AISD Trustees - Fraud On The Dais?
I was reading discussion in an advocacy group about a political plan involving Austin ISD District 2 Trustee Laressa Quintana and Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, where Quintana would use the D2 school board seat as a stepping stone for a future City Council run when Fuentes runs for Mayor of Austin.
After looking into it myself, I found serious questions surrounding Quintana’s residency history and eligibility tied to her candidacy and continued service on the board. Despite campaign statements that she had lived in District 2 for four years, records and publicly available information show residency in Cedar Park, Leander, and later Kyle. There are also questions about her claimed East 7th Street apartment given it was not her actual primary residence. The 7th St. apartment is an affordable, low income housing apartment under LIHTC making residential violations extend into federal law.
After joining the board, Quintana married fellow AISD Trustee Andrew Gonzales. It became apparent Quintana actually resided with Gonzales at his District 6 residence outside her own trustee zone. Following the house fire at Gonzales’ home, Quintana lost her belongings and her pets who were also living there.
A GoFundMe connected to the fire raised more than $60,000 from constituents, political figures, and community members while both trustees were participating in major AISD decisions, including school closure votes where developers are salivating over new land deals and developments.
AISD policy and Texas law require trustees to maintain residency within the districts they represent. If these facts are accurate, the public deserves answers about residency compliance, transparency, and voters being misled.
The other trustees knew or should have known from the time she lost her belongings and pets in a house fire outside of her zone. It is the duty of the district, trustees, and their board counsel to comply with the law.
People should be paying far closer attention to who is sitting on the Austin ISD board and how political relationships and future ambitions may be influencing decisions.