Dr. Monica Sánchez
Mayor Pro Tem (2026); term ends 2028
Bio
- Seat (2026)
- Mayor Pro Tem (2026); term ends 2028
- First elected
- 2019-11 (special election) Elected in a Nov 2019 special election (city bio). 2019 vote counts not found.
- Term ends
- 2028
- Mayor
- 2022
- Mayor pro tem
- 2026 (selected Dec 9, 2025)
- Education
- Ph.D./doctorate in Education, UCLA (2012); Master's in Education, UCLA; B.A. Psychology, UC Berkeley (2004); Rio Hondo College alumna
- Occupation before office
- Educator (before and during office)
- Current occupation
- Educator, Los Angeles County Office of Education (city bio)
- Prior public roles
- Planning Commissioner; Parks and Recreation Commission (4 years)
- Boards and affiliations
- SASSFA board member; Chair, Rio Hondo College District Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee (2 terms, past); Commission on Alcohol and Drugs (7 years); UCLA Southeast Bruins Alumni Association board
- 2026
- Ran for U.S. House CA-38 in the June 2, 2026 primary and lost (13.3%); remains on council through 2028
- Evidence
- documented City bio page is partly outdated (says term expires 2024; she was re-elected 2020 and 2024)
- Source
- Official city bio
Elections
| Date | Election | Result | Votes | % | Field | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-11 | Special election (Nov 2019) | Won | not found Counts not found | Source | ||
| 2020-11-03 | General Municipal Election | Won | 14964 | 27.89 | Sánchez 14,964 (27.89%); Lutz 12,050 (22.46%); Lara 8,148 (15.19%); Luis Alvarado 8,047 (15.00%); Brent Tercero 7,759 (14.46%); John R. Mireles 2,680 (5.00%) | Source |
| 2024-11-05 | General Municipal Election | Won (re-elected) | 13516 | 31.68 | Sánchez 13,516 (31.68%); Lara 12,770 (29.93%); Lutz 8,995 (21.08%); Genaro Moreno 7,384 (17.31%) | Source |
| 2026-06-02 | California primary | Lost - did not advance | 18268 | 13.30 | Hilda Solis 65,369 (47.6%) and Pedro Casas 49,196 (35.8%) advanced; Sánchez 18,268 (13.3%); Erik Lutz 4,443 (3.2%) | Source |
Key votes
Campaign donors
Campaign filings posted for 2019–2026: 15 statements; $216,683 raised and $216,479 spent (calendar-year totals as read from the filings). 11 donors or payees also appear in city business records. See the full campaign money page →
Earlier summary entered by hand from selected Form 460 filings (kept for reference). The Campaign money page has every filing the city posted, read in full.
Campaign totals
| Committee | Period | Contributions (period) | Calendar YTD | Payments (period) | Notable itemized | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sánchez 2020 council committee | 2020-09-20 to 2020-10-17 | $16,169 | $55,202 | $17,508 | OPM fbo Pico Rivera Marketplace $2,500; Nasa Services Inc. $1,000 (cum. $2,500); Nancy Guzman $2,000 | unverified | Source |
| Sánchez 2020 council committee | 2020-10-18 to 2020-12-31 | $10,310 | $65,512 | $30,829 | See filing | unverified | Source |
Itemized entries tied to vendors or organizations
| Counterparty | Direction | Date | Amount | Vendor page | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasa Services, Inc. Cumulative figure suggests earlier contributions in 2020 (not located) | contribution received | 2020-10-17 | $1,000 | NASA Services, Inc | unverified | Source p.OCR |
| Pico Rivera Chamber of Commerce | expenditure paid | 2024 | $300 | Pico Rivera Chamber of Commerce | unverified | Source p.OCR (Schedule E) |
| LEBA Inc / Picolandia Name matches city concessionaire LEBA, Inc.; same-entity identity not confirmed on SOS | contribution received | 2024-04-03 | $5,000 | LEBA, Inc | documented | Source p.7 |
| Turnkey Investment Group, Inc. No city contract or payment found | contribution received | 2024-04-03 | $500 | documented | Source p.7 | |
| Chacon Water Advisory (as read by OCR) No city contract or payment found | contribution received | 2024-04-23 | $1,000 | documented | Source p.7 |
Contracts voted on
415 contract decisions with a recorded position for Sánchez.
