THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 11, 1996 TAG: 9608110077
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM HOLDEN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 118 lines
Life was simpler before Ferdinand Tolentino began his public life three years ago. Back then he wanted to start small, maybe volunteer on the library board to learn the basics of civic duty.
What Tolentino got instead was a rare opportunity to sit on the board of the Commonwealth's second-largest school district and help decide how to spend $344 million.
At 24, he set out on that task with so much good will that now, on the eve of his trial for malfeasance in office, it's hard for him to believe he felt that way.
``I was very excited then, knowing that I would be the first (Filipino-American) and youngest person on the school board. It sounded so good,'' Tolentino said.
``It was a responsibility that I had to deal with for two and half years. Some might think I was not qualified, but I put my best effort into being a board member, and it cost me.''
What it cost him, in part, was his reputation as a future steward of the public trust. When court arguments begin later this week, his attorney will attempt to prove that Tolentino acted in good faith, basing his decisions on inaccurate information provided by an unreliable administration.
``Our basic position is this,'' said James O. Broccoletti, Tolentino's attorney. ``At the time they voted on the budgets, they were told by the chief financial officer and the school superintendent that there was money and, in fact, there was a surplus.
``We have video tapes and the interim financial reports to prove it,'' he added. ``They relied upon the experts, the auditors, and those who were hired to perform the job. They asked questions. They reviewed the answers, and the matters were submitted to City Council, who also reviewed them.''
Commonwealth's Attorney Robert J. Humphreys says it's not so simple.
While the information presented to the board may not have been completely accurate, it's also true the board received warnings about impending deficits, he said.
``They just figured the money would always be there because it always had been in the past,'' Humphreys said. ``That's not what the school board is supposed to do. You could argue they were misled, but they took no steps even after they were warned to stop the situation.''
A 1987 graduate of First Colonial High School, Tolentino was a product of the very system that he once helped oversee. He attended Virginia Tech, majoring in political science, and drew from his education a fascination with the larger political world.
The Berlin Wall had come down during Tolentino's formal education. The Soviet Union split apart. The Cold War ended.
``A lot of stuff was going on, and it got me interested in politics,'' he said. ``Careerwise, I was thinking of law.''
Because he didn't know how to serve, he sought the advice of people already in public positions. Among them was Virginia Beach City Treasurer John T. Atkinson, whose daughter was a student at First Colonial with Tolentino.
``He was a bright young man who was interested in his community, and he came to me and asked: What can I do?,'' Atkinson said. ``I said, `If you have the interest, you ought to pursue it.' An opening came up.
``You might call it luck or just bad luck. There are a lot of people who would like to serve their community but they don't know how to. They don't know how to take that first step. Ferdie's name was on the tip of my tongue. I had no question in my mind that he was a person who was willing to help the community.''
When Tolentino was appointed by the City Council in December 1993, he saw it as a golden opportunity to shine. He took to heart Atkinson's advice about the steep learning curve on such a board. Keep quiet, the treasurer told him. Keep your eyes open. Listen to the more senior board members and learn from them.
He remembered the first time he received the board's agenda, a thick tome full of numbers, budgets, policy recommendations and administrative matters.
``I remember picking it up and I thought, `Ugh,' '' Tolentino said.
His inclination to keep quiet - board observers recalled that he rarely asked questions - gave the impression that he was not well informed. The intense schedule of a school board member quickly caught up with Tolentino, who found it hard to find a job that would allow him to take several days a month off for board matters.
Eventually he settled on two part-time jobs, one with the law firm of Huff, Poole & Mahoney, where he works in the general services department, and the other as a waiter for Tautogs, an Oceanfront restaurant. He still holds those jobs.
What Tolentino wanted most was to ensure that Virginia Beach's large Filipino-American community had reason to believe its interests were represented on the board.
``My grandfather on my father's side was a mayor in a province in the Philippines,'' he said. ``I have the first name of Ferdinand Marcos and the last name of one of his vice presidents, Tolentino. I found the ties implicit as a kind of unseen destiny.
``I knew that the responsibilities were tremendous, especially in trying to understand an overwhelming $344 million budget.''
Tolentino acknowledges that his youth was a problem for him. He was shy in dealing with administrators who were often twice his age. When uncertain, he said, he kept in mind that he was a voice for the Filipino community and a role model for its younger people.
``I don't think I ever denied being a guest speaker at a Filipino community function,'' he said. ``And that was something the school system wanted me to pursue.''
It's not hard to find support for Tolentino within the Filipino community. Allan L. Bergano, a Kempsville dentist and friend, is among his backers.
``He made decisions based on the information he was given,'' Bergano said. ``If the information was wrong, how was he supposed to know? The people who are charging (Jackson and Tolentino) have the benefit of hindsight. I don't think going after Ferdie will solve the problem that exists. Even if you put Ferdie behind bars and the system goes on as usual, there will still be problems.''
Virginia Del. Bob McDonald, who works at Huff, Poole & Mahoney, is sympathetic to Tolentino's position.
``When you think about being two years out of college, when before he had to get homework done, and then two years later he's helping manage a $300 million budget, it's a significant shock. It would have taken him about two years to get up to speed before he could have made a real contribution to educational policy in the city.'' MEMO: Main story on page B1 and related profiles on page B3. ILLUSTRATION: DAVID B. HOLLINGSWORTH, The Virginian-Pilot
Ferdinand Tolentino, 27, was proud - and overwhelmed - to be on the
school board.
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BEACH SCHOOL BOARD TRIAL BUDGET DEFICIT by CNB