The race for Fresno Unified’s Fresno High Area trustee seat and the State Center Community College District Area 2 are pitting incumbents against well-funded adversaries.

According to campaign finance documents filed with the Fair Political Practices Commission reporting on campaign contributions and expenses for the first six months of 2024, those two races may be the exception, as numerous other local School Board candidates are raising and spending minimal amounts.

James Martinez, currently a member of the Fresno County School Board, is vying to unseat incumbent Andy Levine for the Fresno High Area trustee seat. According to his campaign reports, about half of Martinez’s county School Board account — $4,967 — was transferred into his Fresno Unified School Board campaign account in June.

Contributors to his county School Board campaign fund this year included $1,000 from the Luis Chavez for Supervisor 2024 campaign and $1,000 from Jerry Dyer for Mayor 2024 campaign. Martinez’s total contributions, including the transferred funds, totaled $5,165.12, and his expenditures totaled $3,416.33, according to his FPPC report.

Levine, who is seeking his first full four-year term in the seat after winning a short-term election in 2022, reported a more substantial treasury. Levine’s campaign had $16,125 in monetary contributions and $970 in nonmonetary contributions. His campaign started 2024 with a cash balance of $9,521.08. The campaign reported expenditure in the first six months of 2024 of $2,965.48.

Levine’s biggest donations so far this year are $1,500 from Fresno State educator Janine Nkosi, $1,000 from Fresno Unified Trustee Veva Islas, $500 from Juan and Amy Arambula, $1,000 from his mother, Trudi Thom, and $750 from the Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 PAC.

In other Fresno Unified races, Hoover High Area incumbent Claudia Cazares reported a beginning cash balance of $10,372.09 and donations this year totaling $1,900 — $1,500 from the SMART Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 and $400 from FUSD Trustee Keshia Thomas. The campaign reported expenditures of $1,680.20.

Her opponent is retired teacher Dan Bordona, who filed a campaign report saying he doesn’t plan to raise or spend over $2,000.

Roosevelt Area incumbent Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, who as of Monday afternoon had no opponent, reported a beginning cash balance of $11,957.99 and a single donation of $3,000 from the UA Local 246 Plumbers and Pipefitters COPE Committee. She reported expenses of $792.46.

State Center Candidate Donations Pile Up

The area’s other big-money Board of Education race pits State Center Area 2 incumbent Nasreen Michelle Johnson, who is seeking her second term, against challenger Pablo Villagrana, president of the Ironworkers Local 155.

Villagrana reported $27,790 in donations and $5,843.54 in expenses for the first six months of the year. Not surprisingly, many of his donors are other unions or construction trades: $2,500 from Fresno, Madera, Kings, Tulare Counties Buildings Trades Council COPE Committee, $5,000 from the State Center Federation of Teachers AFT 1533, $250 from the Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 2026, and $5,000 from the Ironworkers Local 377 in San Francisco. His donations also include $5,000 from the Tyler Maxwell for Fresno City Council 2024 campaign, $5,000 from the Perea for City Council campaign, and $4,900 from the Esparza for Board of Equalization 2026 campaign.

Three other State Center trustee seats are up for election. Incumbents Danielle Parra and Deborah Ikeda and local businessman Austin Ewell had no opponents as of Monday afternoon.

Parra, who is seeking reelection in Area 3, reported a beginning cash balance of $11,030, donations totaling $12,990, and expenses totaling $2,226.38. Donations to Parra’s campaign so far this year include $5,000 from the State Center Federation of Teachers — Committee on Political Education, $750 from the Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 PAC, $500 from Ewell LLC, $1,000 from Efrain Yanez Construction, $2,500 from Youth Save Democracy, $600 from Fresno County Young Democrats, and $500 from former Fresno County Supervisor Henry Perea.

Ikeda, who is seeking reelection in Area 6, reported zero donations and expenditures so far this year.

Ewell is running to replace Area 7 Trustee Richard Caglia, who decided not to run for reelection. Ewell reported a $20,000 loan from KAN Ventures Inc., his real estate brokerage firm, and no expenses.

School Board Contests

In other local School Board races, candidates either filed no campaign reports or filed reports saying they plan to spend less than $2,000.

In Central Unified, Natalie Chavez, who is running for the Area 3 seat now held by Phillip Cervantes, filed no campaign finance report. Richard Solis, who is seeking reelection in Area 5, filed a report that he plans to keep fundraising and spending under $2,000. His opponent, Jaspreet Sidhu, a registered nurse, filed no campaign finance report. As of Monday afternoon no candidates had filed for the Area 6 seat now held by Jeremy Mehling.

In Clovis Unified, four seats are up for election. Three candidates are vying to replace David DeFrank in Area 2. His wife, Molly DeFrank, and CASA of Fresno/Madera Counties executive director Wilma Tom Hashimoto did not file campaign finance reports. Retired teacher Janet Kardashian filed a report that she plans to raise and spend less than $2,000.

In Area 4, neither incumbent Hugh Awtrey nor challenger Gina Vue filed a campaign finance report. Area 5 incumbent Dr. Steven Fogg filed a report that he will not raise or spent more than $2,000. He faced no opponents as of Monday. In Area 7, incumbent Yolanda Moore had not filed a campaign report, and she also had no opponent as of Monday.

Fresno County Board of Education

Three seats are open on the Fresno County Board of Education, and there are three candidates: incumbents Bryan Burton and Dr. Allen Clyde, and newcomer Itzi Robles, an Assemblymember district representative.

Clyde, seeking reelection in Area 5, reported a beginning cash balance of $418.69, a $5,000 loan he made to his campaign, and  expenses totaling $493.35.

Robles, who is running for the Area 3 seat being vacated by Martinez, reported zero donations and expenses.

Burton, seeking reelection to his Area 2, filed a campaign finance report saying that he plans to restrict his donations and spending to under $2,000.

The deadline for candidates to file to be on the November ballot is Friday, Aug. 9. In races where there is no incumbent, the deadline is extended five days to Wednesday, Aug. 14.