Bellingham school board member facing state sanctions
A Bellingham school board member could be fined $1,000 this week for failing to submit personal financial disclosure statements as required by state law — the second such disciplinary action she has faced in two years.
Members of the state Public Disclosure Commission meet Thursday, Aug. 26, to discuss several pending cases, including a proposed $1,000 fine against Katie Rose, a school board director for Bellingham Public Schools.
According to a report supplied to the committee, Rose failed to file a personal financial affairs statement, disclosing personal financial information for the calendar year 2021.
That report was due April 15 of this year.
Rose was elected in November 2019 with 74% of the vote, and took office in December 2019.
She filed a financial statement for 2019, the PDC said.
Neither Rose nor Bellingham school officials were available for comment immediately.
Rose also failed to file the same financial statement for 2020, her first full year in office, according to a report to the PDC.
She was fined $250 for the 2020 violation but didn’t pay, and that bill was sent to a collection agency, the PDC said in its report.
Rose has received repeated notices and warnings by both email and letter, and PDC staff is recommending a $1,000 fine.
A fine of up to $2,000 is allowable by law.
Washington state’s Public Disclosure Commission was created in 1972 by a statewide voter initiative.
Its five-member commission sets agency policy and interprets and enforces state-mandated campaign finance and disclosure laws.
