it doesn't seem to matter which ones are in. They all seem pretty ineffectual anyway. The bureaucracy pretty much runs itself."
Under the previous schools superintendent, Roy Romer, a number of key teaching, reading and math reforms — focused heavily at the grade-school level — led to dramatic jumps in test scores, even at some of the city's poorest and most hopeless elementary schools. Romer brought dramatic change — after several previous superintendents and school boards largely wrote off the schools, amid decades of falling test scores.
Despite Romer's progress — which included a historic shift in student achievement in the grade schools — he was vociferously criticized by Villaraigosa when the mayor launched his campaign to take control of L.A. Unified last year.
Though Villaraigosa has not, to date, released any detailed plan for fixing the schools, he spent months faulting Romer for moving too slowly on improving the high schools.
While the grade schools have begun to flourish, the high schools suffer huge dropout rates. Functional illiteracy is especially common among high school teens who attended Los Angeles grade schools in the 1990s, before the Romer reforms in reading, math and teacher retraining kicked in.
Now, under new Superintendent David Brewer, and in the wake of a court ruling that for now prevents Villaraigosa from controlling even a handful of high schools, the battle over who fixes the schools is playing out in the school board elections.
Two incumbents are up for re-election, and both face well-financed opponents backed by the mayor, while two other seats are open and have attracted rivals financed by the teachers union on one side and the mayor's camp on the other. The seats in play are districts 1, 3, 5 and 7.
District 3, in the west San Fernando Valley, is held by union-backed incumbent Jon Lauritzen, who taught computer skills at Canoga Park High School before winning his first term on the school board.
He attacks his main opponent, Tamar Galatzan, who is backed by the mayor, by saying, "We can't afford to let the progress we've made be squandered by my opponent, who is supported by Richard Riordan and the same anti-teacher coalition that brought us Caprice Young."
Lauritzen is not known for pushing reform, however, and is chiefly known for a failed attempt to get a one-year moratorium on opening charter schools in Los Angeles. By contrast, Young, swept into office with Riordan's support, presided over Romer's reading and math reforms, which proved so successful at the elementary level. She lost her seat to Lauritzen four years ago and now heads the reform-minded California Charter Schools Association.
Lauritzen's opponent this time, Galatzan, a deputy city attorney with the Neighborhood Prosecutor Program who works with Van Nuys–based police, says she's running against him because, "As a parent of two young children, I worry that my sons will not receive the same quality education that I received while attending LAUSD schools."
Meanwhile, UTLA vice president Joshua Pechthalt has attacked Galatzan's camp for backing charter schools. Galatzan's campaign manager, Mike Trujillo, says, "Tamar believes that the charter movement is the only way that parents can have a voice in their children's education." Is there a conflict of interest in an LAUSD board member advocating charters, which compete with existing schools? Trujillo responds that charters will bring back the fleeing middle class, and actually save foundering public schools.
And indeed, the March 6 election is shaping up as a referendum on whether Los Angeles, the epicenter of the charter-school movement, should push for even more charter schools.
School board president Marlene Canter says the district should learn from charters, including innovations like "small learning communities" for failing high schools. She's proud that Los Angeles Unified has opened 103 charters, more than any district in the nation. But longtime union-backed board member Julie Korenstein, of the Valley, snaps, "The mayor wants to take out the Board of Education and have his own people under his influence," predicting that as kids bail out to attend charter schools, "an ongoing attrition" of students will hit LAUSD.
Charter schools are semi-autonomous, allowed to save money by avoiding certain state regulations and hiring non-union teachers. Anyone can try to launch a charter school, but such schools must show that their curriculum and teachers are producing solid student achievement.
United Teachers Los Angeles steadfastly opposes charter schools for complicated reasons. While it's common wisdom that charter schools save money by hiring non-union teachers, outgoing L.A. Unified board member David Tokofsky notes that teachers at Green Dot — a charter-school system that has made headlines by stealing students and teachers from L.A. Unified — are part of the California Teachers Association union.
The fact that, as Tokofsky notes, Green Dot's unionized teachers earn about 10 percent more than other Los Angeles teachers may also play a role in why United Teachers Los Angeles is opposing this new competitor on its turf.
Tokofsky, a widely respected high school teacher before entering politics, has represented District 5 since 1995 and was expected to run again, but recently dropped out. He "wasn't looking forward to clashing with the mayor" he says, and after years in the $24,000-per-year post, he wanted to focus on building financial security for his family.
Seeking Tokofsky's seat in the tattered Eastside district are Yolie Flores Aguilar, whom Tokofsky narrowly beat eight years ago and whose salient feature appears to be her acceptance of charter schools, and Bennett Kayser, a technology expert for L.A. Unified. Aguilar met recently with Silver Lake parents and Steve Barr, head of the Green Dot charter schools, and decried a "cookie cutter" approach to education. But Tokofsky — an Aguilar critic — notes that she has a history of backing disastrous education fads.
Eight years ago, Tokofsky says, Aguilar was board president at the obscure Los Angeles County Office of Education, and was a big supporter of the Spanish-first "bilingual education" theory that sent achievement among Latino students crashing down. Aguilar also backed the now-discounted fad known as whole language — an anti-phonics theory.
