Post by rural on Mar 31, 2009 19:56:23 GMT -6
This was posted by WVHSParent on Green:
This is an email that came directly from George Vickers.
I am posting it as an FYI only.
Dear Friends and Neighbors in the Indian Prairie School District,
The following mesage contains information about a new political action committee that has taken an active interest in the upcoming Indian Prairie School District #204 Board of Education campaign and election. That committee is called the Civic Coalition of Aurora and Naperville.
For those that prefer the short and sweet version, the Civic Coalition of Aurora and Naperville is funded by the 204 teachers' and staff unions with nearly $40,000.00. The Civic Coalition is using the union funds to launch an active campaign for candidates Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco and Jerry Huang who are running as a slate called the 204 Taxpayers for Excellence. If elected to the school board, these individuals will be in the position to vote to approve the contracts with both of these unions during their term in office. The 204 teachers' and staff unions have also publicly endorsed these candidates for school board, and Doug DiFusco's wife is the former vice president of the teachers' union, who stepped down from that position when Doug began his campaign; although, she is still a teacher in the school district.
In my opinion, the relationships between the unions and candidates represent a conflict of interest if Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco or Jerry Huang are elected. I believe the unions are using the Civic Coalition of Aurora and Naperville to hide their actions and collaboration with the 204 Taxpayers for Excellence. I personally question the ethics of such behavior. Ironically, these four candidates are campaigning on a platform that includes transparency as one of its key messages.
Based on the facts, I strongly discourage you from voting for Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco or Jerry Huang for the Indian Prairie School District #204 Board of Education.
Regardless if you follow my advice, I strongly encourage you to vote on April 7th, 2009!
If you are so inclined, please forward this message to your friends and neighbors!
For those that prefer to review more of the details, and investigate this matter themselves prior to making their own conclusion, I have outlined more of the specifics below, attached several documents, and provided links to the various websites that contain further information.
- The Civic Coalition of Aurora and Naperville filed a statement of organization with the Illinois State Board of Elections on 3/2/09 (see attachement CCAN D-1 20090302.PDF) which was amended on 3/19/09 (see attachment CCAN D-1 20090319.PDF).
- The Civic Coalition reported a donation of $32,450.00 from the Indian Prairie Education Association (204 teacher's union) on 3/19/09 (see attachment CCAN A-1 20090319.PDF).
- The Civic Coalition reported a donation of $5,000.00 from the Indian Prairie Classified Association (204 staff's union) on 3/24/09 (see attachment CCAN A-1 20090324.PDF).
- These attached documents can be accessed from the Illinois State Board of Elections website (see www.elections.state.il.us/CampaignDisclosure/CommitteeSearch.aspx) by searching on "Civic Coalition".
- The Civic Coalition endorses candidates Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco and Jerry Huang from the 204 Taxpayers for Excellence for school board (see www.civiccoalition.org/ and www.204taxpayers.org/index.php/endorsements).
- Both the Indian Prairie Education Association and the Indian Prairie Classified Association have endorsed Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco and Jerry Huang. from the 204 Taxpayers for Excellence for school board (see www.ieanea.org/local/ipca/ and www.204taxpayers.org/index.php/endorsements).
- Doug DiFusco's wife, Kerry, was the vice president of the Indian Prairie Education Association who resigned from that position just prior to Doug announcing his candidacy for school board; however, she remains a teacher in the district. This is not a violation of the school board's conflict of interest policy (see board.ipsd.org/Uploads/Policies/240.pdf) as she was a teacher in the district before he would become a member of the school board. However, she could not become a teacher in the district if he were already a member of the school board.
- The Civic Coalition is using the union donations to send multiple mailings throughout the school district in an effort to campaign for Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco and Jerry Huang (see attachments CCAN Mail Front1.JPG, CCAN Mail Back1.JPG, CCAN Mail Front2.JPG and CCAN Mail Back2.JPG).
- I sent an email to Valerie Dranias, president of the Indian Prairie Education Association, to enquire about this situation and she replied for me to call her at her office. When we spoke the next day, she asked me what I was going to do with this information, and I responded that I did not know until after I spoke with her. When I asked her about the union's donation to the Civic Coalition, she acknowledged it. When I asked her about the Civic Coalition campaigning for Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco and Jerry Huang, she admitted that this was part of their objective. I asked her if she felt this created a conflict of interest or an improper ethical situation for the candidates or the union, and she said no. I told her that I felt it created both issues. We ended the conversation by agreeing to disagree on this matter.
- I also sent an email to Beth Sullivan, treasurer of the Civic Coalition, for a comment about their current and future objectives, but I have not received a reply.
Once again, I strongly discourage you from voting for Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco or Jerry Huang for the Indian Prairie School District #204 Board of Education.
However, I strongly encourage you to vote on April 7th, 2009!
Please forward this message to your friends and neighbors, and do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions.
