OakPAC endorses challengers in Peralta trustees races

Challengers for two seats on the Peralta Colleges Board of Trustees Monica Tell, left, and William Mattox. Tell is running in Area 3 in East Oakland while Mattox is running in Area 5 in Piedmont and Oakland's Rockridge District.

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Oakland’s largest Political Action Committee (PAC) has announced its endorsement of two challengers for the Peralta Community College Board of Trustees elections on November 2.

OakPAC, an influential PAC affiliated with the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, represents the business community and has been a factor in Oakland elections since its founding in 1997.

“OakPAC supports candidates for local elected offices that are business friendly and that understand the business agenda,” said Scott Peterson, executive director of OakPAC.

On September 24, OakPAC announced its endorsement of challenger Monica Tell against two-term incumbent Linda Handy in Area 3 and of challenger William J. Mattox against three-term incumbent in Area 5.

Handy and Riley are the board’s most senior members. Mattox is a human resources consultant. Tell, a graduate of the chamber’s Leadership Oakland program, is a public relations specialist at PG&E.

“Peralta Community Colleges are desperate for accountability and deserve new representation. The business community depends on Peralta Community Colleges to prepare students for higher education and the workplace,” OakPAC Vice-Chair Mike Jacob said in a September press release. The statement references the recent Alameda County Grand Jury report that was highly critical of the district and recent issues with the accreditation.

“There’s been some real publicly known problems at Peralta, that ultimately rests with the Board of Trustees,” Peterson said. “OakPAC’s endorsement indicates a concern that there is a need for new leadership.“

Although stated OakPAC’s interest in the Peralta Colleges relates to ensuring Oakland has a highly skilled and educated workforce, others have suggested the endorsement relates to contracts, particular as Peralta still has money from Measure A, the $390 million bond passed by voters in 2006.

“Tens of millions in construction and other contracts are ultimately approved each year by the Peralta Trustees,” wrote journalist Sanjiv Handa in an August post on OaklandSeen.com about November 2 elections. “Changes on the board of trustees likely would shift awarding of those contracts.”

Peterson said that OakPAC endorsed Abel Guillen, Peralta’s current board president, in 2006 when he successfully unseated two-term incumbent Alona Clifton. “OakPAC’s endorsement was pivotal to his election,” Peterson said. OakPAC did not endorse Guillen this year because he ran unopposed.

OakPAC also announced its endorsement of mayoral candidate Don Perata, and Oakland City Council candidate Libby Schaaf in District 4.OakPAC has not yet decided how it will support the endorsed candidates. In 2006, OakPAC played a key role in incumbent Oakland City Councilwoman Pat Kernighan’s race against Aimee Allison in the city’s district 2.

For more information about OakPAC, visit www.oakpac.com.