Interestingly, Villaraigosa, who supports Aguilar, also backed those old classroom fads when he was a state legislator. Aguilar did not respond to the L.A. Weekly's request for an interview, but according to Tokofsky, during her time with the county Office of Education, she was especially lenient on school suspensions and expulsions, often sending violent students back to school.
Kayser, an L.A. Unified technology coordinator who calls himself a "tireless advocate for education, social justice and community participation" has no major formal endorsements, although Tokofsky has been giving him guidance.
Another touchy battle is unfolding in District 1, which largely takes in South Los Angeles, where incumbent Marguerite Poindexter La Motte, a former district administrator, is endorsed by the teachers union. She opposes charter schools, but she's gotten far more attention for openly slamming Green Dot leader Barr as "a rich white millionaire trying to make money off our babies" — and then absurdly denying using the dreaded "W" word.
Union leader Pechthalt, who backs La Motte, attacks her opponent, Johnathan Williams, as "one of the most visible charter-school advocates in Southern California" — a slam that might actually help Williams with Los Angeles voters, who are increasingly embracing the charter-school movement. Indeed, Williams is backed by Los Angeles City Councilman Jack Weiss, state Senator Gloria Romero and the local Young Democrats.
But La Motte says Villaraigosa's schools takeover dream makes little sense: "I am really not clear about what the mayor wants," she tells the Weekly, "and the [mayor's] recently published 52 points do not help much because just about every one of the 52 points is currently being implemented by this board."
With the departure of no-nonsense school board member Mike Lansing — a popular former executive director of the Los Angeles Harbor Boys & Girls Clubs — several candidates are fighting it out for the wide-open District 7 seat.
District 7, a long finger of land that begins at Normandie Avenue and runs south through Compton and Lomita, ending in San Pedro, has attracted candidates Richard Vladovic, a retired school superintendent who has the mayor's endorsement, retired middle school principal Neal Leiner and retired teacher Jesus Escandon.
Between the unions, mayor and school board, the issues — reading and math scores, dropout rates and classroom reform — have been shrouded in a Byzantine haze of politics. Beyond that haze are 740,000 students — one in every 12 students educated in California — who are at ground zero of the Education Wars.
Editor's Note: The March 6 LAUSD school board race features two incumbents, not three. In addition, outgoing school board member David Tokofsky is not making formal endorsements, and has not endorsed candidate Bennett Kayser.


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The RTÉ Montrose site acquired by Cairn Homes in 2017 for €107.5 million.
The developer which acquired land formerly belonging to RTÉ in Donnybrook has signalled its intention to build up to 17 per cent more units than originally earmarked for the site.
In a report to its investors published on Monday, homebuilder Cairn Homes said it expected to build between 550-600 units on the site, which it acquired in in 2017 for €107.5 million.
This is about 40-90 units more than it originally expected to build when it acquired the site. Building at this level would bring the acquisition costs per unit down from bout €210,784 per unit to €179,166 at the outer limit of 600 units.
Part of the site is to be called Donnybrook Gardens. Cairn said it will build 86 spacious dual-aspect two- and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses "divided among five architecturally designed buildings" here.
It is understood no planning application has yet been filed but it is almost certain to progress straight to An Bord Pleanála under strategic planning legislation which allows larger proposed developments to bypass the local authority planning process.
Cairn Homes did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The increase in anticipated housing provision on the site - updated from an initial appraisal of 510 units at the point of acquisition - is likely to attract some local opposition.
"I think that degree of intensification would raise concerns given the scale of what is being proposed there, although it's a big site," said local Fine Gael councillor Paddy McCartan.
He said anxieties around the pending development was exasperated by concerns regarding the impact of the Bus Connects plan for the locality.
However, Labour councillor Dermot Lacey said more housing was required and the Montrose planning application would have to be judged on its merits.
In its report, Cairn Homes said figures show that Ireland does not have a "functioning homebuilding industry".
Just 20 new residential developments will deliver more than 100 home sales each this year, and all are either in the capital, or the greater Dublin area, highlighting the chronic shortage in new housing supply around the State.
Five of the larger schemes, which will sell more than 100 homes apiece this year, are being developed by Cairn, with a further two developed by Gannon Homes. All of the 13 remaining 100+ developments are being developed by separate construction firms.
"It is very difficult for building companies to leverage scale benefits unless they are building on multiple large scale schemes," the report said. With annual demand at 35,000 units, the output from Ireland's top homebuilders equates to just 9.3 per cent, based on their current annual output of about 3,150.
But bringing supply to the market faster is being "constrained by the inability of Irish homebuilders to scale at pace" Cairn said.
Looking specifically at apartments, Cairn said that it expects just 3,500 apartments will be built in central Dublin by the end of 2021, a "critical undersupply" for a city that is growing as fast as Dublin is.
Commenting on affordability and possible buyers of Cairn Homes properties, using Revenue statistics on income, Cairn said they are about 483,000 couples in Ireland who can afford to buy a house priced between € 282,000 and €525,000, and 165,000 who can afford to buy a house priced between €303,000 and €486,000.
Assuming that a quarter of these already own their own home, Cairn says that its "addressable market" is some 265,000 couples, and 69,000 single people for its 7,200 starter homes, and some 98,00 couples, and 55,000 individuals for its more upmarket trader-up/down homes.