Candidate Ying Liu accelerated campaign spending in the final weeks before election day, leading the pack in the four-way race for three seats on the Los Altos School District's board of trustees.
Campaign finance statement released last week show Liu has raised $17,377 for her school board campaign, most of it fueled by loans to herself. Following Liu are school board president Vladimir Ivanovic, who has raised $9,199, followed closely by challenger Shali Sirkay at $8,435. Trailing behind is trustee Bryan Johnson, who had $1,750 to spend on the campaign trail as of Oct. 20.
Liu's campaign has mostly been self-financed, relying heavily on a total $13,114 in loans to her campaign, along with several contributions from district residents Michael Oates ($300), Charles Bransi ($250), Grace Yang ($200) and Rebecca Hickman ($200). Subsequent filings on Oct. 26 report that she received two $1,000 donations, from Los Altos resident Jian Sik and Los Altos resident Yibin Tang, boosting her campaign funds to at least $19,377. Liu reported spending most of her funds -- $13,712 in total -- as of Oct. 20, mostly on mailers and door hangers.
It's a similar story for Ivanovic, who has loaned his campaign $8,000 of the $9,199 in total funds. He reported receiving $500 from the Los Altos Teachers Association's PAC and $500 from Los Altos resident Robert Cole, who recently helped pass the $295 million Measure E bond for the Mountain View-Los Altos High School District.
Ivanovic drew down most of his campaign fund during the latest filing period, from Sept. 23 through Oct. 20, spending most of the cash on campaign printing costs, flyers and newspaper ads.
Sirkay took in $8,435 as of Oct. 20, although most of it was raised earlier in the election season. The latest round of contributions includes $1,000 from Los Altos resident Roopa Rajendran; a $688 contribution Sirkay made to own campaign; $250 from Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian; and a handful of $100 and $200 donations from local residents. She reported spending $5,309 as of Oct. 20, mostly on filing fees, newspaper ads and lawn signs,.
Johnson's $1,750 in campaign funds includes a $1,000 loan to himself, bolstered by $500 from the Los Altos Teachers Association. He's spent significantly more than he's raised -- $4,269 as of Oct. 20 -- the latest expenditure was for campaign flyers.
Comments
Registered user
Whisman Station
on Nov 2, 2018 at 5:41 pm
Registered user
on Nov 2, 2018 at 5:41 pm
How much are the LASD's school board members paid annually? Seems like a lot of money to spend on a campaign if they are donating their time....
The Crossings
on Nov 2, 2018 at 7:32 pm
on Nov 2, 2018 at 7:32 pm
Why Liu would want funds from Charles Bransi is alarming. Bransi, a Bullis parent, was highly disruptive and short-sighted as a Board Member in the Crossings where he lived for only a few short years. Thanks, but no thank she should have said.
Registered user
Cuesta Park
on Nov 3, 2018 at 5:02 pm
Registered user
on Nov 3, 2018 at 5:02 pm
School board members have their total compensation reported in Transparent California (or you can make a Public Records Request). I don't know by what other means the LASD reports this - they usually tend toward more 'transparent' than MVWSD or in some cases MV-LA HSD.
??? There is only about $200 per trustee reported for LASD. And not all of the trustee names appear. Either an error (it's for 2016, 2015) or perhaps most trustees are refusing compensation. In MVWSD the rate was $273 per month - or up to $4314 per year including some dental insurance benefit.
Only the high school district currently has 'fully paid family health care benefits included - option of member'. They also have IMO an entirely inappropriate continuation of healthcare after Member leaves the Board! This has resulted in something like $20,000 post 'retirement' benefits for some former MVLA trustees in the past.
MVLA Trustee Mitchner has always declined this benefit, New Trustee Dave "talked about" eliminating this during 2014 campaign, but has not actually put this on the agenda during his first 2 years. He does not appear to be taking health care benefit 2016:
Torok $30,590
Sweeney $24,759
Faillace $24,266
------------------
Walter $6,581
Mitchner $5,952
North Bayshore
on Nov 3, 2018 at 8:06 pm
on Nov 3, 2018 at 8:06 pm
Glad Mr. Nelson is bringing up the issue of health care and fairness. If trustees support teacher, principal, classified staff health care for them and their families, then people should not object to trustees having access to the same health care.
Yet for any trustee in any local district that behind closed doors advocates reducing health care to educators and their families, then it's distasteful that they accept health benefits for themselves.
Shame that voters and educators don't have an easy to way to discover which board members secretly support propping up staff salaries by reducing staff access to health care.
Another Mountain View Neighborhood
on Nov 4, 2018 at 7:00 am
on Nov 4, 2018 at 7:00 am
Thanks Chris. MVWSD trustees have indeed raised employee contributions. In turn let's hope they eliminated any coverage for themselves.
another community
on Nov 4, 2018 at 10:18 am
on Nov 4, 2018 at 10:18 am
Unless it has changed recently, LASD Board members receive $20 per meeting. Many board members do decline that payment.
The Crossings
on Nov 4, 2018 at 1:58 pm
on Nov 4, 2018 at 1:58 pm
Looks like Ellen Wheeler has not problem taking pay or benefits while approving higher costs for teacher benefits. Pay raises with increased cost of benefits are not always pay raises.
Pigs at the public trough.
Registered user
The Crossings
on Nov 4, 2018 at 3:23 pm
Registered user
on Nov 4, 2018 at 3:23 pm
The poster using the name “Amanda” from The Crossings, was most emphatically NOT me. And to the best of my knowledge I am the only outspoken member of this community, so I hope this wasn’t someone trying to impersonate me.
“this Posted by Amanda
a resident of The Crossings
on Nov 2, 2018 at 7:32 pm
Why Liu would want funds from Charles Bransi is alarming. Bransi, a Bullis parent, was highly disruptive and short-sighted as a Board Member in the Crossings where he lived for only a few short years. Thanks, but no thank she should have said.”
The Crossings
on Nov 4, 2018 at 7:50 pm
on Nov 4, 2018 at 7:50 pm
Seriously? You are the only outspoken member? May no one else have the name Amanda or voice their opinion? Please tell me you are not a Bullis parent!
The Crossings
on Nov 4, 2018 at 10:58 pm
on Nov 4, 2018 at 10:58 pm
Amanda Burke-Aaronson, thank you for speaking up. I knew you would not attack fellow neighbors in a public forum.
Registered user
The Crossings
on Nov 5, 2018 at 7:26 am
Registered user
on Nov 5, 2018 at 7:26 am
Amanda, **sigh** that was supposed to read “only outspoken AMANDA” and I did say “to the best of my knowledge”. You don’t need to go on the offensive, I was making sure my neighbors etc knew that you were not me. Period.