Progreso candidates fail to file campaign finance reports

PROGRESO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — All four candidates for the Progreso school board failed to file campaign finance reports in April.

The campaign pits Trustee Alejandro “Alex” Alanis and Trustee Olga S. Oviedo against two challengers, Carmen Acosta and Yadira Flores, who are concerned about corruption in Progreso.

On Wednesday morning, however, all four candidates had one thing in common: They still hadn’t appointed campaign treasurers or filed campaign finance reports.

“It was an honest oversight,” said Oviedo, 65, a registered nurse. “It was nothing intentional on anybody’s part, I’m sure.”

Candidates for school board are required to appoint campaign treasurers, even if they don’t accept donations or spend any money.

“After a candidate has filed a form appointing a campaign treasurer, the candidate is responsible for filing periodic reports of contributions and expenditures,” according to a guide published by the Texas Ethics Commission. “Filing reports is the responsibility of the candidate, not the campaign treasurer. Even if a candidate loses an election, he or she must continue filing reports until he or she files a final report.”

Candidates who accept more than $1,080 in donations or spend more than $1,080 are required to file regular campaign finance reports.

The first report for the May 4 election was due on April 4 — 30 days before the election. The second report is due on Friday, eight days before the election.

Candidates who break the law could be punished by the Ethics Commission.

In 2023, the Ethics Commission slapped Starr County Judge Eloy Vera with a $1,500 fine after he failed to appoint a campaign treasurer and failed to file several campaign finance reports.

All four candidates for the Progreso school board said they didn’t know the Texas Election Code required them to appoint campaign treasurers or submit a campaign finance report on April 4.

“We’re learning,” said Acosta, 37, an attendance clerk at the Santa Maria Independent School District.

Neither the Progreso Independent School District nor the candidates apparently knew about the requirements until Friday, when CBS 4 News filed a public information request for the documents.

“As soon as you went in, they called us,” said Alanis, 30, an administrator for the city of Progreso. “And we got everything ready.”

Progreso ISD contacted the candidates on Monday, asking them to appoint campaign treasurers and submit campaign finance reports.

“This is our first election in a long, long, long time,” said school board President Juan J. Ramos Jr.

Alanis and Oviedo, who are campaigning together, held a skeet shoot on April 11.

They charged $1,000 for “Gold” sponsors, $750 for “Silver” sponsors and $500 for “Bronze” sponsors, according to a flier posted on Facebook.

Alanis said the fundraiser brought in about $5,000.

They spent most of the money on signs, Alanis said, adding that all his supporters are volunteers.

Acosta and Flores, who are campaigning together, said they accepted $2,500 in donations, along with food and prizes for an event.

“Everything else has been paid out of pocket,” said Flores, 39, the principal at Santa Maria High School.

They spent about $1,450 for a “Family Night” on April 21, which featured loteria and free barbecue, according to a flier posted on Facebook.

Campaign shirts cost about $700, Acosta said, and they dropped another $6,750 on signs.

All the people supporting Acosta and Flores are volunteers.

“They’re all people that want to make the change,” Acosta said.

Early voting started on Monday and ends on April 30. Election day is May 4.