COMMUNITY NEWS
Rep. Panetta Seeks Another Term O n Dec. 27, U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D- Carmel Valley, announced he will run for re-election in the newly drawn 19th Congressional district. In December, the independent California Citizens’ Redistricting Commission drew and finalized all of the congressional districts for the State of California, based on the 2020 census figures. The new 19th Congressional District contains much of Panetta’s old district Jimmy Panetta including the coastal areas of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, and adds the northern part of Santa Cruz County, the southern part of San Jose city, and the northern part of San Luis Obispo County. “Although the shape of our district has changed, it will not change my dedication and desire to enhance the lives and ensure the livelihoods of my constituents by making the federal government work them,” Panetta said. “I look forward to introducing myself to the few communities that were added to the new 19th Congressional District and letting them know, as my existing constituents already know, that it has been an absolute honor and privilege to represent the Central Coast, and that I will continue my fight for opportunities for working families and the future of our democracy.” Panetta, 52, was first elected in 2016 with 70 percent of the vote in a district Ballotpedia rated safely Democratic. His victory margins in 2018 and 2020 were larger.
According to Open Secrets.org, his campaign committee had $1.5 million cash on hand as of Sept. 30. His top five donors in the past year were Honeywell International, $10,000, Foothill Packing, $7,900, Mainspring Energy, $7,400, American Hospital Association, $7,300, and Blue Diamond Growers, $6,000. He has served on the House Committees on Ways & Means, Armed Services, and Agriculture. Those key committees have jurisdiction over some of the nation’s most important federal programs benefiting families and businesses on the Central Coast. He cites as a legislative victory the reversal of the previous administration’s environmental regulations in order to sustain coastal and ocean resources. He also pushed for more federal funding for affordable housing, to reduce homelessness, and to increase the amount of safe and secure housing for farmworkers and military families. The House passed his legislation to make funds available to homeless veterans and those at risk of homelessness. Last year, Panetta secured compensation for restaurants, small businesses, farmers, farmworkers, and hospice care providers to offset losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. He co-authored the House-passed bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act to provide an earned pathway to citizenship for essential workers. Most recently, Panetta secured funds in the bipartisan infrastructure law that could be invested in key Central Coast projects including water resources,
wildfire resiliency, energy grids, and supply chain solutions. In the pending House-passed Build Back Better Act, he secured funds for agricultural research and conservation and tax credits for electronic bus and bicycle purchases to help reduce carbon emissions. Panetta is one of only eight chief deputy whips in the House Democratic
leadership. He is member of the Congressional Problem Solvers Caucus, the Bipartisan Working Group, and is a founder of the For Country Caucus that consists of military veterans who are members of Congress that work together on policies for a more productive government. “Panetta” page 9
Cabrillo VP Charged with Embezzlement at his Former Job
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n Dec. 9, Paul De La Cerda, vice president of instruction at Cabrillo College, was charged with overbilling his former employer for trips he took. De La Cerda, 47, was charged with one felony count each of misappropriation of government funds and embezzlement of government funds, according to a press release issued by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. De La Cerda is expected to be arraigned on Jan. 7 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles. He is on administrative leave from Cabrillo until Jan. 31 He is accused of overbilling East
Los Angeles College, where he was dean, about $1,575 for several hotel stays between March 2017 and 2019. He allegedly forged documents he submitted for reimbursement, according to Gascón. The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Fraud and Cyber Crimes. De La Cerda joined Cabrillo in June of this year. Cabrillo spokeswoman Kristin Fabos said via email, “We cannot discuss details due to the fact that it is a confidential personnel matter.” She provided a statement on behalf of the college:
8 / January 1st 2022 / Aptos Times www.tpgonlinedaily.com
“The Cabrillo Community College District is actively engaged in working on this matter. We take this development very seriously and recognize this is creating concern among employees, students, and the community. We acknowledge that concern, but are restricted in what we can publicly share as this is a confidential personnel matter. Please know that this has our full attention and that we will share additional details as we are able. The best interests of the College, its students and employees, and our community continue to be paramount.” n ••• The Cabrillo College Governing Board meets virtually Monday, Jan. 10, at 6:15 p.m.
Paul De La Cerda
To attend, visit https://www.cabrillo.edu/ governing-board/board-meetings-and-dates/