Showing 415/415
Recusals and disclosures
Each item below is a documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. Contributions disclosed on the record and votes cast are public facts; this site draws no conclusions from them.
Votes other than Aye on contract items
Recusal or disclosure notes in the minutes that name this member
| Date | Item | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-10 | On-Call Panel for Lobbying, Advocacy and Grant Support Services. (500) | Minutes record: Lara recused, Sánchez recused. Minutes: recusals "in accordance with Government Code Section 84308" (Item 8 only); the underlying contribution or relationship is not stated. | record |
| 2025-05-27 | Resolution Authorizing a Commercial Solid Waste Rate Adjustment with Nasa Services, Inc. (500) | Minutes record: Lara recused, Sánchez recused. Minutes: recusals "in accordance with Government Code Section 84308" (Item 8 only); the underlying contribution or relationship is not stated. | record |
| 2024-11-12 | Amendment to Concession Agreement No. 13-1407 with Leba, Inc. Establishing a Rent Payment Credit for Major Improvements to the Pico Rivera Sports Arena. (500) | Minutes record: Lutz recused. Minutes: City Attorney explained that due to campaign contributions received by Mayor Lara, Councilmember Lutz and Councilmember Dr. Sanchez a quorum was not present; under the rule of necessity Lara and Sanchez were randomly selected to participate; Lutz recused. | record |
| 2024-06-11 | Approve Amendment No. 3 to Agreement No. 21-2005 with Avant Garde, Inc., for Administration of the Community Development Block Grant Program. (500) | Minutes record: Sánchez recused. | record |
| 2024-06-11 | Approve an Agreement with Avant Garde, Inc. for Community Development Block Grant Program Administrative Services. (500) | Minutes record: Sánchez recused. | record |
| 2022-09-13 | Provide Staff Direction Regarding Request from LEBA, Inc. to Waive a Quarterly Installment. (700) | Minutes record: Elias abstain. Elias abstained on the whole consent calendar; reason not stated. Minutes: Camacho, Mayor Pro Tem Lutz and Mayor Dr. Sanchez "reported that they each received campaign funds from LEBA, Inc." (Item 7). | record |
| 2021-07-13 | Approval of Debt Forgiveness of Leba, Inc. due to Financial Hardships Resulting from COVID-19 Pandemic. (700) | Minutes: "Councilmembers Lutz, Camacho and Sanchez reported receiving campaign contributions from Leba Inc." (amounts not stated in minutes). | record |
Documented connections involving this member
| Connection | Vendor | Contracts | Evidence | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEBA, Inc. (Sports Arena concessionaire): contributions disclosed in minutes at three decisions, 2021-2024 The minutes themselves record the disclosures and the procedural handling. Amounts of the 2021 and 2022 contributions are not stated in the minutes and were not located in the filings reviewed. Disclosure and the rule of necessity are lawful procedures. Whether the 2024 contribution falls within any contribution-limit or recusal rule (for example Gov. Code 84308) is a question for the FPPC / City Attorney, not decided here. This is a documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. | LEBA, Inc | C002, C093, C280 | documented | [1] · [2] · [3] · [4] · [5] |
| NASA Services, Inc. (franchise hauler): $1,000 to Sanchez 2020 committee; Sanchez and Lara recused on May 27, 2025 rate item The recusal citation indicates the City treated the item as subject to the contribution rules; the minutes do not state which contribution or relationship triggered it for either member. The 2020 contribution is more than four years before the 2025 vote. This is a documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. | NASA Services, Inc | C325 | documented | [1] · [2] |
| Avant-Garde, Inc. (CDBG/community-development consultant): $1,000 to Camacho 2022 committee; later city contracts Contributor name and the city payee name match exactly; the contract name "Avant-Garde, Inc." is treated as the same company based on the LA BCA listing (not confirmed on the Secretary of State). The contributions pre-date the 2024-2025 awards by 19 to 32 months. The reason for the Sanchez recusals (Jun 11, 2024) is not stated in the minutes. This is a documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. | Avant-Garde, Inc | C206, C239, C243, C330 | documented | [1] · [2] · [3] · [4] · [5] |
