Five years later, the FPPC ordered a $3,500 fine.<\/p>\n
Last year in its annual newsletter<\/a>, the FPPC touted its ability to work through an influx of complaints \u201cefficiently and expeditiously\u201d despite high caseloads.<\/p>\n \u201cBy the end of 2025, the Enforcement Division had significantly reduced its oldest caseload and continued to maintain the number of open cases under 900. Of the Enforcement Division\u2019s open cases, almost half were opened in 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n The Center Square asked the FPPC for the average length of time it takes to investigate and resolve a case.<\/p>\n \u201cIt just depends on the case,\u201d said FPPC Communications Director Sherry Yang. \u201cThere\u2019s not a specific timeline in place.\u201d<\/p>\n Some government agencies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on political consultants to figure out the best way to package its message before sending mailers about a local initiative, but the FPPC doesn’t always disclose which companies are receiving taxpayers dollars to create biased materials.<\/p>\n In 2012, the city of Rialto was fined $6,000 for campaign mailers related to Measure V, which proposed a tax on oil companies. FPPC records show<\/a> the city spent $143,500 on the mailers which featured messages such as “It’s About Their Future” with pictures of children playing. Another mailer included the phrase “Measure V: It’s About Protecting You.”\u00a0Neither of the mailers explicitly stated whether citizens should vote yes or no. Instead, the mailers featured “a box with a checkmark in it” next to each statement.<\/p>\n Los Angeles County agreed to pay $1.35 million in 2020 after being accused of violating campaign finance and disclosure laws. In that case,<\/a> the county paid a political consulting firm approximately $1 million for a “communications plan” centered around Measure H, a sales tax increase. The ads featured the slogan: “Real help. Lasting change.”<\/p>\n Tomorrow\u2019s election<\/p>\n CalTax believes government agencies and political consultants are continuing to use taxpayer dollars to influence tomorrow\u2019s primary election.<\/p>\n On the vast majority of those initiatives, CalTax has not taken a position.<\/p>\n \u201cWe very rarely get involved in the local measures,\u201d Kline said. \u201cI think we have a stance on two.\u201d<\/p>\n The Center Square reviewed some of the informational mailers to analyze whether voters received potentially biased information.<\/p>\n Pomona<\/p>\n The city of Pomona produced an informational flyer and frequently asked questions<\/a> for Measure Z, which is branded as the Kids First Funding Amendment. The flyer is predominantly blue with bright green accents. It features a photo of a smiling child and includes text in both English and Spanish.<\/p>\n A City of Pomona graphic educates voters on Measure Z, a ballot measure scheduled for the June 2, 2026 election. Photo: City of Pomona, CA website<\/a><\/p>\n According to the city, Measure Z would allow Pomona to \u201ccontinue providing youth services without having to make further severe cuts to public safety, public works and community services.\u201d The city further states it would be required to enact \u201cdrastic cuts\u201d to city services if voters do not adopt the new measure.<\/p>\n One of the questions asked and answered by the city is \u201cWhy is Measure Z needed?\u201d<\/p>\n Kline referred to the educational material as \u201cinappropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf something is \u2018needed,\u2019 obviously you should vote yes,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s obviously biased.\u201d<\/p>\n Palos Verdes Estates<\/p>\n The city of Palos Verdes Estates created a page titled \u201cJust the facts\u201d with \u201ccontext and clarifying information\u201d about Measure PF.<\/p>\n The website takes direct quotes from residents who oppose the measure,<\/a> highlighting them in bright red font with a \u201cFACT CHECK\u201d rebuttal.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s sketchy right there,\u201d Kline said. \u201cIt\u2019s intended to get you to vote yes. That\u2019s the ultimate test. When a reasonable person looks at this, do you think this is intended to give you factual, down-the-middle, unbiased information? I don\u2019t think you could read this and think that it\u2019s intended to just provide you straight-down-the-middle information.\u201d<\/p>\n A City of Palos Verdes Estates webpage address claims about a local ballot measure and city finances. Screenshot \/ City of Palos Verdes Estates website<\/a><\/p>\n Palo Alto Unified School District<\/p>\n On its website, the Palo Alto Unified School District posted informational material related to Measure B.<\/a> It featured multiple photos of smiling kids doing science experiments, and it touted the district\u2019s \u201cworld class education\u201d provided to students funded by previous voter-approved parcel taxes that would expire in 2027 unless renewed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happens if voters do not approve the Measure B? \u2026 Within three years, PAUSD\u2019s currently healthy emergency reserves would be depleted, which would require the Board of Education to consider deep cuts including teacher layoffs, reduced academic programs, and larger class sizes.\u201d<\/p>\n A Palo Alto Unified School District mailer promotes local funding for education. Photo: Palo Alto Unified School District website<\/a><\/p>\n According to Kline, answers to the district\u2019s frequently asked questions were intentionally slanted to encourage voters to approve the measure.<\/p>\n \u201cIt says their current healthy emergency reserves would be depleted (within three years),\u201d Kline said. \u201cAnother way of phrasing that? The school district has three years worth of reserves that it could use to avoid any problems\u2026 If you present it with just a slightly different spin, it makes it sound like we don\u2019t need this tax at all.\u201d<\/p>\n Weed Union Elementary School District<\/p>\n On the front page of its website, the Weed Union Elementary School District posted a two-page flyer<\/a> related to Measure E and Measure F.\u00a0<\/p>\n The material includes bright green colors and a green mailbox with a checkmark. It also features photos of smiling children holding up certificates.<\/p>\n A handout educates voters on Measures E and F for the Weed Union Elementary School District ahead of the June 2, 2026 election. Photo: Weed Union Elementary School website<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cThe mailbox with the little checkmark is historically used to mean \u2018YES\u2019 for something,\u201d Kline said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have a big red X through anything. Everything\u2019s green\u2026 Clearly they\u2019re trying to tell you to vote ‘YES’ on this. I mean, I don\u2019t think any reasonable person would come to any other conclusion.\u201d<\/p>\n The flyer states bond money would be used to install \u201cnecessary\u201d seismic reinforcements and that it would replace \u201cinadequate\u201d classrooms with \u201csafe\u201d classrooms.<\/p>\n \u201cIf a district hasn\u2019t done any maintenance for long enough \u2013\u00a0 just used their money for other things and not properly budgeted for maintenance \u2013 then it\u2019s theoretically possible that they\u2019re in for a major catastrophe now,\u201d Kline said. \u201cBut chances are pretty high that they could have, or should have, prioritized spending (differently) so that they could keep basic student safety at the top of the list without borrowing millions of dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n Antelope Elementary School District<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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