28-02-2025
How much money is being raised by Coachella Valley Unified's school board candidates
Campaign contributions totaling more than $150,000 have poured into the Coachella Valley Unified School District trustee race as six candidates, including three incumbents, compete for three school seats in the special election on March 4.
In California, local school board candidates can receive unlimited campaign contributions, even if an individual contribution exceeds $5,500 — the limit for state, county and city elections. However, they are still required to follow disclosure and reporting rules.
Here's how much the CVUSD school board candidates reported raising in their latest filings as of Feb. 15, following up on The Desert Sun's initial reporting in November:
Incumbent trustee Trinidad 'Trini' Arredondo has brought in $40,536, while his challenger Agustín Arreola has raised $25,181.86.
Coachella Valley Teachers Association gave Arredondo another $10,000, bringing its total contributions to $19,000 — making the political action committee his largest donor. Dr. Raul Ruiz for Congress donated $3,300 to Arredondo's campaign, followed by $100 from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific. He also received $72 in unitemized donations under $100.
Eduardo Garcia for Assembly 2024 gave Arreola an additional $1,500, raising the political action committee's total contributions to $8,500. Jesus Gonzalez of Thermal, a former legislative staffer for Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia and son of incumbent candidate Jesus Gonzalez, contributed $2,000 to Arreola's campaign. Arreola most recently received $2,000 on Feb. 14 from Ricky Contreras, director of sales and government relations at The KYA Group in Anaheim, which specializes in public works facility modernization and has previously upgraded facilities at CVUSD.
Incumbent candidate Jesus Gonzalez raised $28,997.21, while Altrena Santillanes reported $18,300.
Gonzalez, a licensed contractor with Coachella Builders, Inc., self-funded his campaign twice, contributing a total of $1,405. The 87-400 A56 Statutory Trust in Cheyenne, Wyo., donated $2,000 on Nov. 12 to Gonzalez's campaign. The trust previously held a closed session with the City of Coachella in September for a real property negotiation over a 9,730-square-foot domestic water easement. He also received $3,646.49 in nonmonetary contributions in the form of mailers from the Community Education PAC for a Better Imperial & Coachella Valley in October.
His campaign also returned a $5,000 contribution on Nov. 1 from the Family Protection Alliance, citing Senate Bill 1439, which restricts local officials from voting on matters involving major donors, and "out of an abundance of caution." FPA is a Christian ministry supporting the social conservative movement.
Though Santillanes' campaign contribution filings have not appeared on Riverside County's Public Portal for Campaign Finance Disclosure, she provided The Desert Sun with a copy of her filings through Nov 5. In an email, Santillanes said she filed her committee's contributions and donations with the FPPC and is unsure why they are not visible but would look into the issue.
The Coachella Valley Teachers Association for Quality Education contributed $14,000 to her campaign, followed by $3,000 from Raul Ruiz for Congress and $1,000 from the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.
Incumbent candidate Jocelyn Vargas raised $17,658.23, while her opponent Adrian Rodriguez has raised $21,399.
Vargas received $1,500 from Eduardo Garcia for Assembly 2024, bringing its total contributions to $6,500. She also received $1,000 from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific and $135 in unitemized contributions of less than $100.
Thee Coachella Valley Teachers Association contributed $5,000 on Dec. 10 to Rodriguez, bringing the political action committee's total contribution to his campaign to $14,000. He also received $3,299 from Dr. Raul Ruiz for Congress, as well as $500 in contributions each from Teresa Gutierrez of Mecca, Robert Rodriguez of Mecca and S-A-S Farms in La Quinta.
Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Coachella Valley Unified election fundraising
