Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Chavez, Jonasson Rosas Investigated Over FUSD Votes
David Website Replacement
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 4 years ago on
April 27, 2021

Share

Fresno City Councilman Luis Chavez and his wife, Fresno Unified trustee Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, are being investigated for alleged improper votes while on the school board.

An anonymous complaint on Oct. 17, 2019, to the state Fair Political Practices Commission, alleges that Chavez and Jonasson Rosas, by approving improvements for Roosevelt High School, benefited themselves because they live close to the school.

An additional complaint was filed a month later.

Advocating for Roosevelt ‘Is Part of My Job’

Chavez and Jonasson Rosas say they did nothing wrong.

“I ran on the platform of improving schools at Roosevelt and the Roosevelt region. Should a school board member not vote to support what he was elected to do? That’s a simple question,” Chavez said.

Jonasson Rosas says advocating for her area is “part of my job.”

“I do believe that we’re going to get cleared because, it does not directly affect our property value. It is indistinguishable. The improvements were to existing structures. And moreover, as an elected official, you’re supposed to advocate for your schools and your institutions,” Jonasson Rosas said.

The couple lives on Huntington Boulevard, less than 500 feet from the school.

“They each voted on agenda items/contracts directly benefitting Roosevelt High School — millions of dollars worth of improvements to that school, which positively impacted their personal residence and neighborhood. These votes were throughout their tenure on the school board,” the complaint alleges.

Chavez served on the FUSD board from 2012-2016 before winning election to the Fresno City Council. Jonasson Rosas won election for the seat in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020.

The case is listed as “opened and pending,” according to the FPPC complaint and case information portal.

“I will be getting a letter of clearance here pretty soon,” Chavez said.

FPPC Codes: Properties Within 500 Feet Affected

Whether Chavez or Jonasson Rosas is in violation could hinge on whether their votes had a measurable financial impact on their property.

The relevant FPPC code is Section 18702.2 which determines when a voting decision may be considered “material” on a property owned by the elected official.

“The reasonably foreseeable financial effect of a governmental decision on a parcel of real property in which an official has a financial interest, other than a leasehold interest, is material whenever the governmental decision involves property located 500 feet or less from the property line of the parcel unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the decision will not have any measurable impact on the official’s property,” the code states.

FPPC spokesman Jay Wierenga declined to comment on the cases involving Chavez and Jonasson Rosas. Wierenga said similar cases (in general) may depend on how many people benefited from the votes.

“For example, maybe a zoning decision may improve a public officials home value, but if it also improves half the town’s value then it’s not necessarily different from a significant number or even majority of people. But if it just affects her/his home and three neighbors, that might be something different,” Wierenga said via email.

Several FPPC advice letters from February 2021 answer similar questions. The general advice is voting on items within 500 feet of property depends on whether there is a material financial effect.

[Update, 4/28/21: the wording in this section has been updated. FPPC spokesman Jay Wierenga was speaking in general terms and not on any specific case.]

Votes at School Board

Minutes on Fresno Unified’s website date back to 2015. There are several examples of Chavez and later Jonasson Rosas voting on items affecting Roosevelt High School.

For example, Chavez voted on March 11, 2015, for lighting and a chiller.

At the June 13, 2018, meeting, Jonasson Rosas voted for improvements to the athletic fields.

Jonasson Rosas started abstaining from Roosevelt items at the April 1, 2020, meeting — after the FPPC complaint was filed.

She explained why, according to the meeting minutes.

“My residence is located within 500 feet of the baseball fields that are at the southwest edge of the property comprising the Roosevelt High School site. Despite this proximity Bid 20-27 will have no measurable financial impact on my property because it funds replacement of bleachers, drinking fountains or walkways already in place. Moreover, Bid 20-27 is indistinguishable to other properties within my Trustee area that are part of the Roosevelt High School attendance area. Not withstanding the absence of any financial impact on my property, I abstain from this vote on Bid 20-27 pursuant to Board Bylaw 9270 in the express purpose of avoiding any appearance of any conflict,” she said.

Jonasson Rosas said the FPPC complaint influenced her statements before her recusals.

“It was a consideration, just to be clear for the public,” she said.

Former Trustee Hit With $4,000 Fine in Similar Case

Former Bullard High region trustee Brooke Ashjian paid a $4,000 fine to the state’s political watchdog in 2019 after he left office to settle a similar conflict of interest. That case involved Ashjian’s vote for $5.2 million in improvements at Rata High School.

According to state law, Ashjian should have abstained from the vote because he owned property within 500 feet of the special education school.

Ashjian told GV Wire that the district’s lawyers never advised that he was forbidden from voting on the contract because of his property’s proximity to the school.

He paid a total of $23,500 in fines for failure to disclose conflicts. The FPPC said it found no evidence that Ashjian “intended to conceal, deceive, or mislead the public.”

