Supervisor Jacob needs to stay in her swim lane or ante up some funds

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Guest Commentary
by Lou Russo

At a recent “coffee” at the Alpine Library, County Supervisor Dianne Jacob took it upon herself to comment on the ongoing lawsuit between Alpine Union School District (AUSD) and Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD). Jacob made the comment that while she wasn’t enthused about paying legal fees, in this instance her opinion was that the costs are justified.

Putting aside the merits, or lack thereof, of this case, many in Alpine were absolutely astonished that Jacob would weigh in on this issue. County Supervisors and County Government are not in the “chain of command” of educational institutions in California. Most of Alpine couldn’t fathom a school board trustee trying to tell the County how to run its business and believe the County should stay within its “swim lane.”

Additionally, Jacob does not live within the boundaries of AUSD. What is her interest in educational issues in this district? There are plenty of County issues to deal with in Alpine.

Finally, AUSD has spent nearly $1 million, out of an overall budget of roughly $17 Million, JUST ON LEGAL FEES! This is money the taxpayers paid for the education of the children in the district, NOT to buy new Mercedes for lawyers.

Now, Jacob has quite a war chest of campaign contributions that she will probably never use, in that she is termed out of office in 2020. State law permits the “donation” of these funds to certain entities. I suggest that if she is convinced that paying legal fees is the right thing to do, she reimburse whichever side of this suit she thinks is justified for the spending that taxpayer revenue.

Just the other day, a survey confirmed that U.S. taxpayers are extremely unhappy regarding how their tax revenue is spent. Put in that category the majority of Alpine residents. Dianne, please don’t foster this spending anymore, especially when it isn’t YOUR money.

Russo is a member of the Alpine Planning Group, a former San Diego Rural Fire Board member and was a Trump Delegate from California to the Republican National Convention

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Comments 11

  1. Astute observations Mr. Russo. Sadly, all too often, public servants, whether federal, state or local, at some point in their political careers, fall into the “blurred lines” netherworld of overstepping their designated boundaries and begin to weigh in on issues plainly not in their jurisdiction.

    Whether this is because of an almost omnipotent mindset that many bureaucrats fall prey to after years in their position of some kind of authority, or maybe they honestly dont recognize their rightful boundaries after having it “all their own way” for so long.

    Bottom line is: know your boundary and stay in your own lane.

  2. I guess Lou believes that once someone becomes an elected official they lose their First Amendment rights. Maybe I just missed the part that says freedom of speech “as long as you stay in your swim lane.”

  3. Dear Hypocrisy, no problem with free speech here, just hypocrisy when one thinks it’s great that other taxpayers have their tax revenue, earmarked for the education of our children, go to lawyers instead. It’s especially irksome when none of it is Jacob’s money.

  4. “…just hypocrisy when one thinks it’s great that other taxpayers have their tax revenue, earmarked for the education of our children, go to lawyers instead.”

    I don’t think hypocrisy was the word you were looking for but I do agree that spending $1 million on legal fees is not something a school district should be doing. My point was that you should have disagreed with the content of Jacobs’ statement, not her right to “weigh in on this issue.”

  5. Russo did not attend Supervisor Jacob’s “Coffee with Constituents”. The Supervisor clearly said she supports Alpine’s quest for a high school and that Alpiners should keep up the fight for a spending injunction against Grossmont to keep that district from frittering-away bond funds voters approved for an Alpine high school. Alpiners are on the hook for $150 million in principal and interest on Prop H, U and BB. Hey, Russo? You’re on the Grossmont Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee discharged with making sure Grossmont builds what the taxpayer/voters approve! Get wit it, man! The lion’s share on legal fees Alpine Union has spent on the case against Grossmont were absolutely not from ADA school operating funds. There were from special accounts not eligible for classroom and wage costs. Russo does not know this, perhaps because he doesn’t attend school board meetings either! Ms. Bonsignore above is just misleading. At the “Coffee” she started rambling about Alpine Union and it’s legal case against Grossmont. Supervisor Jacob cut her off saying the county has nothing to do with the school district, and the lady needs to address her concerns to the school district. Russo is deliberately spouting falsehoods. This is fake news!

    (The name calling has been removed – Admin)

  6. Why does Russo not rail against Grossmont for spending $4 million of bond funds intended for classrooms and infrastructure on fighting in court Alpine’s effort to force Grossmont to fund a high school in Alpine/Blossom Valley that Taxpayers three times approved building and funding.

    (The name calling has been edited out – Admin)

  7. Russo is on the GUHSD CBOC and his role is to ensure GUHSD spends Prop H/U/BB bond money on what the voters approved. All three voter approved bonds call for an Alpine/Blossom Valley high school. But GUHSD has spent $4 million fighting against Alpine’s spending injunction lawsuit which is intended to preserve bond funds for an Alpine high school. Russo is from Alpine. He does not attend Alpine Union school board meetings, and he didn’t attend Supervisor Jacob’s “Coffee”. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. The primary source of Alpine Union’s funds for the lawsuit were from a restricted account not eligible for paying salaries and other classroom expenses. The costs of the lawsuit had no impact on school operations. When both of Alpine’s plaintiffs (school district and a group of private citizens) win the lawsuit, Alpine Union will be entitled to $75 million from GUHSD in cash and land. Why won’t Russo stand forward in support of Alpine getting the high school that the GUHSD voters three times approved?

  8. “Russo is a member of the Alpine Planning Group, a former San Diego Rural Fire Board member and was a Trump Delegate from California to the Republican National Convention”?

    Russo is an appointed member of the ACPG; has been censored twice by his peers for foul language at public meetings; and was turned-out of office by the voters of San Diego Rural – which went bankrupt under Russo’s tenure.

  9. What does Supervisor Dianne Jacob have to do with schools. A lot.

    She has been resolute in favor of an Alpine high school over that community’s almost 20-year quest. She been been resolute in the independence from Grossmont and for local community control of Steele Canyon by going to charter . She strongly supports Helix High charter and its independent community control. She has stood with strength at many Alpine town hall meetings in favor of a high school. She has appeared at many Grossmont board meetings demanding that board comply with the wishes of its voters three times approving general obligation bonds, and each one including an Alpine high school. She appeared at all County Office of Education hearings on Alpine Union becoming ‘unified’, that is, state-chartered to have its own high school; and the COE unanimously approved that action. Supervisor Jacob will no doubt maintain her resolute position in favor of local community control over education at the coming California Board of Education’s public hearings on Alpine’s unification.

    Lou Russo has done nothing to support a high school in Alpine. Research of the online video recordings of Grossmont board meetings will uncover Russo speaking against an Alpine high school, and even against the general obligation bonds so needed to restore Grossmont schools to safe environments with upgraded 21st century educational facilities.

    Russo has stood three times for election to Alpine school board – and failed. He stood for an appointment to a school board vacancy and failed. Alpiners have his number! He is against a local high school. In fact, if you check the voting records of the Alpine Community Planning Group posted by the County, you’ll find that he is Alpine’s “Mr. No”! He supports nothing, and is against everything. He was the only Planning Group member to not vote against the Sunrise Powerlink transmission system running down the middle of Alpine’s main street. It’s in the County’s records.

    At that negativity is his right. But as to the issue at hand, a local high school, who would not want their kids going to a fine, distinguished, brand new, local high school? Lou Russo, that’s who!

    I don’t get it.

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