| Actum: its Co-Chairman Peter Villegas gave $500 to Camacho 2022; Actum won a $600,000 on-call panel award Jun 10, 2025 The contribution is personal, not a company contribution, and was made 31 months before the award. The minutes do not state why Lara and Sanchez recused. The link between the payee entity "ACTUM CA OPCO, LLC" and "Actum, LLC" is assumed from the name. This is a documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. | Actum, LLC | C328 | inferred | [1] · [2] · [3] |
| West Coast Arborists: $1,690,900 award (Jul 28, 2026) - Sanchez the only No; indirect labor-union overlap The unions are not the vendor; the overlap rests on a self-reported labor affiliation and is circumstantial. WCA's own officers (Mahoney family, Epperson) were not found in any donor filing reviewed. This is a documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. | West Coast Arborists, Inc | C001, C004, C005, C246, C271, C332, C404, C406, C419, C421 | inferred | [1] · [2] · [3] · [4] |
| Pico Rivera Chamber of Commerce: city payee and FY 2026-27 MOU counterparty; Lutz and Camacho are council representatives; Sanchez 2024 committee paid it $300 Routine civic relationship; included for completeness. This is a documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. | Pico Rivera Chamber of Commerce | C446 | inferred | [1] · [2] · [3] · [4] · [5] |
| Swinerton Builders (Smith Park Aquatic Center, $32,357,000, Feb 19, 2026): no link found; vote record inconsistent Absence of a match is limited by the filings reviewed (selected periods, OCR). The vote inconsistency is a minutes-quality issue to confirm with the City Clerk. This is a documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. | Swinerton Builders | C385 | unverified | [1] |
What the meeting videos show
| Topic | Date | Finding | Status | Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEBA, Inc. concession amendment (Nov 12, 2024): rule of necessity | 2024-11-12 | On the video, the City Attorney states that Mayor Lara and Council members Lutz and Sánchez had received campaign contributions from the applicant, which would leave only the Mayor Pro Tem (no quorum). A random draw of the three names under the rule of necessity returns Sánchez and Lara to participate; Lutz is asked to leave the room. The item (consent item 9, pulled for separate action) then passes 3-0 (Sánchez, Garcia, Lara), with Lutz not participating and Camacho absent. This matches the approved minutes. | Video confirms minutes documented | ▶ Watch the City Attorney statement ▶ Watch the roll call |
| West Coast Arborists contract (Jul 28, 2026) | 2026-07-28 | The video confirms the minutes: item 9 passes on a 4-1 roll call with Sánchez voting No at about 1:53:53. Before the vote several unnamed speakers debate the piggyback (cooperative purchase) approach versus a new RFP; the transcript does not reliably identify who spoke. The consent calendar was approved by voice vote, not by individual roll call, although the minutes list each member as Aye. Update: the Jun 9, 2026 RFP motion that this award rescinds is on the video (see VF11). On Jul 28 the roll call is spoken as "Dr. Sanchez? No." at 6840 s, and two members say before voting that they are "sensitive to Mayor Pro Tem's" concerns and "echo" them (6711 s, 6766 s), which attributes the earlier procurement-process concerns to the Mayor Pro Tem (inferred from those references). The consent calendar passed by voice ("any opposed? none, so moved", about 5787 s), without an individual roll call. | Video confirms minutes documented | ▶ Watch item 9 and the roll call ▶ Watch the consent calendar vote |
