Just days before the polls were set to close in the Measure A general purpose sale tax-hike campaign which supporters say will be used for health care, the “No” side upped the drama, accusing the “Yes” contingent—as well as Santa Clara County Sheriff Robert Jonsen—of violating election laws.
The Fair Political Practices Commission said, Wednesday evening, it had received the official complaint, but when the Los Gatan reached the Sheriff’s Office a couple days later, an agency official said Jonsen didn’t know he was now under the microscope for alleged wrongdoing.
“The Sheriff was not aware of this,” said Brooks Jarosz, a senior communications officer for the law enforcement body, Friday afternoon, when the newspaper sent the filing in an effort to get an official response. “We will need time to evaluate before any official comments are made.”
Measure A supporters are advocating for a sales tax increase (to last five years) of 0.625 percentage points to help backstop cuts by the Trump Administration to America’s safety net; the “No” side claims, when it comes to providing public health care, the County has overextended itself and doesn’t deserve more money.
According to the complaint, the “Yes” side failed to report some of its spending. While the organization did include five expenditures totaling $214,500, including $125,000 to “Tributary Media LLC Sterling, VA 20165” for “Digital Ads,” per the filing, the “No” side believes there are “presumably” subcontractor payments that were not accounted for, as required.
They attached a screenshot of a Google Transparency Center page that showed the “Santa Clara County Public Health and Safety Coalition” (the group supporting the “Yes” side) ran at least 10 ads in the period of Oct. 1-18. The Los Gatan has verified this to be the case.
It also attached a page showing “Santa Clara County Public Health” prepared at least five ads for Meta platforms, with at least four featuring video. However, it’s unclear how much was spent on the ads, given that they are currently “inactive” and the total spend is not included.
However, a single “Yes on Measure A” ad that ran from Oct. 16-18 on Facebook and Instagram is listed as costing $100-199 and achieving 8-9,000 impressions. Another that ran on the same platforms during the same period, cost less than $100. However, it achieved 3-4,000 impressions, suggesting it may have cost more than $50.
For context, Meta reports that from Oct. 24-30, the advertiser (officially: “Yes on A, Santa Clara County Public Health and Safety Coalition sponsored by public health, safety, and labor organizations. Top Funder: Santa Clara County Government Attorneys’ Association”) spent a total of $7,906 “on ads about social issues, elections or politics.”
The complaint points to the FPPC Campaign Manual section about “Subvendor Payments,” which notes, “Whenever an agent or independent contractor (such as a consulting firm or advertising agency) makes an expenditure, or incurs a debt, of $500 or more on behalf of the committee, the expenditure must be reported in the same detail as if it had been made directly by the committee.” The “No” side says that’s the part that’s missing from the financial report.
The complaint also raised questions about two mailers, which were also posted to the “Yes” side’s website.
The third accusation is the one that targets Sheriff Robert Jonsen. The “No” side says his behavior has been improper, because he’s been campaigning in his official dress.
“No officer or employee of a local agency shall participate in political activities of any kind while in uniform,” reads the Government Code Section 3206, which is quoted in the filing.
An attachment included a photo of Jonsen in his sheriff outfit at an Oct. 1 pro-Measure A rally in San Jose, to the left of District Attorney Jeff Rosen at a podium that features a sign that says, “YES ON MEASURE A / PROTECT PUBLIC SAFETY”.
A spokesperson for the County declined to comment on the FPPC complaint, because it was not against the administrative body directly.
The “Yes” side did not respond to a request for comment.
Dan Stegink, the “No” side’s secretary, said it’s “shocking” how much money their opponents have spent during the campaign.
“If passed, the Measure A Tax will collect more than $1.65 billion dollars of the People’s money, and it’s crucial that Santa Clara County, its employees and their organizations accurately report both who paid for the multi-million dollar avalanche of ad spending promoting the Measure A Tax and when they paid for it,” he said. “It’s also important that the good Sheriff Jonsen and his deputies not wear their official uniform(s) while engaging in political campaigning, like the pro Measure A rallies held on Valley Medical Center properties.”
The “No” side told the Los Gatan it believes the County has now shelled-out more than $1 million on its own mailers—which don’t mention Measure A by name but highlight the importance of supporting public health care in the face of Trump’s cuts. The newspaper previously reported the County had spent more than a quarter-million on one such flyer.
Santa Clara County confirmed it sent out a second mailer, but said they did not pay more than $1 million overall in design, postage and delivery costs for the outreach initiatives.
Residents from around the Bay Area and across California say, regardless of the specifics of what’s going on with the tax fight in Santa Clara County, the current federal landscape is affecting the health care picture in major ways already.
Dr. Adam Lowry, 34, a psychiatrist for Napa County, says it’s been difficult to sort out what’s going on with the repayment of his $500,000+ in student loans. The George W. Bush-created Public Service Loan Forgiveness program has become the latest hot-potato in the culture war between the Republican Party and Democrat-run cities.
“I want to help people,” Lowry said, noting he has colleagues who also want to keep working in California’s public health system, but who feel under pressure due to the Trump Administration’s policies. “None of us can get an actual payment program that would work with the program.”
Lowry says if he’s forced into going with a private repayment option, he might have to leave the Bay Area and return to Indiana to focus on paying off his debt.
Facebook user John Harrington commented on a recent IKON ski resorts pass advertisement to urge the tickets provider to slash prices due to the current situation.
“I sure wish I could ski Mammoth this year,” he wrote, “but with my increase in health care cost it will be very difficult. A break on the cost of an IKON Base pass would be extremely helpful.”
*Updated to clarify percent increase vs. percentage points; and the general purpose nature of the tax proposal.
