Vision Vancouver Coun. Geoff Meggs announced last week he's seeking the NDP nomination for Vancouver Fairview to run in the next provincial election.
But don't expect Patti Bacchus, his Vision colleague and Vancouver School Board's chairwoman, to follow suit despite enduring rumours about her political future.
Provincial politics is tempting, Bacchus acknowledged Monday, but she's sticking to school board.
"I have no plans to run provincially. I'm fairly focused on the Vancouver School Board right now. At this point I have absolutely no intention of running in the foreseeable future," she told the Courier, while also nixing the possibility she'd run in a city council byelection should a seat become open after the provincial election.
Bacchus topped the polls in the 2008 school board election with 64,451 votes, and in the 2011 race with 72,027 votes. Her profile has climbed in recent years as the VSB battled against the provincial government over education funding.
Bacchus was approached to run for the NDP against Christy Clark in the 2011 Point Grey byelection, but she declined. (B.C. Civil Liberties Association executive director David Eby took on Clark earning 7,193 votes compared to Clark's 7,757 votes.)
Bacchus graduated from Point Grey secondary, the University of Victoria in political science and Langara College in journalism. She has a background in communications and public relations. She served on the Parent Advisory Council executives at her children's schools and on the Vancouver District Parent Advisory Council. Bacchus also has business interests as an owner of rental properties.
School boards have long been criticized for not having much power considering they don't control funding. Bacchus said she's wrestled with the notions she'd have more influence on education at the provincial level of government than locally and that polls predict a strong showing for the NDP in next May's election, meaning it could be her best shot at provincial office.
A substantial pay raise would also accompany a seat in the legislature- school trustees earn about $24,000 and the chairperson collects about $26,000 compared to MLAs who earn upwards of $100,000.
"People have been trying to convince me on many fronts that this would be [the best opportunity for a provincial run] particularly in my riding because I've lived here a long time and have a deep roots and have been involved in the community. But for me personally, I never intended to become a politician. I got involved in school board politics because of my involvement in local schools and school issues and a real belief that local school boards need to be well represented and need that commitment and that they are important levels of government. They don't have the power, absolutely, but I think they have a strong voice and it needs to be used well," she said.
"-At times it's tempting and that I feel I would have a fairly strong chance particularly in Point Grey but it's more of a personal decision. It's just not something I ever set out to do. Never say never, maybe one day, but my kids are still in high school and I really feel pretty passionately about the work at the school board and I want to see that through."
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