PUSD $1057 to file a candidate statement: Schools & Kids, posted by Julie Testa, a member of the Foothill High School community, on Aug 1, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Over a thousand dollars to file with a candidate statement is a deterrent to many people. Still the fact that we have two open seats lets candidates feel they have a fair chance.
To file to run for school board for PUSD is free but the candidate must pay the cost of the candidate statement $1057. Without the statement a name will appear but nothing else giving a great disadvantage.
Many school districts pay the full cost of the candidate’s statement Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, and Fremont districts all pay the full amount. Livermore requires a $500 deposit they then pay the remainder, Castro Valley requires the full amount of $906. The amount is dependent on the number of registered voters and rangers from $465 to Pleasanton at $1057 which is the highest.
The City of Pleasanton requires $25 to file, $255 for the candidate statement to run for council or mayor.
It cost more than four times as much to run for School Trustee than to run for Mayor.
Posted by John, a resident of the Amador Estates neighborhood, on Aug 2, 2008 at 5:31 pm
It is very appropriate for candidates to pay the fees. I am surprised and disappointed that some school districts would be willing to pick up such fees. The complaints just keep on coming.
Posted by David, a resident of the California Reflections neighborhood, on Aug 3, 2008 at 2:44 am
Public service should not be a financial burden.
People that want to give back to their community should not feel that doing so will take away from their family resources. Campaigns are costly and out of control. The cost of running for a local office should not be cost prohibitive or require a person to become beholden to anyone or special interest groups. In the case of a school board candidate I don’t want to see candidates taking money from unions to fund their campaigns.
$1000. is unreasonable to run for local office it makes it out of reach for many people.
Posted by David, a resident of the California Reflections neighborhood, on Aug 3, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Do you value representative government?
Do you want a range of candidates to choose from or only the candidates funded by special interest groups or wealthy individuals?
Our taxes are used to subsidize City Council and Mayoral candidates.
Then our tax dollars are used to pay a small stipend to cover some of the cost of serving in these elected positions. No ones time is covered but everyone understands public service should not be a financial burden.
Posted by Fletch, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Aug 4, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I agree with Tom's remark. The article said they get $400 a month and that's for how many meetings a month? And if they are doing their job, how many reports do they have to read for those meetings? I don't think anyone does it for the money but it sure shouldn't cost anyone much just to put their name on the ballot. They are doing a service for the rest of us in the community so I don't think we should look at it as a waste of taxpayer money. They will also probably spend plenty of their time AND money on their campaign.
Posted by Kathy, a resident of the Kottinger Ranch neighborhood, on Aug 7, 2008 at 12:13 am
Don't most candidates raise campaign contributions that would cover the cost of the statement and other expenses associated with running for public office? It seems to me if someone is a candidate with a good chance of winning raising a couple grand in Pleasanton would not be a hard thing to do. I would donate to a candidate I supported. I think many other parents would do the same. The filing fee should not keep serious candidates from running and I think they can get this covered by their supporters. If they don't have enough support in the community to get contributions than maybe they are better off not running at all?
Posted by Jerry, a resident of the Oak Hill neighborhood, on Aug 7, 2008 at 1:31 am
Please educate me - what's the true purpose of "filing fees" for public office? Is it to cover the cost of the processor and the paperwork involved?
If that's the case, the processor, and all others involved in the filing process, whom I assume are public employees, are already being paid with public funds to provide this service(in other words, it's their job). Would I be correct in assuming this is another minor funding source for cities, counties, states and feds.
Maybe I'm not seeing "the big picture", but if my analysis is correct, it's seems a "double whammie" on prospective candidates.........
Posted by Julie, a member of the Foothill High School community, on Aug 7, 2008 at 11:13 am
Yes it is "cost recovery", paying again for what our tax dollars have already paid for.
The cost is for the candidate statement. It is a shared cost for typesetting/layout, printing,mailing, language translation, and all of those cost again for different languages.
Pleaseanton has 40 voters that require spanish translation and 250 that require chinese translation but of the $1045 that each candidate must pay out of their own pocket $369 goes for 290 voters. Pleasanton has 38,990 registered voters.
Posted by A Pleasanton Resident, a resident of the Birdland neighborhood, on Aug 7, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Julie, you are a golden source of information that many of us have come to trust over the years. The fee is excessive. Remember -- representative democracy, of the people, by the people, for the people. Cap the fee at $100. Only raise the fee to keep up with inflation on an annual basis.
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