The schools are in a smaller hemisphere. It s all about the children. On the city council you have to have a broader spectrum of interest. Other campaign experts agree. Local A school board campaign is much more personal because we are talking about people s children, said Marcia Smith, who added that Beverly Hills residents are much more passionate about their schools than they are about city issues.
People view the school district in a much more proprietary way.
But whether the office is for city or school, Smith said the most important quality a candidate for local office can possess is being a consensus builder with deep roots in the community. They must have specific qualifications for the job that they are running for and it needs to be somebody who can connect with their neighbors, Smith said. Smith has lived in Beverly Hills for the past 16 years, with her husband Mark, who grew up here. With a background in television writing and producing, Smith has experience crafting speeches for candidates on the national stage but in the last few years, has turned her attention to Beverly Hills and put her skills to work on the local level. I just want to be useful, Smith said.