Gaines uses taxpayer money on flier, but ignores current constituents
By Jim Sanders, Sacramento Bee
Assemblywoman Beth Gaines has sparked a campaign controversy by spending state funds to send fliers almost exclusively to residents of her redrawn district who can vote for her in June.
Because California recently set new legislative district boundaries, Gaines is running in the 6th Assembly District, which encompasses some but not all of her current 4th Assembly District.
Beth Gaines
The Rocklin Republican recently spent more than $18,000 in Assembly funds on a flier soliciting constituents’ opinions on state budget priorities, school improvement and dealing with the looming public pension crisis.
“This is your opportunity to be heard in the state Capitol,” the flier read. “Elected officials need to hear directly from their constituents on the issues facing California.”
But the opinions of more than half of the district were not solicited.
Assembly records show that 67,051 fliers were mailed by Gaines on March 13, almost exclusively to ZIP codes from her current district that were drawn into her new one as well.
Tens of thousands of constituents she represents in her existing district did not receive the flier, including those in Alpine County, South Lake Tahoe and portions of Sacramento County near Elverta, Antelope and Rio Linda, records show.