Schools
Mendoza Files Financial Information with PDC Following Complaint
Mendoza spent more than $7,000 on school election fliers, according to the PDC.
Despite new paperwork delivered to the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission on Wednesday, voters should not expect a decision prior to the Nov. 8 election on whether or not former Sumner Superintendent Gil Mendoza failed to follow state public disclosure laws when he mailed out 24,288 school board election fliers, said Lori Anderson, a PDC spokeswoman.
Anderson told Patch the PDC received an independent expenditure report for the flier from Mendoza on Wednesday that states he spent $7,809.81 on the mailer.
The PDC is investigating . Voiles alleges Mendoza failed to complete required financial documents, that the flier does not clearly state who it came from and questions whether Citizens Advocating a Responsible Education System (CARE), the name on the flier’s return address, constitutes a political action committee.
Find out what's happening in Bonney Lake-Sumnerwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Anderson said the fact that Mendoza turned in an expenditure report for the flier on Wednesday will not influence the PDC’s ruling on whether or not Mendoza committed a violation of state public disclosure laws. Mendoza said Tuesday he was unaware of the requirement to file financial information with the PDC when he sent out the flier – a statement Voiles and some supporters of position 2 candidate Jeff DeMarre . The mailer supports Paul A. Bucich over DeMarre, the incumbent.
“I'm surprised and question Mendoza's claim that he did not know the PDC rules. As the former superintendent he clearly should have. I question his motivations and am saddened that he feels the need to do this,” DeMarre supporter Shari Campbell commented on Patch.com.
Find out what's happening in Bonney Lake-Sumnerwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Mendoza maintains it’s an honest mistake – made after consulting with the Pierce County elections office. He also noted Tuesday that district Communication Director Ann Cook, not the superintendent, is in charge of monitoring concerns regarding public disclosure during school elections.
Cook said Wednesday she did not want to speculate on what somebody should or shouldn’t know.
“PDC regulations are something that districts pay very careful attention to,” she added. “We go to annual training -- it is something that is in front of us when there are elections.”