Screenshot of an ad featuring the Warriors’ Draymond Green supporting BART on the agency’s website, provided as evidence to support the complaint.

BART says ad was paid for by the Warriors

By Allen Payton

Another campaign trick was played on Halloween, when Lafayette attorney Jason Bezis filed a complaint against BART for using public funds, on Monday, October 31^st. He claims the government agency is using public funds to promote the bond Measure RR on the November ballot.

In an email about his complaint, Bezis wrote, “I just filed a complaint with the FPPC about BART’s video using Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors to promote Measure RR ($3.5 billion BART bond measure).  I argue that BART is illegally using public resources to influence voters to vote yes on Measure RR.”

Bezis’ complaint states, “complaint concerns BART public resources used illegally to plan, produce and publicize a video featuring basketball player Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors to promote Measure RR. On Friday, October 28, 2016, BART released a 31-second video titled ‘Draymond Says’ and an accompanying ‘news article,’ YouTube post, Facebook post, and Twitter post to promote the video. The BART video, BART World Web (sic) [Wide] Web homepage, BART ‘news article,’ BART YouTube post, BART Facebook post and BART Twitter post all contain the message ‘BART needs to stay safe and reliable.’

These communications paid for with public moneys by BART, a local governmental agency, unambiguously urge a particular result in the November 2016 election: they urge ‘yes’ votes for Measure RR, referred to on the ballot as ‘BART Safety, Reliability and Traffic Relief.’ These BART communications constitute ‘contributions’ or ‘independent expenditures’ benefiting the Yes on RR campaign (FPPC ID#1381218), officially named the ‘Committee to Keep BART Safe and Reliable,’ which uses the phrase ‘Keep BART Safe and Reliable’ in its campaign logo.”

Bezis then offers what he wants BART to basically admit they’re using public money to campaign for the ballot measure and to file the necessary finance reports for the expenditures.

His complaint concludes with the following:

“As BART has engaged in campaign activity, pursuant to Regulation 18420.1(f), the FPPC should require BART to file the necessary campaign finance reports for the direct and indirect costs of its campaign activities relating to promotion of Measure RR on the November 2016 ballot in Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco counties. BART needs to publicly disclose the value of public resources that it expended for campaign activities supporting passage of Measure RR as either a contribution to Yes on RR campaign or as an independent expenditure supporting Measure RR. For the “Draymond Says” video, BART needs to report as campaign activity the costs of planning the video, production of the video, and promotion of the video via YouTube, Twitter, its internet homepage, its BART “news article,” and by other means of publicity. If Draymond Green is a “paid spokesperson” for BART, then a Form 511 report must be filed.”

Bezis also provided evidence to support his complaint, which can be seen, below.

When reached for comment BART Board Member Joel Keller responded “The complainant believes the District used public funds to promote a ballot measure and has filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). There is a fine line between education and advocacy and it is appropriate to wait for the FPPC’s response before discussing the merits of the complaint.  However, as a supporter of the Dub Nation and admirer of the heart and intensity of Draymond Green’s play, it’s too bad that the motivation for the video about the Warriors and BART has become controversial because it is a slam dunk.”

Kerry Hamill, BART’s Assistant General Manager for External Affairs said

“We have had an ongoing relationship with the Golden State Warriors for years at BART.

We provide extra service to their games.

They promote BART in a variety of ways, like this video, which they showed at one of their last pre-season games.

We did not pay for it. The District absolutely did not pay for it. It’s the Warriors’ video and they used it for their pre-season game to show during the game.

They let us use it for BARTable, which is a website and a newsletter that promotes off-peak ridership to various games, activities, shows and festivals.

Bezis “has a pattern of filing complaints,” she said. “He did this several times against the Measure BB campaign in 2014. Everything was dismissed by the FPPC in that case.”

“I really want the Warriors to be applauded for encouraging people to take BART to the game and get cars off the road,” Hamill. “It’s a lot safer and smarter to take public transit to a game, when you’re going to drink and party.

“The Warriors and BART shouldn’t be attacked for promoting taking transit. People should take BART to the game.”

The FPPC has 14 days to decide if they intend to investigate the complaint, refer the complaint to another agency, take no action either because the Commission doesn’t have the authority or the allegations do not warrant any further action.

The election is Tuesday, November 8th.

By Allen Payton, Publisher & Editor

This is to inform our readers that there was a mistake on the back page of the four-page advertisement, known as a wrap, around the outside of the November issue of the Antioch Herald promoting Dr. Sean Wright’s campaign for Mayor of Antioch. It was paid for by his campaign whose FPPC ID# is 1384338, but that information was too small to read.

The revised back page artwork with a larger “Paid for by” section was not used by the printer, but instead the original artwork sent to them. The revised artwork also contained additional endorsements of Wright by Supervisor Mary Piepho, Robin Agopian and Gordon Gravelle. The revised back page can be seen on the right side of our website.

