Politics

Oakland Port Commissioner Fined $2,500 for Not Reporting Income

By Doug Oakley

OAKLAND -- An appointed commissioner at the Port of Oakland has agreed to pay a $2,500 fine to the state Fair Political Practices Commission for failing to report his income from 2010 through 2014. 

Victor Uno, who was appointed to the commission by Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums in 2007, agreed to the fine and waived his rights to challenge it. 

Uno, who was business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers during the time he failed to report his income, earned "annual income in excess of $100,000" during that time, according to documents in a stipulated decision and order from the FPPC. 

Uno said he has no excuse and takes full responsibility for the omission. 

"I wasn't trying to hide any income, and this is terribly embarrassing," Uno said. "I didn't do what I was supposed to do, and I had to pay a fine." 

He said he filed the Statement of Economic Interests required of elected and public officials with the FPPC each year without stating his income and thought that was fine. 

"It's nothing to be ashamed of from my viewpoint," Uno said. "Nobody is perfect." 

The FPPC is set to approve the fine and stipulated order at its May 21 meeting. According to the complaint, Uno already has written a check for the fine, which will be cashed when the commission approves the order. 

According to documents accompanying the FPPC complaint against Uno, political appointees must report income while in office "to provide transparency and prevent conflicts of interest. Failure to report deprives the public of important information about a public official's economic interests and has the potential to conceal conflicts of interest."