Sole Board of Education candidate still
campaigning
The only candidate running for Los Angeles Board of Education
president has raised more than $330,000 for his re-election ““
including $50,000 collected three weeks after his only opponent
quit the race.
Many of Jose Huizar’s campaign contributions are from
construction-related companies and individuals involved in the
school district’s massive school building program, according
to city records reviewed by the Los Angeles Times. He also received
his largest donation ““ $32,500 ““ from the
teachers’ union last year. His fund-raising efforts have not
broken any campaign law, the newspaper said. Huizar spent about
$194,000 on his first election in 2001.
Huizar, 35, told the Times he wanted a broad coalition of
supporters, particularly because his district boundaries have
changed since he took office. His district stretches from Boyle
Heights to Mid-Wilshire and includes Chinatown, Koreatown and the
Pico-Union area.
“˜”˜I feel very confident and comfortable with the way
we have gone about fund-raising,” Huizar said.
“˜”˜I was going to run a campaign regardless of whether I
had an opponent or not. I needed to communicate with my new
district.”
John Shallman, Huizar’s campaign manager, said he saw no
problem in Huizar’s support from the building industry. The
Los Angeles Unified School District has launched a $14 billion
school construction program to relieve overcrowding.
Compiled from Bruin wire services.