We take responsibility for this and apologize for the communications break-down between us and our printer, and it is not the fault of either Wright or his campaign. We hope this clears up any misunderstanding or confusion regarding paid political advertisement.

Editor:

Wake up Antioch voters. Our students are not for sale.

You may have noticed in the last couple of weeks in the midst of the huge amounts of campaign material in your mailbox, two very expensive campaign flyers supporting 3 candidates for Antioch School Board, Navarro, Terry and Sawyer-White.  What is important for the voters of Antioch to know is who paid for those campaign flyers.  Up in the left hand corner of these flyers you will notice these were paid for and sent out by the California Charter Schools Association, Advocates Independent Expenditure Committee, FPPC #1339522.  What is even more interesting is that there is a pending application before Antioch Unified School District for a Rocketship Charter School. You may or may not be in favor of Charter Schools. I personally am not opposed to community driven nonprofit Charter Schools, Antioch already has two very successful community driven Charter Schools, ACA I and ACA II,  that are supported by Antioch Unified. So what is the difference?

Rocketship Charter Schools are sweeping the state, infiltrating communities that have many families that are economically challenged, in an effort to expand their schools. Because of flawed laws governing Charter schools, they receive dollar for dollar what would otherwise would go for a student in our public schools. They take our hard earned tax dollars that are designated for public education, set up shop without having to meet the stringent standards of public education, and in most cases stick their students in front of a computer with as many as 50 students in a classroom without the benefit of a credentialed Teacher.

Many of the Charter School investor’s benefit from business related partnerships on track with the Charter schools for things such as their curriculum, construction projects or retrofitting Rocketships sites and more. Most of these investors are millionaires looking for a way to profit off the back of students and their families.  Two of the three candidates mentioned above have taken campaign donations from these outside millionaires as reported in their mandatory reporting 460 form.

What is also terribly troubling is that several other local residents have joined forces with this sham in what appears to be an effort to support their own personal financial gain.  John Crowder, Angel and Argentina Davila-Luevano have been disappointed in Antioch Unified Schools Districts financial support of their afterschool Math program and John Crowder has wrote disparaging letters about other School Board candidates. Could this be an effort to support the Charter School Association and Rocketship’s agenda?  Were they possibly promised a job by Rocketship?

[A] picture [was] taken over a month ago at a Rocketship School in San Jose, Ca. In the picture are current appointed School Board Trustee and School Board candidate Fernando Navarro, who is aggressively promoting the pending Rocketship application before Antioch Unified School District and John Crowder, Angel and Argentina Davila-Luevano with a Rocketship employee. This photo was taken on September 30th the same date as the submission of the Rocketship application to Antioch Unified School District.

I have always wondered why Rocketship Charters are not in wealthy communities if their “style” of education is so successful. Why do they prey on poorer communities?  This is a question you need to ask yourself before you vote next week.  Are our students in Antioch for sale to millionaires who think they can take advantage of them?  Should current sitting School Board Trustees be publically supporting schools that take away much needed public education monies for our students? Please do your research, visit stoprocketship.com and please consider voting for those candidates for School Board that have shown years of commitment to the Antioch community, Antioch schools, students and families.  This is not a game, it is serious stuff, and we need to wake up before it is too late.

Selina Button, 28 year resident

Antioch

By Allen Payton

Former Supervisor Tom Powers chose a trick rather than a treat for candidate for District 5 Supervisor, AnaMarie Avila Farias, on Halloween. In an email on Monday, October 31st, Powers provided a copy of a letter regarding a “Timecard Fraud Complaint Sent to District Attorney’s Office – Misuse of Taxpayer Funds to Be Investigated” against the Martinez Councilwoman. da-complaint-re-avila-farias-10-31-16

His email message read:

“Today I personally delivered the attached letter to District Attorney Mark Peterson’s office (at 3:18 pm PST) requesting an official investigation in to Anamarie Avila Farias’s official use of her time and resources at her Section 8 government job at the Contra Costa Housing Authority.

It has been brought to all of our taxpayers’ attention that on numerous times her officially signed government timecard indicates she has been at work, being paid by taxpayers to be at work, but Ms. Farias has actually been elsewhere conducting her own personal business. In fact, one of the weeks she officially signs her timecard saying she is at work, her Facebook Posts (since deleted) actually indicate she is out of the country in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Using government time or resources for personal purposes is unlawful and, on behalf of County taxpayers, I am asking the District Attorney’s Office to conduct a full investigation of Ms. Farias’ potential misuse of taxpayers funds.”

In addition, Powers provided additional documentation to support his complaint.