Best Regards,
George Vickers
This is an email that came directly from George Vickers.
I am posting it as an FYI only.
Dear Friends and Neighbors in the Indian Prairie School District,
The following mesage contains information about a new political action committee that has taken an active interest in the upcoming Indian Prairie School District #204 Board of Education campaign and election. That committee is called the Civic Coalition of Aurora and Naperville.
For those that prefer the short and sweet version, the Civic Coalition of Aurora and Naperville is funded by the 204 teachers' and staff unions with nearly $40,000.00. The Civic Coalition is using the union funds to launch an active campaign for candidates Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco and Jerry Huang who are running as a slate called the 204 Taxpayers for Excellence. If elected to the school board, these individuals will be in the position to vote to approve the contracts with both of these unions during their term in office. The 204 teachers' and staff unions have also publicly endorsed these candidates for school board, and Doug DiFusco's wife is the former vice president of the teachers' union, who stepped down from that position when Doug began his campaign; although, she is still a teacher in the school district.
In my opinion, the relationships between the unions and candidates represent a conflict of interest if Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco or Jerry Huang are elected. I believe the unions are using the Civic Coalition of Aurora and Naperville to hide their actions and collaboration with the 204 Taxpayers for Excellence. I personally question the ethics of such behavior. Ironically, these four candidates are campaigning on a platform that includes transparency as one of its key messages.
Based on the facts, I strongly discourage you from voting for Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco or Jerry Huang for the Indian Prairie School District #204 Board of Education.
Regardless if you follow my advice, I strongly encourage you to vote on April 7th, 2009!
If you are so inclined, please forward this message to your friends and neighbors!
For those that prefer to review more of the details, and investigate this matter themselves prior to making their own conclusion, I have outlined more of the specifics below, attached several documents, and provided links to the various websites that contain further information.
- The Civic Coalition of Aurora and Naperville filed a statement of organization with the Illinois State Board of Elections on 3/2/09 (see attachement CCAN D-1 20090302.PDF) which was amended on 3/19/09 (see attachment CCAN D-1 20090319.PDF).
- The Civic Coalition reported a donation of $32,450.00 from the Indian Prairie Education Association (204 teacher's union) on 3/19/09 (see attachment CCAN A-1 20090319.PDF).
- The Civic Coalition reported a donation of $5,000.00 from the Indian Prairie Classified Association (204 staff's union) on 3/24/09 (see attachment CCAN A-1 20090324.PDF).
- These attached documents can be accessed from the Illinois State Board of Elections website (see www.elections.state.il.us/CampaignDisclosure/CommitteeSearch.aspx) by searching on "Civic Coalition".
- The Civic Coalition endorses candidates Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco and Jerry Huang from the 204 Taxpayers for Excellence for school board (see www.civiccoalition.org/ and www.204taxpayers.org/index.php/endorsements).
- Both the Indian Prairie Education Association and the Indian Prairie Classified Association have endorsed Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco and Jerry Huang. from the 204 Taxpayers for Excellence for school board (see www.ieanea.org/local/ipca/ and www.204taxpayers.org/index.php/endorsements).
- Doug DiFusco's wife, Kerry, was the vice president of the Indian Prairie Education Association who resigned from that position just prior to Doug announcing his candidacy for school board; however, she remains a teacher in the district. This is not a violation of the school board's conflict of interest policy (see board.ipsd.org/Uploads/Policies/240.pdf) as she was a teacher in the district before he would become a member of the school board. However, she could not become a teacher in the district if he were already a member of the school board.
- The Civic Coalition is using the union donations to send multiple mailings throughout the school district in an effort to campaign for Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco and Jerry Huang (see attachments CCAN Mail Front1.JPG, CCAN Mail Back1.JPG, CCAN Mail Front2.JPG and CCAN Mail Back2.JPG).
- I sent an email to Valerie Dranias, president of the Indian Prairie Education Association, to enquire about this situation and she replied for me to call her at her office. When we spoke the next day, she asked me what I was going to do with this information, and I responded that I did not know until after I spoke with her. When I asked her about the union's donation to the Civic Coalition, she acknowledged it. When I asked her about the Civic Coalition campaigning for Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco and Jerry Huang, she admitted that this was part of their objective. I asked her if she felt this created a conflict of interest or an improper ethical situation for the candidates or the union, and she said no. I told her that I felt it created both issues. We ended the conversation by agreeing to disagree on this matter.
- I also sent an email to Beth Sullivan, treasurer of the Civic Coalition, for a comment about their current and future objectives, but I have not received a reply.
Once again, I strongly discourage you from voting for Eric Hepburn, Don Moscato, Doug DiFusco or Jerry Huang for the Indian Prairie School District #204 Board of Education.
However, I strongly encourage you to vote on April 7th, 2009!
Please forward this message to your friends and neighbors, and do not hesitate to let me know if you have any questions.
Best Regards,
George Vickers
