TUSD school board campaign contributions raise red flags

Two TUSD Governing Board members who are running for re-election have decided to return $5,000 contributions that were made to their campaigns last month.

Donations of $5,000 each were made to Cam Juarez and Kristel Foster’s campaigns by a Phoenix couple — one half of whom is an executive for a business that holds a multi-million dollar contract with the Tucson Unified School District.

The contributions from Carly and Rob Brooks on Aug. 14 accounted for more than half of the donations Juarez and Foster have received over the course of their campaigns.

The Connection

Rob Brooks is the vice president of marketing for Educational Services, Inc., a firm that the Tucson Unified School District contracts substitute teachers from at a cost of more than $20 million a year.

About a month before the contributions were made, Foster and Juarez along with TUSD Board President Adelita Grijalva approved the ESI contract for the current school year. Michael Hicks voted against the contract as did Mark Stegeman, who is also up for re-election but did not receive a contribution from the Brooks family.

The Fallout

The donations, documented in Juarez’ and Foster’s campaign finance reports, raised red flags for community members and candidates running against the two incumbents, including Betts Putnam-Hidalgo, a TUSD parent and governing board member hopeful.

“I think that this does not pass the smell test,” Putnam-Hidalgo said. “It certainly appears this is a pay for play. We don’t know that, we don’t know whether they are being rewarded for their vote … we don’t know whether they’re being rewarded for upcoming behavior. In any case, this is outrageous. We teach our kids that honesty pays and yet that doesn’t seem to be what we are showing our kids with this incident.”

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An attorney representing Rob and Carly Brooks denied that the contributions are “pay to play,” adding that the pair has not made contributions before or while a contract was under consideration.

While it is unclear why the couple took an interest in a school board race in an entirely different county, they explained, through their attorney, that they sought to help grow the campaigns of candidates they respect, just as “millions of other Americans” have done.

“We will continue to be involved in the political process and back strong leaders who believe that Arizona’s children deserve the highest quality education,” Rob and Carly Brooks said through their attorney.

Foster announced on Tuesday — weeks after receiving the contribution — that she would be returning the money, saying she was not aware of the the couple’s connection to ESI.

“Now that this issue has been brought to my attention, I am returning this individual’s donation,” she said. “It is the right thing to do … Openness, transparency and honesty are values that I hold dear.”

Juarez echoed that sentiment on Wednesday saying he wasn't aware of the link but now that he is, he will also return the money. 

"I maintain I did nothing wrong and the contribution was a legal contribution, the issue is my moral compass ... I'm more concerned with the appearance of impropriety," Juarez said. 

The Rules

By law, individuals can contribute up to $6,250 to local candidates’ campaigns. Those donations can be used to cover the cost of running for office, including printing campaign materials and signs, buying advertisements, hosting events and more. Corporations are prohibited from making contributions to local candidates, like those who run for school boards.