When asked for a comment on the complaint, Avila-Farias responded with the following statement:

“When the political machine is threatened, they strike out like a cornered snake. This filing with the District Attorney is an attempt at an October surprise, trying to entice this law enforcement agency to back up their bogus claims.

Tom Powers, a longtime Contra Costa County power broker who is actively defending the incumbent Supervisor Federal Glover because he fears the loss of control if the Board of Supervisors is governed by the people and for the people.

False and misleading attacks like this have no place in our county’s campaigns.

I am an Independent Contract Employee. My job demands a non-traditional, flexible schedule. My hours are my own to determine. End of story.

My commitment, integrity and dedication to my job and hours worked to provide housing options for Contra Costa families has never been questioned by my employer.

This is a non-story generated by the sleazy political machine in this county desperate to protect their longtime champion – Supervisor Federal Glover. They want to talk about anything other than Federal Glover’s vote to increase his own pay 33%, lack of engagement in the District and his consistent support for insider deals for Contra Costa County contractors.”

The election is next Tuesday, November 8th.

By Allen Payton, Publisher & Editor

Looking at the choices in the race for District 3 Supervisor, it’s obvious which candidate is superior. Brentwood Councilman Steve Barr is by far the better choice, after having served for six years on the Liberty Union High School    District Board and four years on the council, plus his years of experience as a small business owner.

Steve has been there, making the tough decisions on all the various issues. Brentwood is the envy of other East County cities, with a budget surplus and a very safe community.

In contrast, Diane Burgis is now running for her third office in four years. She has yet to fulfill a full term. As a result, she hasn’t stayed long enough to actually accomplish anything in office.

For example, when she first entered the race, last year, Diane tried to convince me that she had done something about transportation. When I pressed her on it, she mentioned the trails of the East Bay Regional Parks District. “That doesn’t relieve traffic,” I told her. Diane then said she had just been appointed to a transportation board.

Yet, it was Steve who attended all the meetings of the county transportation authority, when they were developing the 30-year plan that’s on the ballot as Measure X, not Diane.

She needs to stay on the parks board that she ran for and was elected to two years ago, and focus on the environment, which has become her area of expertise. We need to elect someone with broader experience to serve on the Board of  Supervisors, who has proven he can  fulfill a commitment to a full term in  office, and has earned a promotion.

Steve Barr is that candidate.

Editor:

Three cheers to the three school board candidates for emphasizing their commitment to parental involvement in public schools, for giving credit to private schools for what they’re doing right, and for talking about something other than STEM education.

Their letter was a refreshing change of pace from the typical campaign talking points, and I wish I lived in Antioch so I could support these three candidates with my vote. I hope, anyway, that they are successful, and their leadership inspires others to adopt similar outlooks.

Teresa Mull, Education Research Fellow

The Heartland Institute

Victor, Idaho

Dear Editor:

As an educator, I have seen Diane Burgis fight for all of Contra Costa’s students. She is a mother, a mentor and an environmental nonprofit leader who takes the time to develop young new talent. She knows the importance of a great education and how that helps create a strong local economy.

We all want our children to have a bright future. We also know a strong education is the cornerstone of our economy. Our community college system has worked diligently to partner students up with local businesses and organizations for hands on career opportunities. But to provide more of those career opportunities to our students, we need a strong local economy and a county that prioritizes career technical education and other educational opportunities.

Diane is a strong independent leader who brings different people together to find solutions. She has made it a priority to work on building our economy – creating jobs and opportunities for all county residents. As a County Supervisor, Diane will continue her work. Please join me and other educators in supporting Diane Burgis for County Supervisor in District 3.

Vicki Gordon

Contra Costa Community College District Board President

Dear Editor:

As an Oakley resident and small business owner for the last five years, I have seen Diane Burgis’ leadership on many local issues. From her time as an Oakley City councilmember to watching her get sworn in as an East Bay Regional Parks District Board member at Dunsmuir in Oakland, Diane always demonstrates a unique skill in joining different groups to solve problems and get things done.

I’ve been an East County resident for over 28 years and have known Diane Burgis for almost 10 years.

Diane knows what small businesses need to succeed, because she was a small business owner herself. She has built a business, balanced budgets and knows first-hand the tremendous struggles and rewards of being a small business owner. This experience will be essential when she takes the reign of our region’s complex economy. I’m confident she will responsibly and diligently develop our county while promoting jobs based in growing industries.

Diane’s time as a small business owner and a nonprofit director has given her the skills and talent needed to build the consensus necessary to make the economy thrive. Diane is no stranger to hard work; she’s always ready to roll up her sleeves and get work done.

I am voting for Diane Burgis for County Supervisor and I support her platform, goals and enthusiasm to make progress for all of us. Please join me in casting your vote for Diane Burgis on Nov. 8.

Charleen Earley

Publisher & Founder, Delta Living Magazine

Professor, Los Medanos College

Oakley