by Lee Ann D’Amato-Raymond
(Editor’s Note: Political season is here. The primary is March 5 and the general is in November. The Vanguard will keep readers updated throughout the season on the latest news and announcements. The Vanguard accepts submissions on all sides of issues and campaigns. Publication on the Vanguard does not imply Vanguard support or endorsement.)
I was elected to the Vallejo School Board in 1993. I was sworn in at the same meeting as Ms. Verder-Aliga. During the two years I was on the board we built Jesse Bethel High School, passed Measure A, and hired a superintendent with experience and integrity.
The two main jobs of a school board are hiring the superintendent and managing the budget. After I left, Ms. Verder-Aliga looked away while 60 million dollars went missing. She fired the qualified superintendent and hired a superintendent who ran the district into the ground. She was Board President when the state had to step in and take over the district due to mismanagement and malfeasance. For eight years VCUSD was run by the state.
Now she is Vice Mayor of Vallejo and the state had to take over the police department in October, 2023. She spent taxpayer money on trips and dinners. Including paying 500 dollars a night for a hotel room when her home was only one hour from the venue.
In her printed campaign statement she claims she inherited these issues but that is not true. The district was strong when I left. She takes no responsibility for her mistakes. Her voting record shows a lack of concern for Vallejo’s citizens, and a lack of interest in making Vallejo a safe and educated community. State Senate District Three is a diverse district. We deserve so much better than a politician who is more interested in being elected to office than actually serving her constituents. Vote no for Verder-Aliga. We deserve better.
