Alameda County Greens make no endorsements in Peralta Trustees Election

The Green Party of Alameda County announced it does not endorse any candidate in the Area 3 or Area 5 races for the Peralta Community College District Board of Trustees election.

Their “Green Voter Guide” outlines in depth the party’s understanding of current issues facing the Peralta district, citing issues such as the district’s lack of accurate budgets, spending priorities that do not serve students, inappropriate expenditures by trustees and administrators. It also cites the district’s accreditation status and the recent Alameda County Grand Jury report.

Greens endorsed two-term Area 3 incumbent Linda Handy in 2002, when she successfully ousted then-two-term incumbent Brenda Knight, but said Peralta constituents have found her “mercurial and unsupportive.”

Handy’s promotion of the District’s first ever, full service Student Health Clinic is cited, as well as her understanding of Peralta issues. However, he lack of finance background and attitude perceived interactions with Peralta stakeholders was a turnoff.

“She is an active Board member who promotes initiatives and projects,” the guide states. “However, she lacks financial acumen, and during her current term, many Peralta faculty, staff, and students have found her mercurial and unsupportive.”

Area 3 challenger Monica Tell impressed the Green Party with her questionnaire and ideas in support of student employment, such as a proposal to require all District vendors and contractors to post their job openings and applications on Peralta’s website. However, her limited knowledge on Peralta and political affiliations

"Tell seems to know about Peralta's administrative problems, but has little familiarity with their depth, and would have a long learning curve." The guide then mentions that Don Perata and Ignacio DeLa Fuente are supporting Tell. "Because of this support, plus Tell's limited experience with community colleges, we are reluctant to endorse her."

In Area 5, the Green Party has also chosen not to endorsement incumbent Dr. Bill Riley or challenger William J. Mattox.

"His 12 years on the Board have been undistinguished, and Peralta's problems persist," the guide states. The party has not endorsed Riley in the past either.

Although Mattox's response to the Green Party's questionnaire was brief, he showed "some awareness of Peralta's problems" and offered "commitment and skill to provide leadership" according to the guide.

"However," the guide continues, "his knowledge about peratla is limited, and his workign experience in higher education consists of a year as a part-time community college instructor. We cannot endorse him either."

The guide explains that board president Abel Guillen is running unopposed and "Because local public entities can opt not to pay for an election when there is only one candidate, this race will not appear on the ballot.

“We wish they (Peralta Trustees) would watch more carefully, giving more serious attention to what they say is their focus – students,” the guide states.