Pittsburgh School Board Candidate Anna Batista Takes Big Money From Special Interests
“Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.”-George Washington
Anna Batista, a corporate consultant at Highstreet Consulting running for Pittsburgh School Board, is taking thousands of dollars in donations from big money interests.
A quick look at campaign finance reports on Allegheny County’s Website shows Batista took beaucoup bucks from school privatization lobbyists, real estate developers, lawyers, and financial advisors.
Meanwhile, her opponent Pam Harbin, a public school watchdog, is supported almost exclusively by grassroots donations.
Both candidates are running for District 4, which serves parts of Squirrel Hill, Point Breeze, Shadyside and North Oakland. Since they’ve cross filed and will appear on both the Republican and Democratic primary ballots, the seat should be decided in the May 21 primary.
Batista and Harbin have raised similar amounts for their campaigns. Harbin has $33,412.95 while Batista has $32,414.
Batista has support from at least two troubling industries – school privatizers and corporate crusaders – which are nowhere to be seen in her opponents financials.
Particularly troubling to me are the charter school and voucher advocates.
Someone shouldn’t be running for a public school board with backing from the same vultures demanding public schools be dismantled and their assets and funding siphoned away to private industry. Charter schools cost the Pittsburgh Public district more than $85 million per year in tuition payments. While the district has no plans CONTINUE READING: Pittsburgh School Board Candidate Anna Batista Takes Big Money From Special Interests | gadflyonthewallblog
