Union money rolls into Poway Unified school races
(Updated at 2:25 p.m. Friday):
Research has disclosed that the California Education Committee is headed by Mary Azevedo of Oceanside and Bob Schuman, a veteran La Jolla-based political consultant with a long list of Republican clients. While the committee reported only $48.62 on hand as of Sept. 30, it received $14,000 in donations on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15 from Republican state Senator Mark Wyland and a $1,700 donation on Oct. 14 from “Taxpayers for Wyland Board of Equalization 2014.” Wyland is vice-chair of the Senate Education Committee. Also reported was a $875 contribution, earmarked for the Foulkrod campaign, from Impact Placements of Santa Ana and a $855 contribution, also for Foulkrod, from Arena Communications of Salt Lake City, a political direct mail company.)
(Updated at 8:40 a.m. Tuesday to include details about the COPE loan.)
By Steve Dreyer
In recent weeks school employee labor groups have poured over $57,000 into the Poway Unified School District board race and one candidate has accepted over $17,000 in campaign help from a group about which she says she knows very little.
The two unions representing the district’s non-teaching employees have contributed $34,616 in efforts to elect their endorsed candidates, Charles Sellers, John Riley and Michelle O’Connor-Ratcliff to the board on Nov. 4, according to state-requited statements covering the period Oct. 1 to 18. The Poway School Employees Association contributed $31,900 while SEIU Local 221 contributed $2,000, according to their statements.
The Poway Federation of Teachers Local 2357 has donated $22,544, toward the election of their three endorsed candidates, incumbents Marc Davis and Todd Gutshow and challenger T.J. Zane. The federation also has a $20,000 loan from its Committee on Political Education (COPE) which will not be used for PUSD election expenses, according to PFT President Cindy Smiley.
Meanwhile, challenger Jeannie Foulkrod has rocketed up to the No. 2 position, in between Gutschow and Davis, in campaign revenue raised, thanks to $17,342 worth of “in kind” donations from the La Jolla-based California Education Project. According to Foulkrod’s campaign report, the money was spent on a slate mailer, postage, yard signs, sign placements, and printing.
Contacted Monday morning, Faulkrod said she did not know much about the group.
“They’re backing school board people all over the state,” she said. “Somehow I curried their favor — I’d never heard of them before being contacted. I have no idea what their agenda is about.” She said she was sure the group was not connected to any unions.
Cash donations to Faulkrod total $1,475, including the candidate donating $650 to her own efforts.
The two “classified” employee groups are campaigning under the name “Poway School Employees in Support of O’Connor-Ratcliff, Riley & Sellers for Poway School Board 2014.” The group’s statement shows $31,914 spent to date of which $30,000 has gone to The Primacy Group of La Jolla for printing and direct mail costs.
The Poway Federation of Teachers reports spending $19,004 on literature and mailings and $1,180 in newspaper advertising. As of Oct. 16 it had $21,630 in cash on hand, including the COPE loan.
Among the eight candidates campaigning for three seats on the five-member board, Gutschow is leading in the categories of money raised, money spent and money loaned to himself.
Gutschow’s report shows him raising $38,228, including $16,784 between Oct. 1 and 18. That includes a $15,000 loan to himself bringing the total since Jan. 1 to $21,000. His expenses to date total $37,233, including $29,117 since Oct. 1. He still owes $7,393 for literature and “robo” telephone calls and had $8,388 on hand on Oct. 18.
Davis has collected $15,109 including $1,609 since Oct. 1. He has spent $14,357 on his campaign to date, including $7,437 since Oct. 1. He reported an ending balance of $141.
Zane has collected $14,355, including $8,850 since Oct. 1. His report shows $8,796 in expenses, of which $6,429 have come since Oct. 1.
Statements filed by other candidates include:
O’Connor-Ratcliff — $13,649 raised, of which only $380 came since Oct. 1; $8,845 spent ($197 since Oct. 1); ending balance of $5,172. She loaned herself $4,000.
Riley — $7,418 raised,($408); $5,835 spent ($1,611), ending balance of $1,582.
Sellers — $4,956 raised ($2,806); $2,962 spent ($1,367), ending balance of $1,844.
Challenger Katie Newbanks has not filed a campaign financing statement with the county. That likely means she has raised or spent less than $1,000.
The filings due last week were the last prior to the election, unless candidate receives more than $1,000. The next statements are due in February.
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