Slate Challenges Pacifica Incumbents on Budget, Trust at Candidate Forum
School Board • Pacifica School DistrictSeptember 19, 2026
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Pacifica School District voters got their clearest look yet at a contested board race. A four-member slate blamed three incumbents for a fiscal crisis and school closures, and the incumbents defended their record and urged the community to move forward. The candidates' split on budget cuts, the vacant Ocean Shore campus and charter schools previews the choices the next board will face under county fiscal oversight.
- Four-member "Let's Get to Work" slate targets three incumbents over finances and transparency.
- County fiscal stabilization plan calls for 14 staff cuts, and candidates split on where they should fall.
- Ocean Shore's unused $7M wing fuels debate over surplus property. The slate rejects more workforce housing.
- Every candidate backs the Measure T parcel tax renewal, but several warn that trust is eroding.
- Incumbents oppose a charter school. Slate members say they would judge any proposal on its merits.
1 Big Thing: A Slate Makes the Race a Referendum
Seven candidates appeared at a Sept. 19 forum hosted by a local club. Candidates thanked the Pacifica Democrats. Candidate Grace Sobieski called the race "the first Pacifica School Board election on the ballot in 10 years."
Why it matters: Ten candidates are running for four seats. According to a slate member, the outcome could shift the board majority.
Where things stand: Four challengers are running jointly as the Let's Get to Work slate: Tiffany Button, Grace Sobieski, Christopher Swiedler and Kelly Mendoza. Their platform centers on financial accountability, transparency and community input.
- "I've watched our trustees wait too long to act on critical issues and then rush through half-baked decisions without meaningful public input," said Christopher Swiedler, slate candidate.
- "This didn't happen by accident. It happened under the oversight of the current board," said Tiffany Button, slate candidate.
Mendoza cited county scrutiny and last year's closures, which affected four schools. She also pointed to "staff who went the better part of a year without a fair contract."
The other side: Board President Laverne Villalobos urged moving forward "in a little bit of peace." She said board decisions are posted online and that Pacifica has good schools. "My intention is never to be non-transparent," she said.
Trustee and Board Clerk Bridget Hardt listed endorsements from the San Mateo County Central Labor Council, the San Mateo County Democratic Party and the San Mateo County Asian American Pacific Islander Alliance. Trustee Elizabeth Bredall said she has "no hidden personal agenda."
The temperature: Anger surfaced from the audience. One attendee demanded of the incumbents: "Are you ready to ask the community for forgiveness? And if not, are you ready to drop your campaign today?" That attendee also made allegations against a former superintendent. The moderator moved on without responses. A senior attendee separately questioned the slate's strategy.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The race has three camps: incumbents backed by labor and party groups, a coordinated slate running on accountability, and non-incumbent Katie Bradley. Bradley, who is endorsed by the San Mateo Labor Council, ran outside the slate. "We have a total of 10 people running for the board, and that doesn't happen when things are going in a good direction," Swiedler said.
Budget Cuts Under County Watch
Why it matters: The district is near a 3% reserve and under county scrutiny. The next board will decide on layoffs, possible closures and administrative costs.
The basics: The district worked with the San Mateo County Office of Education for years on a three-year fiscal stabilization plan. The board approved the plan unanimously in June.
Where things stand: Hardt said the plan lacks specific action items but includes staffing guidance. "One of those guidelines is to cut 14 staff, 4 of which from the district office and 10 otherwise," she said. Bredall said every department needs cuts. She added that projections must assume the parcel tax fails, which compounds the uncertainty. Hardt and Villalobos pointed to a budget collaborative that has met for three years. It includes five or six representatives from each school site, and its priorities put students first, then classroom teachers.
The other side: "We're under a mandatory fiscal stabilization plan, meaning that the trustees have lost control of the budget," Mendoza said. She called for community input over closed-door decisions.
Sobieski called the district administrative-heavy. She criticized the board for raising the new superintendent's pay and waiving her credential requirement while cutting certificated staff. "So cuts really need to come from top down," she said.
Button said she told the board in June that the plan lacked actionable details. Swiedler urged long-term plans and warned, "We may need to close more schools." Bradley, a union organizer, voiced a different worry: "My biggest concern is cutting staff without that plan, without those actionable items."
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Classified and certificated staff have the most at stake. The slate wants cuts aimed at administration first. The incumbents are relying on the collaborative process.
Ocean Shore: School, Revenue or Housing?
