Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA) — VCTA – Unchecked Power, Sticky Notes, and a $1 Million Merchandise Bill

Unchecked Power, Sticky Notes, and a $1 Million Merchandise Bill

Under Ventura County’s current structure, voting for the Ventura County Superintendent of Education hands virtually unchecked power to the winner. Because the position is independently elected rather than appointed, the Ventura County Board of Education lacks direct oversight over the Superintendent’s day-to-day administrative and financial decisions. This structural loophole leaves taxpayers vulnerable to unchecked administrative spending—with no real institutional watchdog inside the office to rein it in.

Weaver Audit Reveals Worse Waste Than Originally Thought

To investigate these mounting oversight concerns, the Ventura County Board of Education hired the forensic consulting firm Weaver to conduct a comprehensive audit of the County Office of Education (VCOE).

The results, recently reported by the Ventura County Star, show that the waste is even worse than we originally thought. VCTA had previously uncovered 29 purchase orders to Amicolor Inc. totaling $728,752.74 for promotional merchandise—including stadium bags, YETI tumblers, and mugs engraved with “Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools.” However, Weaver’s audit revealed that from July 2023 through June 2026, VCOE actually paid Amicolor $995,364 across 143 separate payments—nearly $1 million in total public funds spent on branded gear.

Major Financial Decisions Made via Sticky Note

The audit exposed an astounding lack of formal governance, revealing that major financial decisions were made informally—literally by passing handwritten sticky notes instead of generating documented email trails or receiving Board approval:

• Unapproved Bonuses: On a handwritten note reading “Per Misty – Contract Mgmt too,” $15,750 in unapproved bonus payments were directed to key leadership without mandatory Board authorization under Government Code Section 1209.

• $12 Million Fund Transfers: Former Deputy Superintendent Misty Key shifted $12 million from the General Fund into two reserve funds on handwritten notes alone. A $10 million transfer was booked after the Board’s last interim financial review, bypassing Section 1280 requirements that mandate Board revisions for transfers exceeding $25,000.

• Staff told Weaver that Morales and Key did not want financial decisions in an email.

After overseeing these sticky-note transfers, unapproved bonuses, and unauthorized double-billing practices totaling $72,585.43, Misty Key resigned from VCOE in August. She was promptly hired by the Orange County Department of Education as Deputy Superintendent of Business and Operations Services—to promote what they call “Operational Excellence.”

Board Votes 4–0 to Stop You from Deciding

Accountability requires structural reform, but the Board of Education has delayed giving voters a say. VCTA petitioned both the County Board of Education and the Board of Supervisors to place a measure on the November ballot asking voters whether the Superintendent should transition from an elected role to an appointed position starting in 2030.

Instead of empowering voters, the Ventura County Board of Education voted 4–0 to postpone the decision, effectively keeping the governance reform off your ballot and preserving the current system of unchecked executive power until at least 2027. We wrote that up in Accountability Delayed. The Star reported the vote on July 28.

Taxpayers deserve justice, transparency, and legal accountability. VCTA has officially passed along its research and data to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office and the Ventura County Grand Jury for review.

We urge you to join us in demanding answers.

Take Action: Call District Attorney Erik Nasarenko at (805) 654-2500 and request a full investigation into VCOE’s financial practices.

Join the Club and get involved!

About the Ventura County Taxpayers Association (VCTA)

Formed in 1954, The Ventura County Taxpayers Association is a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization dedicated to a non-partisan, fact-finding mission, emphasizing issues that affect Ventura County. We inform taxpayers, promote the wise use of public funds, oppose waste, advise public officials regarding issues of concern to taxpayers and recommend positions that will best serve the taxpayers’ interests. Our number one goal is to promote the wise use of public money and to oppose waste.

Ventura County Taxpayers Association

PO Box 3878

Ventura, CA 93006

info@vcta.org | vcta.org