Multiple campaign violations alleged in TUSD board race

Sept. 17--Two Tucson Unified School District Governing Board candidates are facing allegations of using district resources to further their campaign efforts.

The Pima County School Superintendent's Office forwarded reports to the Pima County Attorney's Office involving candidates Michael Hicks and Debe Campos-Fleenor, who held a press conference inside TUSD headquarters on Monday.

And on Tuesday, the district reported another possible campaign violation to the superintendents office for an incident in which a supporter of Jen Darland used a TUSD listserv to invite administrators to an ice cream social.

The law prohibits the use of school district personnel, equipment, materials, buildings or other resources for the purpose of influencing the outcomes of elections. The County Attorney's Office declined to comment on the matter Tuesday.

The report is the second involving Campos-Fleenor, coming on the heels of one filed last week claiming she inappropriately used a picture from a Catalina High School football game with TUSD staff, students and facilities for her campaign after she made a donation to the school.

The most recent report was filed Monday by TUSD General Counsel Julie Tolleson, who wanted to ensure the Pima County School Superintendent's Office the press conference was not planned or sponsored by the district or staff. Rather, Hicks and Campos-Fleenor made arrangements with the media and showed up without requesting permission to use or lease the facility.

Chief Technology Officer Damon Jackson asked the candidates if they were holding a campaign event and was told they were not, Tolleson said.

"We are making every effort to keep our district facilities, resources and staff out of this contentious race," Tolleson told the superintendent's office.

Hicks said he did not consider the press conference, in which he and Campos-Fleenor laid out how funding owed to Arizona school districts should be spent, to be a campaign event.

"No one said, 'Please vote for me,' or, 'If you vote for us, we'll push this issue,'" Hicks said. "This is a plan that we worked collaboratively on, and it's a plan that I back as a sitting board member. I would like to see the board take it up and move forward with it."

The press conference news release issued by the Campos-Fleenor campaign, however, includes the following quote from TUSD Governing Board member Mark Stegeman: "If the voters choose Mike and Debe, then they will know that the three board members are committed to investing the new funds directly into smaller class sizes and other programs that support teachers and students."

It also notes that it was a plan that was developed by "candidates Debe Campos-Fleenor and Michael Hicks."

Despite Hicks' denial of wrongdoing, he did issue an apology.

"I apologize for doing it," he said. "People construe things the way they want to construe things. It won't happen again. I will make sure when I speak to anyone, it won't be inside 1010. We'll have to go outside for it."

Like Hicks, Campos-Fleenor argued no campaigning was being done.

"I presented the plan; I asked other board members to come onboard, and rallied the community to join me in lobbying to bring that money to our students," she said.

Regarding the Catalina High School report, Campos-Fleenor said she did nothing wrong.

"I've been supporting this community for a long time," Campos-Fleenor said. "The picture was me giving a check to the principal, and I shared it to show people who I am and what I'm about.

"This was not done as Debe Campos-Fleenor the candidate, but as Debe Campos-Fleenor who owns the Allstate Insurance agency who gives money for worthy projects."

The incident involving a Darland supporter relates to an email, sent by education advocate Ann-Eve Pedersen, on Thursday, encouraging recipients to help elect Darland by attending the event at Pedersen's home.

Tolleson said that campaign activity was not permissible. But she had not initially reported the matter to the county because it did not come directly from Darland. However, shortly after the Arizona Daily Star made an inquiry, a verbal report was made to the county by TUSD.

The listserv has now been reconfigured so emails can only come from TUSD addresses, Tolleson said.

Darland said on Tuesday the incident was unfortunate, but called it an "earnest oversight." Pedersen had the listserv address from an unrelated activity, and did not intend to send the fundraiser flier to TUSD addresses, Darland said. In the future, emails will be checked and double-checked, she added.

Pedersen added that, while it was not intentional, it technically is not a violation because she is not an employee of the district.

"You try and reach as many people as you can," Darland said. "We don't want to violate any laws. It pays to check and check again."

Contact reporter Alexis Huicochea at ahuicochea@tucson.com or 573-4175. On Twitter @AlexisHuicochea

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