What is a PAC and why does GO have one?

According to OpenSecrets.org, a PAC, or Political Action Committee, is “a popular term for a political committee organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates”. Many other organizations in Oakland have PACs and spend money on both candidates and ballot measures, including the Oakland Education Association, the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, and the Oakland Police Officer’s Association. Our PAC is a vehicle through which our network of families, educators, and concerned community members can come together to support candidates who we believe will best support our values as school board members. Our network chooses candidates to support through a community endorsement process, where they provide their thoughts and feedback on candidate surveys and in a live interview setting. Over the past two election cycles, hundreds of Oaklanders have campaigned for these endorsed candidates as volunteers to phone bank and walk door-to-door to talk with voters. More than 450 people have given donations to this work, most of whom have donated $50 or less. Click here to see our most recent donors from January 1, 2015 until August 1, 2016.