Can I ask, “With all those millions the developers are spending on construction projects here in Culver City, why do we need to raise taxes?”

You don’t need 20/20 vision to imagine City staff pushing gold-plated wheel barrels full of envelopes with big checks for sales-tax and property-tax revenue to the bank.

For example, I’ve been spending a lot of hours in Ventura County these past few months, and I discovered that the Thousand Oaks sales tax is a mere 7.5 percent. If Culver City’s Measure C is approved Nov. 6, it will hike our local sales tax to 10.25 from the current 10 percent.

So, if you were in the market for a new vehicle costing $40,000, wouldn’t it be worthwhile for you to make the 32-mile drive to buy the car in Thousand Oaks and pay $3,000 in sales taxes than to buy it here and pay $4,200 if Measure C passes?

The car-dealer in Thousand Oaks would be happy, but the Culver dealership that just lost a sale wouldn’t be.

Still No Effort to Hire Female Firefighters

Why can’t the mayor and the City Council have a closed-door meeting with the city manager and the fire chief? I still cannot believe there has not been even one lady in 100 years here in Culver City that was hired as a firefighter.

We need progress and equal opportunity for females. The citizens would be aghast if the Fire Department didn’t allow members of other groups to be hired, such as whites or blacks, Catholics or Jews.

Their needs to be more leadership and goals set before our town is sued in Federal Court. If other agencies have women, so can we.

In Closing …

Retired Community Development Director Susan Evans was responsible for planning the metamorphosis of East Culver City into today’s thriving and highly fashionable Culver City Arts District.

Now, she and hubby Les are owners of Shadow Run Vineyards & Winery (www.shadowrunvineyards) in the tiny Central California town of Creston and Susan has become a master winemaker.

This commentary does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Observer. Previous columns by Neil Rubenstein can be found at http://www.culvercityobserver.com

Drop Out Information Culver City Unified School District, Culver City High School

Class of Number of Students Number of Graduates Percent Graduation Rate Number of Dropouts Percent Dropout Rate

2015-16 478 456 95.4 % 19 4.0 %

2014-15 507 489 96.5 % 17 3.4 %

2013-14 499 458 91.8 % 37 7.4 %

2012-13 553 505 91.3 % 41 7.4 %

2011-12 560 509 90.9 % 41 7.3 %

2010-11 525 475 90.5 % 42 8.0 %

2009-10 520 460 88.5 % 52 10.0 %