The campaigns of School Board candidates for Fresno-area districts are raising tens of thousands of dollars, either in direct cash contributions or through “nonmonetary” donations for activities like canvassing or handing out flyers.

Unions are playing a big role in building the campaign treasuries of Pablo Villagrana, who is running for the State Center Community College District Area 2 seat in central Fresno; James Martinez, one of three candidates seeking election to the Fresno High region seat on the Fresno Unified School Board; and Dan Bordona, who is running for the Hoover High region seat in Fresno Unified.

According to campaign finance reports for July 1 through last week, 13 of the 18 cash contributions reported by Villagrana’s campaign were from union political action committees and represented $42,500 of the $45,350 reported raised.

The biggest contributions were $5,000 apiece from the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council, Iron Workers Local 433 in Southern California, Iron Workers Local 378 in the Bay Area, the Fresno Teachers Association PAC, and the State Center Federation of Teachers PAC, doubling that union’s total contribution to Villagrana’s campaign so far this year.

Villagrana’s support from construction-related interests is a result of a conscious effort by unions this year to bankroll and elect specific candidates. Villagrana is president of Iron Workers Local 155 in Fresno.

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The amount raised so far this year by Villagrana’s campaign totals $76,048, far outstripping the amount raised by incumbent Nasreen Michelle Johnson’s campaign. Her campaign reported raising $8,875 since July 1, for a total of $19,095. Johnson’s campaign reported 23 donations, the largest of which was $2,500 from the Fresno County Democratic Women’s Club and $1,500 from the Central Valley Progressive Political Action Committee.

Fresno Unified Candidates

The Fresno High region race for Fresno Unified School Board is pitting the well-funded Martinez, director of operations at Associated Students, Inc. at Fresno State, against incumbent Andy Levine and Emma Villa, a parent-advocate.

Martinez’s campaign reported $24,732 in cash donations from July 1 through Thursday and a whopping $56,112 in nonmonetary contributions. The nonmonetary contributions were all from the Fresno Teachers Association PAC for in-kind services such as canvassing, flyers, and mail services. The teachers union PAC also donated $12,500, the largest cash contributions to Martinez’s campaign.

Other large donations were $2,000 from the Service Employees International Union Local 521 PAC, and $1,000 apiece from Caglia Diversified Management LLC (Richard Caglia, an outgoing member of the State Center Board of Trustees), the New Horizons Political Action Committee, and the Operating Engineers 3 District 50 PAC.

Levine’s campaign reported $25,261 in cash donations from July 1 through Friday for a total of $41,386 so far this year. The biggest donors from July 1 through Friday include $3,000 from the UA Local 246 Plumbers and Pipefitters, $2,500 from the Dr. Joaquin Arambula Assembly campaign committee, and $2,000 apiece from the Fresno County Democratic Women’s Club and the Northern California Carpenters union. Levine is a lecturer at Fresno State.

Villa’s campaign expects to raise and spend no more than $2,000.

In the Hoover High region race, like the Fresno High region race, the challenger is receiving substantial assistance from the Fresno Teachers Association PAC. Daniel Bordona’s campaign reported $11,500 in cash and $46,058 in nonmonetary contributions through Thursday.

The majority of in-kind contributions of $43,676 from FTA’s PAC were for services such as canvassing, literature, and mailers. The FTA PAC also pumped $7,000 in cash donations into the campaign, which reported three other cash donations — $2,000 from the SEIU 521 Candidate PAC, $1,000 from the Operating Engineers 3 District 50 PAC, and $2,500 from retired teacher James Barr, who was unsuccessful in two campaigns for trustee in the Bullard region.

Bordona, a retired Fresno Unified teacher, is trying to unseat incumbent Claudia Cázares, a management analyst with the city of Clovis. Her campaign reported raising $5,423 in cash from July 1 through Sept. 23. The biggest contributions were $2,000 from the NWPC of Fresno, $1,500 from the Central Valley Progressive PAC, and $1,000 from the UA Local 246 Plumbers and Pipefitters COPE Committee.

In the campaign for the Roosevelt region seat on the FUSD board, incumbent Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas’ campaign reported raising $4,850 in cash through Sept. 21. The biggest contributions were $2,000 from the NWPC of Fresno and $1,500 from the SEIU Local 521 PAC.

Her opponent is Fresno State student Joseph Aquino, who plans to raise and spend less than $2,000.

Clovis Unified Candidates

Two seats are contested on the Clovis Unified School Board.

The three-way race for the Clovis Unified Area 2 seat covering northeast Fresno and north Clovis involves three political newcomers: author Molly DeFrank, who hopes to replace her husband on the School Board, Wilma Tom Hashimoto, executive director of CASA of Fresno and Madera counties, and retired teacher Janet Kardashian.

As of last week Kardashian was leading in campaign contributions, reporting $34,200 in cash. The campaign’s biggest contributions were from a couple of trailer sales companies in Stockton — $10,000 apiece from Cozad! Trailers and Reliance Trailer Sales.

DeFrank’s campaign reported raising $22,648 through Sept. 21. The biggest contributions were $3,000 from Christopher Woods, owner of Generous Industries, and $2,000 from C-III Construction. DeFrank also loaned her own campaign $1,000.

The campaign has gotten donations from Clovis Unified trustees (Hugh Awtrey and Tiffany Madsen, $100 apiece) and former superintendents (Terry Bradley, $500, Eimear O’Brien, $250).

Hashimoto’s campaign reported raising $3,405 in cash through Friday. In addition, Hashimoto has loaned her campaign $4,000.

In the race for Clovis Unified Area 4 in central Clovis, incumbent Hugh Awtrey’s campaign reported raising $12,550, including $10,000 from Westech Systems LLC. Awtrey, who works for DiBuduo & DeFendis Insurance Brokers, also loaned $5,000 to his campaign.

His opponent is Gina Vue, CEO of a local autism center. Vue’s campaign reported $4,625 in cash donations and a $5,000 from her company, Innovative Minds ABA, LLC.

Central Unified Candidates

There are two contested seats on the Central Unified School Board, but as of Monday only the challengers had filed campaign finance reports.

Incumbents Phillip Cervantes (Area 3) and Richard Solis (Area 5) are both seeking their third terms on the School Board.

Jaspreet Sidhu, a registered nurse, running against Solis in Area 5, has raised the most money among the Central Unified candidates. Sidhu’s campaign reported raising $23,041 from July 1 through Friday. The campaign’s 63 contributors are primarily Sikhs or Sikh-owned businesses. The biggest donations are $2,000 from Gurnek Bagri, CEO of B & V Inc., and $1,001 from Naindeep Singh Chann, Central Unified’s School Board president.

In Area 5, education consultant Natalie Chavez’s campaign reported raising $2,326, including a $2,000 donation from the Youth Save Democracy PAC. Chavez also has loaned her campaign $100.