GILROY
– Mayoral candidate Lupe Arellano remains delinquent on $700 of
fines imposed on her by the city and the state’s Fair Political
Practices Commission for failing to disclose her campaign finances
the past two years.
GILROY – Mayoral candidate Lupe Arellano remains delinquent on $700 of fines imposed on her by the city and the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission for failing to disclose her campaign finances the past two years.
Arellano faces a slightly stiffer penalty of 1.5 percent interest each month if she doesn’t pay up, as well as potential backlash from voters in the November election.
Arellano did not return phone calls before today’s deadline. Arellano’s fines stem from a failure to file paperwork detailing past campaign contributions and economic interests. Arellano served on City Council from 1998 to 2001 before losing a re-election bid. The native Gilroyan also ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1999.
According to City Clerk Rhonda Pellin, Arellano turned in some of the paperwork Aug. 20 and the remainder Aug. 27.
“I handed her the bill,” Pellin said. “I assumed she’d be paying it right away.”
She hasn’t, nor must she to get elected.
Pellin confirmed Gilroy does not have a law restricting those who owe the city money from sitting at its most powerful seat. Mayoral candidates must be Gilroy residents, registered voters and at least 18 years old. Candidates cannot be in prison or on parole.
Fellow mayoral candidates shied away from heavy criticism of Arellano’s failure to pay the fines, but distanced themselves from their embattled opponent.
“If it had been me I would have been scrambling to get the money together,” mayoral candidate Mary Hohenbrink said. “I don’t think we should have people in office who owe us money, but I think we should give her time.”
Hohenbrink quipped that the extra interest the city collects from Arellano’s tardiness could be beneficial.
“If the city gets the money, let her pay whenever she can,” Hohenbrink said. “We need the money.”
Incumbent Councilman and leading mayoral candidate Al Pinheiro declined to comment in much detail and said his campaign would not get into personal issues in spite of the news about Arellano.
“My only comment is that Lupe is aware of what she needs to do,” Pinheiro said. “Gilroy voters will make their decision based on what the candidates do and say and feel. They’ll know our platforms, and if Gilroy citizens vote for that, who am I to say anything about that?”
A fourth mayoral candidate, Ellyn Atkins, could not be reached for comment before deadline.
On current campaign filings Arellano is claiming no reportable economic interests, meaning she does not own real estate other than her home, has no stocks or bonds and is not working.
Arellano is a board member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, but her employment status could not be confirmed.
The Fair Political Practices Commission does not comment on specific cases, but according to Pellin, the state agency audited Arellano’s most recent filings since in past campaigns she had reported economic interests.
Elected officials are required to make public their financial holdings after being elected to office. The information is used to determine whether the official can vote on particular issues or if a financial stake produces a conflict of interest.
Officials must update these records annually while in office and once when they leave office. In Arellano’s case, it was her last statement that went unfiled.
