LOCAL ELECTIONS SCHOOL BOARDS : Financial Reports Show Races Run on Tight Budgets

Nearly all of the 28 candidates running in five school board races have filed their final financial statements before the Nov. 5 election, with most of the reports showing that they are running on shoestring budgets.

There are some exceptions. Candidate Maureen Aschoff, who is running for a seat on the Orange Unified School District board, has to date outspent all school board candidates in the county. So far, Aschoff, a librarian for the Villa Park branch of the Orange County Public Library, has spent $13,427 and has raised $15,100. She has put $13,000 of her own money into her campaign, her statement showed.

Aschoff, who is backed by recently elected Assemblyman Mickey Conroy (R-Santa Ana), is running for her first public office. Aschoff is in contention with businessman Lawrence Labrado, insurance agent Daniel Matranga and businessman John McCain. They are competing to represent Area 2, which is the western portion of Orange. Trustee Jeff Holstien is not seeking reelection.

Matranga has spent $5,900, but has raised only $300 in his campaign, according to his report.

Labrado, who has the backing of the district’s teachers’ union, has raised $8,226 and spent $5,087.

McCain has received $100 in contributions and has spent $45.25.

“I have been told that in order to run a successful campaign, I would have to spend about $15,000 to $20,000,” Aschoff said. “I’ve dipped into my own savings because I have made a commitment to do this.”

Other candidates are squeaking by.

In the Newport-Mesa Unified school board race, candidates have managed to keep costs below $4,000. Two seats are up in two areas of the district.

The most combative race is between incumbent Tom Williams, a developer, and Martha Fluor, a community volunteer. Fluor spent $3,960 on the campaign while Williams has spent $382, according to finance reports.

Spending has been kept at a minimum even in the Santa Ana Unified School District board race, where past elections have been expensive. Candidate Rosemarie Avila has spent $4,011 in her bid for one of the three open seats. She has raised $4,923. Appointed incumbent Gerardo Mouet has raised $7,662 and has spent $4,461. Audrey Yamagata Noji has raised $4,185 and has spent $1,892.

The other two candidates in the race, Sal Mendoza and Ted R. Moreno, had not submitted their statements by Friday.