Why it matters: The closed Ocean Shore campus houses a $7M wing that students never used. A 7-11 committee is expected to form this year to recommend uses. The committee is an advisory panel of community members and staff that reviews surplus property.
Where things stand: "The district office moved into the Ocean Shore building because the original district office was found to be a sick building," Bredall said. She said the old building has mold and asbestos and will not be reoccupied. It may need to be demolished, and talks with the city are under way.
Villalobos noted that a previous 7-11 committee enabled the Oddstad workforce housing project. She also noted that the district sold the Fairmont school, which sits on the San Andreas Fault, to St. Ignatius. Bredall cited a $2M federal grant for the housing project secured through Congressman Sam Liccardo.
The other side: Sobieski said it was "very disappointing that this school site is sitting there with a brand new $7 million taxpayer-paid-for wing that never got touched by students." She called the situation "very poor planning."
"What I don't think we should do is build workforce housing on it," Swiedler said. He called Oddstad over budget and said only 11 teachers would benefit from the $45M project. Mendoza wants the building returned to school use. Button cited a lack of transparency about the move. Bradley favored a steady income stream and warned, "A 7-11 committee is probably not going to do it."
Hardt said she once considered selling surplus properties but learned a sale would provide only one-time funding.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: In closing, Bredall corrected the housing record: "All 45 units will be well below market rate." She said the 11-unit figure reflected a City of Pacifica requirement. Swiedler thanked her for the correction. Nearby neighborhoods, district employees and the city all have a stake in what the committee recommends.
Measure T: Unanimous Support, Shaky Trust
Why it matters: The parcel tax funds library media technicians, librarians, counselors and free fifth-grade outdoor education. If it fails, the district would have to cut those positions or absorb them into a strained general fund.
Where things stand: "This parcel tax does not increase taxes. It's a renewal and the taxes already exist on our property tax bills," Hardt said. Bredall called it a straight renewal with identical wording. She noted that seniors can opt out of a parcel tax, unlike a bond. Villalobos disclosed that she works as a library technician in a neighboring district.
The other side: Every candidate backed the renewal, but the challengers attached caveats. Swiedler chairs the Parcel Tax Oversight Committee. He said that for last year's Measure EE, "we still haven't seen a real plan for how we're going to spend those funds." Button said she hears pushback and threats from seniors to opt out. Sobieski framed the choice as a package deal: "Elect a new school board and you'll make sure that your Measure T funds are managed."
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Librarians, counselors and fifth-graders depend on the renewal. The campaign's weak spot is senior homeowners who can opt out.
Charters and Enrollment: Demographics vs. Trust
Why it matters: Enrollment drives funding. Sobieski cited a demographic report showing a 1.9% annual decline, which she said has accelerated since school reconfiguration.
Where things stand: All three incumbents opposed a charter school. Villalobos cited a new law requiring oversight the district cannot afford. "I am not in favor of a charter school in Pacifica," Hardt said. Bredall warned that a charter "would quite probably end with an additional 1 or 2 elementary schools having to be closed."
On enrollment, the incumbents pointed to demographics. Villalobos said the birth rate has fallen 51% since 1991. Bredall cited low housing turnover, and Hardt cited the cost of living.
The other side: "I am not of the practice of saying no to something out of hand with no data, no explanation, and no plan," Button said. Swiedler said a charter could be a net positive only if it cleared a very high bar. Mendoza declined to take a position without a proposal. Bradley called charter interest a "knee-jerk reaction to poor leadership."
The slate linked declining enrollment to lost trust. "For me, enrollment is ultimately connected to confidence," Sobieski said. She called for tracking transfers and exit feedback from families. Swiedler proposed more distinct school programs, such as arts or STEM.
Minor Items
- Eighth grade algebra: Candidates were open to restoring a readiness-based pathway. Villalobos said a proposal from 2.5 years ago "was kind of tabled."
- State funding: Villalobos contrasted about $30,000 per student in Woodside with about $14,000 in Pacifica. Bredall urged the state to fully fund special education.
- CSEA forum: An attendee invited candidates to a CSEA Chapter 128 candidate forum.
- Broadcast: The forum will air at 9 a.m. on a Saturday on Channel 27, the moderator said.
Looking Ahead
The host club's next event is a Pacifica City Council candidate forum on Oct. 10, 2026. The Ocean Shore 7-11 committee is expected to form this year.