Voter Guide 2004: Eight run for three seats on county education board Voter Guide 2004: Eight run for three seats on county education board (October 13, 2004)

Incumbents Ted Lempert and Memo Morantes have challengers

By Marjorie Mader
Almanac Staff Writer

All voters in San Mateo County get to decide who will be the three members elected to the San Mateo County Board of Education on November 2.

The ground rule: Candidates must reside in the trustee area that they seek to represent, but voters throughout the county elect them.

What do the seven county school board members do? They approve policies and the budget -- this year $86 million -- for the county Office of Education. They serve as the governing board for county schools and programs, including court and community schools, special education classes and the Regional Occupational Program.

Usually low-key with few candidates, the county school board election this year has attracted eight candidates -- two incumbents and six challengers --for the four-year terms in three trustee areas.

Incumbent Ted Lempert, a former state Assemblyman and co-founder of Ed Voice, faces challenger John J. "Jack" Hickey of Redwood City, a perennial Libertarian candidate and a Sequoia Healthcare District board member. The winner will represent Trustee Area 6, encompassing Belmont-Redwood Shores, Redwood City and San Carlos elementary school districts.

Noria Zasslow of Menlo Park, a mother and a translator, has filed as a candidate in Trustee Area 7, which includes Las Lomitas, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Ravenswood and Woodside elementary districts. She is challenging incumbent and community activist Memo P. Morantes of Menlo Park, who has a financial and insurance business.

Ms. Zasslow declined to talk with the Almanac about her candidacy, but referred the reporter, in response to an e-mail, to basic information about her on the League of Women Voters' Web site, www.smartvoter.org. She listed her top priorities as advocating for the Americans with Disabilities Act and other state and federal legislation regarding the rights of people with developmental disabilities.

Two years ago, Ms. Zasslow filed as a candidate in the Menlo Park City School District's school board election, but she did not campaign, file a candidate's statement, respond to requests for information, or participate in a candidates' forum.

Incumbent Morantes said his top priorities are to keep the county's community schools open for children at risk, advance teacher technology skills, and ensure safe learning environments for all students.

Four candidates are vying to represent Trustee Area 4, which covers the large San Mateo-Foster City District. They are: Anthony "Fel" Amistad, owner of a finance business and a community activist; John Belforte, retired school administrator and president of the San Mateo County Juvenile Justice Commission; Sammy Goldberg, author, educator and entrepreneur, who is concerned about the student obesity epidemic and performance enhancing drugs in school sports; and Fernando Castro, who did not respond to an e-mail or submit information to the League of Women Voters.

Jim Cannon of Burlingame, a retired school principal, was unopposed in his bid to represent Trustee Area 5 (the Burlingame to San Bruno Park elementary school districts). His name will not be on the ballot, and he will replace John S. Root, current board president, who is retiring.

Mr. Amistad and Mr. Belforte are the only candidates in the race to submit and pay for their candidates' statements in the voter election pamphlet the county mails to all registered voters.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.