As of October 15th, 2012, Bernardo Vasquez, an insurance salesman, still has not turned in a statement of economic interest (Form 700) with the Sweetwater Union High School District.
The School District in an effort to increase transparency started requiring Proposition O Bond Oversight Committee Members to turn in Statements of Economic Interest this year. These statements were due by September 30th. Committee members were given ample notice about the requirement and the committee itself voted in agreement with this new policy. At the October 15th, 2012 School Board meeting Vazquez blasted the trusteesm resisting the notion that being involved in a $644 million bond of public money required him to disclose his financial dealings. His message: If the Board didn’t think he did a good job, then they should remove him.
The School District was rocked by several scandals involving Prop O contractors while Vasquez was the president of the Bond Oversight Committee. Vasquez seemed to be asleep at the switch during his tenure. Now that the scandals have become public and efforts like turning in financial disclosures to the District are required, he has now become a divisive vocal critic of the District.
Many questions loom from Vasquez’s lack of financial disclosure. The community calls for complete transparency of Vasquez’s finances. How would the public know if Vasquez was or wasn’t wined and dined by contractors without the required disclosure? A complete list of Vasquez’s clients should be made public. Who are his clients and are any of them contractors, employees of contractors, politicians, current or former high ranking officials at the Sweetwater District?
The community demands to know this information. Vasquez needs to come clean. If not, the School Board should remove him.