Medina a liability to the district
I want to address a critical concern regarding the PVUSD district’s liability with regard to workplace safety, and board governance. A recent report by the Pajaronian, and public legal records, show that Trustee Gabe Medina has a documented background involving a workplace harassment lawsuit settled outside of court.
My concern—shared by many in the community—is that his aggressive and harassing behavior has NOT ceased since the lawsuit, as Medina claims, and continues to be on full display during Board meetings, directed at fellow Trustees and district personnel.
As public entities, school districts have a legal duty under state and federal law to provide a safe, harassment-free working environment. When behavioral patterns of harassment are brought onto a governing Board and left unaddressed, PVUSD is exposed to severe legal risk, potential hostile work environment claims, and costly litigation. I urge the Board and district leadership to proactively consult with legal counsel, review your established bylaws and anti-harassment policies, and take decisive administrative steps to mitigate this liability before it results in formal claims against the district. Furthermore, how the district allows any person with a sexual harassment lawsuit history in any role interacting with minors and school campuses, especially in a role intended as community representative and leadership, is beyond me. I encourage the district to protect the safety of its employees and students, and take a preemptive look at what legal problems might arise if Trustee Medina is allowed to continue his reprehensible behavior.
Kristin Hurley
Aptos
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PVFT Won & Lost Last Night
At last night’s Board meeting PVFT got their contract approved; they won their battle and lost the war. Superintendent Contreras will be leaving the District at the end of this school year after being continuously ridiculed by PVFT. She leaves as the impact of her changes has raised the academic performance to a district that has been flat for 18 years. She leaves after providing new training for our teachers that helped bring about these improvements. Most impressive has been the improvement in Spanish speakers.
This makes two superintendents and two chief business officers leave our district in the last two years. This was the result of PVFT refusing to work on lowering the effects of benefit increases that have risen 121% over the last 12 years and are forecasted to double in less than seven years. When the district presents the 1st Interim Budget in December, it will show that the District becomes insolvent in 2028-29. The County Office of Education and the State will then require a recovery plan. As was discussed at last night’s meeting, closing schools will not recover enough and limiting the Benefit increase will be paramount.
Benefits are presently 80% of wages and will increase to over 90% in three years. No one has benefits that large. It means that teachers will be compensated more than the average engineer who works 37% more days.
PVFT claims that they are for the students and yet they are driving the District into bankruptcy. They also seem to be inhibiting the school closure process because it will mean letting more teachers go. Without school closures the District will fail.
Bill Beecher
Aptos
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Vote no on Prop. 33
Currently, local special taxes, taxes dedicated to purposes such as roads, public safety, or transit, can face different voting requirements depending on how they reach the ballot. Government-sponsored special taxes generally require two-thirds voter approval, while some citizen initiatives can pass with only a simple majority.
Prop 43 closes this loophole. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, it would require a two-thirds vote for all local special taxes, regardless of whether they are proposed by local government or through the citizen initiative process.
We have seen why this matters. Santa Cruz Metro considered placing a half-cent sales tax on the ballot. Rather than having the tax proposed by the agency, supporters pursued a citizen initiative, allowing the tax to face a lower voting threshold.
Prop 43 creates one consistent standard. It does not prevent communities from funding important services; it simply requires broad support before imposing targeted local taxes.
A Yes vote protects taxpayers and ensures special taxes receive genuine community-wide support.
Please vote Yes on Proposition 43.
Sincerely,
Mike Lelieur
Pleasure Point
