Public Disclosure Commission confirms Ridgefield School District broke state campaign laws during levy effort

The warning follows a series of complaints submitted by local resident Rob Anderson, founder of Reform Clark County

RIDGEFIELD – The Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) has issued a formal written warning to Ridgefield School District (RSD) after confirming that district officials violated RCW 42.17A.555, which prohibits the use of public resources to promote or oppose ballot measures.

The warning follows a series of complaints submitted by local resident Rob Anderson, founder of Reform Clark County, who documented how Superintendent Jenny Rodriquez and other district officials improperly supported the passage of Propositions 12 and 13 — two school levy measures that appeared on the February 2025 ballot.

Key Violations Identified by the PDC Include:

• Improper Use of a Public Meeting for Campaigning: At a school board meeting on November 19, 2024, Superintendent Rodriquez and School Board President Bret Jones promoted Citizens for Ridgefield—a private political organization supporting the levies—urging attendees to join and volunteer, thereby using public facilities to assist a campaign.
• Campaigning via a Publicly Funded Op-Ed: On February 3, 2025, an op-ed authored by Superintendent Rodriquez appeared in The Reflector newspaper. The article, published using her official title and public district resources, included promotional language in favor of the levy. The PDC found this communication to be a violation of rules governing election neutrality by public officials.
• Prior Violations and Deliberate Disregard: The district has a history of violations under the same statute, and PDC records note that officials displayed knowledge of the law while engaging in these unlawful activities.

“This wasn’t a mistake. These officials were trained on PDC laws, knew the rules, talked about the rules and restrictions — but they broke them anyway to get the levies passed,” said Anderson. “The public deserves accountability. Taxpayer resources should not be weaponized to influence election outcomes.”

The PDC emphasized that the district’s actions were not part of normal and regular conduct and failed to maintain neutrality, particularly in a high-stakes, multimillion-dollar levy campaign. The Commission also warned that future violations may result in formal enforcement action.

This case underscores the importance of watchdog efforts of Reform Clark County, and others like it, in maintaining transparency and integrity from public officials, especially when regarding elections and increases in citizens’ tax burdens. Voters in Ridgefield—and across Washington — deserve fair elections, free from behind-the-scenes coordination and misuse of public resources.

The Ridgefield School District provided the following response to Clark County Today Monday:

“We acknowledge the recent decision issued by the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC), which issued a written warning to Ridgefield School District for violation of campaign-related restrictions under Washington state’s public disclosure laws. Specifically, the PDC determined that during the open town hall held on November 19, 2024, District officials responded to an inquiry in a way that went beyond answering specific questions about the Yes committee and appeared to be supportive of the Yes committee. Additionally, the Op-Ed written by Superintendent Dr. Jenny Rodriquez, as part of her official duties, was largely factual, however, included the supportive statement: ‘Thank you for your continued support of Ridgefield’s students and schools.’

“While we respectfully disagree with the PDC’s interpretation, we accept their decision and take our compliance responsibilities seriously. We are reviewing our procedures to ensure full alignment with public disclosure regulations in the future.

“We also believe this situation underscores the complexity and, at times, the overly broad nature of the current regulations. The line between informing the public and violating advocacy rules can be frustratingly ambiguous for school districts committed to transparency. Nonetheless, we remain steadfast in our responsibility to honor the law while advocating for clear, practical guidance that supports meaningful public engagement.”