The Chula Vista Elementary School District is poised to award a senior administrative job to the leader of the district’s teachers union. The job offer follows an election in which the union backed the candidacies of some school board members who now will have final say over whether the union leader gets the new job.
The district last week offered teachers union president Rosi Martinez the job of directing the district’s community schools program, which provides academic and social support programs to high-needs students and their families at 13 district schools. The job earns a salary of up to $176,781.
The school board could vote to approve Martinez’s hire as soon as next week.
During this year’s election cycle, the Chula Vista Elementary teachers union spent tens of thousands of dollars backing three school board candidates who supported the union’s political priorities and opposing one incumbent who has clashed with the district’s union-backed school board majority.
Two of the union-supported candidates won their races. The union critic held onto her seat.
Current and former district employees, including the district’s former community schools director, said giving the director job to Martinez right after the election smacked of political favoritism.
“Seeing these things take place as elections come close, it seems to be self-serving rather than based off of community interest,” said Joshua Kohler, the former director.
Martinez said she is more than qualified for the job and said allegations to the contrary are racially motivated.
“I welcome legitimate criticism and accountability,” she said. “But I will not engage in personal attacks disguised as constructive dialogue. My record, my leadership and my commitment to this community speak for themselves.”
Federal Agents Raid Homes of Prominent Union Official, Political Consultant
FBI agents last week raided the homes of a top San Diego County union official and a onetime leading Democratic political consultant who two years ago pleaded guilty to defrauding the U.S. government out of more than $175,000.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment on the raid, which was first reported late Tuesday by La Prensa San Diego.
According to La Prensa, the agents executed search warrants at the homes of Kelvin Barrios, a top official at Local 89 of the Laborers International Union of North America, and former political consultant Jesus Cardenas.
Federal prosecutors indicted Cardenas two years ago for multiple felonies related to a fraudulent application for Covid-19 relief funds. A judge sentenced him to 45 days home detention and two years’ probation.
Barrios ended a 2020 campaign for San Diego City Council after the Union-Tribune revealed he failed to report $86,000 in income from LIUNA, as his labor union is known.
Since then, he has helped transform LIUNA into one of the most powerful forces in San Diego County politics by propelling allies onto the San Diego County Democratic Party’s Central Committee and spending heavily in a series of high-profile political races.
According to La Prensa, a LIUNA official said Barrios no longer works for the union. Neither Barrios nor Cardenas could be reached for comment.
The reason for the raids last week was not immediately clear. It is possible agents are investigating potential political or financial ties between the two men.
Earlier this year, Voice of San Diego reported LIUNA paid at least $18,000 to a political consulting firm owned by Cardenas’ wife and operating out of his home. Both Barrios and Cardenas denied anything improper about the payments.
The Culture Report: La Jolla Party Institution Shows Its Age
Years ago, La Jolla’s annual Summer White Party was a fixture of the ritzy enclave’s social calendar, attracting up to 600 guests, lucrative sponsorships and some wild times.
That was then. Today, on its 27th anniversary, the party is, well, showing its age.
Our intrepid culture correspondent, Bella Ross, attended the party earlier this year and found a very different scene.
Picture: An overgrown backyard, folding chairs, guests in white gamely tottering around the grass in heels and a lone unplugged slow cooker filled with lukewarm pulled pork.
Has La Jolla, which has one of San Diego County’s highest median ages, lost its step?
According to guests, whatever cachet La Jolla has is more a matter of looking the part.
Said one guest: “It’s okay if you look like you have money. You don’t actually have to have it.”
More culture: Bella, Voice’s social media maven, is reviving Voice’s Culture Report after the newsletter took a hiatus. Her aim is to sidestep the big players in San Diego’s cultural scene and focus instead on lesser-known local scenes and cultural trends. Got a tip? Want to contribute a report of your own? Email Bella at: bella.ross@voiceofsandiego.org.
New Estimates on Special Recall Election
Yesterday, we reported that a special recall election could cost the city of San Diego approximately $12 million, based on cost projections provided by the city clerk using data from previous citywide recall efforts.
City Clerk Diana Fuentes told us Wednesday that now the San Diego County Registrar of Voters estimates it could actually be closer to $15 to $16.5 million, based on how much it would cost to run a citywide election in person and through mail. The cost is based on the 2025 Special Statewide Election.
CBS8 recently sat down with Mayor Todd Gloria and asked him about the effort. He wasn’t happy about the action and said the city can’t afford it.
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In Other News
- Rendering alert! The owner of Fashion Valley mall has plans to add more shops, restaurants and luxury apartments. (Union-Tribune)
- NBC 7 reports that more San Diego police officers are failing firearm qualifications this year than in previous years.
- Rep. Sara Jacobs says it’s time for Congress to pass universal free child care. (Times of San Diego)
- CBS 8 reports that parking signage in Pacific Beach is “sparse” and “positioned too high,” which has led to some visitors getting parking citations.
The Morning Report was written by Jim Hinch and Mariana Martínez Barba. It was edited by Andrea Sanchez-Villafaña.