BACPAC Endorses Laursen and Wright for Pleasanton School Board

The Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce Business and Community Political Action Committee is pleased to announce its candidate endorsements for Pleasanton Unified School District Board of Trustees. Endorsements were based on each
candidate’s written responses to a questionnaire, their alignment with objectives in Pleasanton 2015: A Community Vision, and in the case of incumbents, their track records.

In this election we believe Pleasanton Unified School District will benefit most from an infusion of fresh perspective, and continuity that comes with experience.

In challengers Mark Miller and Paige Wright, we see fresh perspective. Between the two, Wright is the stronger and best qualified. She has a track record of engagement in local classrooms and spent the better part of the past two years
actively listening to a range of community stakeholders, while learning a great deal about district governance and direction.

We are encouraged by Mark Miller’s recent interest and thoughtful candidacy, and if not elected in November
we hope he remains engaged.

Specific to the business community, this past year it was troubling that incumbents Jeff Bowser and Joan Laursen were part of a rushed PUSD Board vote to endorse proposed changes to Prop 13 without consideration of economic impact on commercial properties and businesses in Pleasanton and throughout California. This was doubly troubling given the business community’s consistent support for district sponsored local funding ballot measures over the years.

That said, we believe experience and continuity are especially important in the coming years given recent changes by the state that impact funding and performance measurement. Joan Laursen is the stronger, more experienced and locally focused incumbent; she deserves re-election.

—Information submitted by Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce Business and Community Political Action Committee