Ballot statement fee increased by $1,060 since 2002
Gilroy – Individuals vying for a seat on the school board better have an extra $1,630 sitting in the bank or at least have a solid fundraising scheme set up because that’s what it now costs to file a ballot statement.
Although the price tag is actually less than the $1,710 charged two years ago during the last race, it’s a significant jump from the $570 Jim Rogers and other candidates paid back in 2002.
Before the race, the county registrar estimates the costs associated with printing, shipping and translating ballots but officials staging the race decide who pays the bill.
“So there’s different factors that go into the figure,” said Santa Clara County Registrar Elma Rosas.
The school board cost may be higher than running for city council since the district boundaries extend outside of Gilroy. Also fees may be more or less in Morgan Hill because so many factors affect the cost.
The school board may decide whether to cover the entire cost, a portion or nothing at all. The statement fee is the only cost incurred by the candidate.
Rogers, who will finish up his second and final term on the Gilroy Unified School District board this fall, definitely considers the hefty fee a deterrent. And the board member thinks the low participation rate in this year’s race – five candidates are competing for four seats – is a clear sign that enough is enough.
“I think that it probably affects the working person and the younger person the most,” he said.
Rogers voiced similar concerns when the issue was brought up during a board meeting a few months ago. While the retired educator agrees that erasing any sort of fee on the candidate’s part may result in a less serious pool, he thinks there’s a better solution than expecting an individual to pick up such a weighty tab.
“My compromise was half but I still think it’s appropriate for the district to pay (it all),” he said.
To ensure that candidates aren’t just running for kicks, Rogers thinks the district should emulate the city and require the collection of signatures.
But the board didn’t jump at the suggestion and instead chose to once again ask the candidate to cover the cost of a 200-word statement. Of course, the argument is that candidates can always run for free by deciding to refrain from writing a statement but as former Councilman Bob Dillon discovered that option doesn’t necessarily lead to happy endings.
Since the city picks up the tab for the council, in the last race Dillon decided to save Gilroy more than $1,300 by not adding a narrative under his name. Dillon ended up losing the election, a loss many attribute to the blank space on his ballot.
“That’s an example (that) even a public figure needs some publicity on the ballot statement,” Rogers said.
But when Pat Midtgaard ran for the GUSD school board two years ago she also decided not to include a statement because she considered the fee “exorbitant” and she still won.
“I think the exposure that we got through forums and panels and interviews with the newspaper (was enough),” said Midtgaard, who now serves as board president. “I think there was a lot of information out there outside of the ballot.”
While Midtgaard agrees that the fee “excludes some people from the process,” she doesn’t think the answer is asking the district write the check. Candidates are free to decide whether they want to pay or not, she said.
In Gilroy, school board members receive a monthly stipend of $240 and full benefits, which includes medical, dental and life insurance. Trustees are docked pay on a prorated basis for meetings missed.