FPPC Complaint

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Republicans’ Trust in Media Increases Following Trump’s Return to White House

DON'T MISS

Jeanine Pirro to Be Interim US Attorney for DC, Trump Says

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Catch Fleeing Gang Member Who Tossed Gun Over Fence

DON'T MISS

Suit Challenges New Rules on Children in Federal Custody Who Crossed Into US

DON'T MISS

Fresno Mayor Dyer Bullish on Growth, Calls on Newsom for $200 Million

DON'T MISS

Rejoicing Peruvians See Pope Leo XIV as One of Their Own After His Many Years in Peru

DON'T MISS

FEMA’s Acting Administrator Is Replaced a Day After Congressional Testimony

DON'T MISS

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Leads Missile Test, Stresses Nuclear Force Readiness, KCNA Says

DON'T MISS

Shohei Ohtani Could Have Landed 15-Year Deal, Agent Says, but He Didn’t Want to Risk Skills Decline

DON'T MISS

White House Overhaul of Troubled US Air Traffic Control System Will Cost ‘Lots of Billions’

UP NEXT

Rejoicing Peruvians See Pope Leo XIV as One of Their Own After His Many Years in Peru

UP NEXT

Shohei Ohtani Could Have Landed 15-Year Deal, Agent Says, but He Didn’t Want to Risk Skills Decline

UP NEXT

Joe Biden Blames Kamala Harris’ Loss on Sexism and Racism and Rejects Concerns About His Age

UP NEXT

Fresno Art Hop Could Feature Street Vendors Again. Downtown’s Players Are Divvying Up Responsibility

UP NEXT

Before Tariff Price Increases, Mark Cuban Suggests Stocking Up on These Items

UP NEXT

He Was Killed in a Road Rage Shooting. AI Allowed Him to Deliver His Own Victim Impact Statement

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Plan 10-Hour Bicycle, Pedestrian Safety Operation for Saturday

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Xzavier Isaha McGee

UP NEXT

Fresno Author Teams Up With Valley Children’s to Help Kids Know More About Epilepsy

UP NEXT

Looking for a Perfect Companion? Mittens Is One Handsome Kitten

David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

Suit Challenges New Rules on Children in Federal Custody Who Crossed Into US

3 hours ago

Fresno Mayor Dyer Bullish on Growth, Calls on Newsom for $200 Million

3 hours ago

Rejoicing Peruvians See Pope Leo XIV as One of Their Own After His Many Years in Peru

3 hours ago

FEMA’s Acting Administrator Is Replaced a Day After Congressional Testimony

3 hours ago

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Leads Missile Test, Stresses Nuclear Force Readiness, KCNA Says

3 hours ago

Shohei Ohtani Could Have Landed 15-Year Deal, Agent Says, but He Didn’t Want to Risk Skills Decline

3 hours ago

White House Overhaul of Troubled US Air Traffic Control System Will Cost ‘Lots of Billions’

4 hours ago

US Military to Start Kicking out Transgender Troops Next Month, Memo Says

4 hours ago

Los Angeles Coliseum and SoFi Stadium to Share Opening and Closing Ceremonies for 2028 Olympics

4 hours ago

Jennifer Aniston’s Alleged Stalker Appears in Court Shirtless and a Judge Orders a Mental Evaluation

4 hours ago

Republicans’ Trust in Media Increases Following Trump’s Return to White House

Americans’ trust in news organizations and social media has increased since last year, with Republicans driving this shift following T...

3 hours ago

https://www.communitymedical.org/thecause?utm_source=Misfit+Digital&utm_medium=GVWire+Banner+Ads&utm_campaign=Branding+2025&utm_content=thecause
3 hours ago

Republicans’ Trust in Media Increases Following Trump’s Return to White House

Fox News Channel host Jeanine Pirro and other members of the news media work outside the Manhattan Criminal Court building during the 2nd day of jury deliberations in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s criminal trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in New York City, U.S. May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar
3 hours ago

Jeanine Pirro to Be Interim US Attorney for DC, Trump Says

Fresno police arrested a known gang member who ran from officers and tossed a gun over a fence in southeast Fresno. (Fresno PD)
3 hours ago

Fresno Police Catch Fleeing Gang Member Who Tossed Gun Over Fence

3 hours ago

Suit Challenges New Rules on Children in Federal Custody Who Crossed Into US

3 hours ago

Fresno Mayor Dyer Bullish on Growth, Calls on Newsom for $200 Million

3 hours ago

Rejoicing Peruvians See Pope Leo XIV as One of Their Own After His Many Years in Peru

3 hours ago

FEMA’s Acting Administrator Is Replaced a Day After Congressional Testimony

A handout photo shows missiles being launched, in North Korea, May 8, 2025. KCNA via REUTERS
3 hours ago

North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Leads Missile Test, Stresses Nuclear Force Readiness, KCNA Says

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend