Three recalled San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education commissioners have been ousted after recall opponents were outspent by almost $1.75 million.
Proponents of recalling Board President Gabriela López, Commissioner Alison Collins and Commissioner Faauuga Moliga spent nearly $1.81 million on Tuesday’s special election, according to filings with the San Francisco Ethics Commission. Recall opponents, meanwhile, spent $64,070, nearly half of which was spent by a committee fighting just Moliga's recall ($31,782).
More than 70% of voters in Tuesday’s election opted to recall each of the three members, according to the latest returns published by the San Francisco Department of Elections that night. San Francisco parents frustrated with the pace of reopening, a push to rename schools and the board’s decision to end merit-based admissions at Lowell High School during the COVID-19 pandemic all contributed to the overwhelming support of the trio’s recall.
But proponents of removing Collins, López and Moliga from the board enjoyed a tremendous financial advantage, concentrated in big-money contributions from a small number of people and groups. Ballot measures are not subject to spending and fundraising limits, and recall supporters ultimately accounted for an even larger share of the recall election’s finances than its voters.
Three committees supporting the recall accounted for 96.6% of the $1.87 million spent on the race, and 95.7% of the $2 million in fundraising, according to city data.
The Ethics Commission on Wednesday listed nearly $1.8 million in itemized contributions to pro-recall committees. Nearly $1.31 million of those contributions were made by individuals and organizations that gave at least $10,000, more than $1.47 million in contributions totaling at least $5,000 and almost $1.62 million in contributions totaling at least $1,000.
Four organizations and their associated political action committees were responsible for one-third of all pro-recall contributions ($641,256), giving far more than all anti-recall donations ($86,276) combined.
Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, which SFist reported last week lists its address in San Rafael and 48 Hills reported earlier this month contributed almost 80% of the $1.4 million to the main group seeking to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin, contributed $488,800 – or nearly 25% of all the contributions in the recall – to two pro-recall committees.
The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce's political action committee gave $45,000, while the California Association of Realtors and its PAC gave $84,900. The Chinese American Democratic Club and its associated PAC made $22,556 in contributions.
Three people with ties to the tech and financial sectors alone, meanwhile, contributed $519,000 to recalling Collins, López and Moliga.
Retired 95-year-old venture capitalist Arthur Rock, who has no children, gave $399,500 to two pro-recall committees. His two donations accounted for nearly 20% of all contributions in the recall.
Rock is a proponent of government-funded vouchers for children to attend private schools and a charter school advocate. San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who endorsed the recall of all three members and will appoint their replacements, said on Wednesday that she wouldn’t rule out selecting commissioners who support vouchers or charters.
PayPal co-founder David Sacks gave $74,500 to the committee that circulated recall petitions, including $49,500 while the group was gathering signatures. Y Combinator co-founder Jessica Livingston, whom the Standard reported lives in Palo Alto, donated $45,000 to a different pro-recall committee.
Sacks and Livingston’s donations were more than any individual donation to an anti-recall group. A committee opposing Moliga’s recall raised $45,025 in total contributions, while another opposing all three members’ recall raised $41,251.
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