SALINAS COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE CASTANEDA HAS BEEN ORDERED TO STEP DOWN FROM HIS SEAT ON THE ALISAL UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD, AND PAY A $5,000 FINE FOLLOWING A SUPERIOR COURT HEARING TODAY. A LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST CASTANEDA BY CITY OFFICIALS CLAIMED HE VIOLATED STATE LAW BY SERVING ON TWO ELECTED SEATS. HE WAS ELECTED TO THE SALINAS CITY COUNCIL IN NOVEMBER 2012, WHILE ALREADY SEATED ON THE ALISAL BOARD. CITY OFFICIALS REQUESTED CASTANEDA RESIGN FROM THE ALISAL UNION SCHOOL BOARD CLAIMING A VIOLATION OF STATE LAW AND A CONFLICT OF INTEREST SERVING ON THE TWO OFFICES. CASTANEDA WAS TOLD BY A MONTEREY COUNTY JUDGE, HE WASTING THE PUBLIC’S TIME AND MONEY.