| NASA Services contract, consent item 8 (May 27, 2025): recusals | 2025-05-27 | On the video, a motion and second on the consent items (5 to 13) are made, a recusal from item 8 is announced, and the motion and second are retracted and restated (motion by Councilmember Lutz, second by Mayor Pro Tem Camacho). In the roll call Councilmember Lara and Councilmember Dr. Sánchez each vote yes on the consent items except item 8, which each declines to vote on. The Mayor then states the motion passes 5-0 with the exception of item 8, for the recusal of Lara and Sánchez. This matches the minutes, which record both as recused on the NASA Services item. The reason for the recusals is not stated in the video excerpt reviewed. | Video confirms minutes documented | ▶ Watch the recusal announcement ▶ Watch the roll call |
| Avant-Garde, Inc. consent items 10 and 14 (Jun 11, 2024): Sánchez non-participation | 2024-06-11 | On the video, just after the consent-calendar motion and second, a speaker (not identified by the transcript) states for the record that Councilmember Dr. Sánchez had informed them of a connection between her regular work and Avant-Garde, and asks that the minutes reflect she is not participating in items 10 and 14 only. In the roll call Dr. Sánchez answers yes "with the abstention of 10 and 14". The minutes record her as recused on items 10 and 14 with a 5-0 tally. So the video matches the minutes on who did not participate; the spoken word is "not participating"/"abstention" rather than "recused", and the wording of the stated connection is garbled in the auto-transcript, so listen to it before quoting. | Video confirms minutes documented | ▶ Watch the statement ▶ Watch the roll call |
| Actum, LLC consent item 8 (Jun 10, 2025): Lara and Sánchez recusals | 2025-06-10 | The public recording (about 95 minutes) ends during the budget discussion, right after a motion and second and the call for a roll call (about 1:35:10), so it does not include the consent-calendar vote on which the minutes record Councilmembers Lara and Sánchez as recused on item 8 under Government Code Section 84308. The recusals cannot be checked against video. No agenda text or speech about Actum was found in the portion that was recorded. | Not covered by the recording inferred | ▶ Watch the last minutes of the recording |
| West Coast Arborists / tree-maintenance contract (Jun 9, 2026): motion to go to RFP | 2026-06-09 | On the video, a member objects to approving the City Manager's piggyback recommendation, saying "perhaps we need to open it up to an RFP" for transparency and noting the last RFP was in 2020, and then moves to proceed with an RFP. Staff reply that Rosemead had run an RFP in which West Coast was "selected as the most responsive bidder". The City Attorney restates the motion: refer the matter to RFP, continue with West Coast month-to-month if the RFP does not return by Aug 10, 2026. The spoken roll call is 4-0 (Lara, Lutz, Sánchez, Camacho yes); Garcia is not called. The objecting member is not named on the transcript; a later speaker says "the mayor pro tem brings out some good points" (3276 s), so the attribution to Mayor Pro Tem Sánchez is INFERRED. | Video confirms minutes; mover attribution inferred documented | ▶ Watch the discussion ▶ Watch the motion and roll call |
| LEBA, Inc. quarterly installment waiver (Sep 13, 2022, consent item 7): disclosures and recusal | 2022-09-13 | On the video, as the consent calendar (items 4 to 14) is moved, a member says on item 7 "I did receive contribution in elections passed from the operator", and a second member says they received contributions from the operator for their campaign two years earlier. The transcript does not name them or the operator (item 7 is the LEBA request in the DB; this link is inferred). In the roll call a member called "Elias" answers "Recuse myself", and asks whether that is an abstention: "It's not an abstention. Recusing myself from the vote." The DB records that member as "Abstain" on every consent item; the video indicates a recusal from the consent vote. Camacho, Lara and Sánchez answer yes. Disclosures are as stated on the record; documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. | Video adds detail to minutes; speakers unattributed inferred | ▶ Watch the disclosures ▶ Watch the roll call |
| City of Los Angeles lawsuit item and consent vote (Jun 24, 2025) | 2025-06-24 | On the video, staff present the item to join the City of Los Angeles lawsuit over federal immigration-enforcement tactics (about 4262 s: "your vote tonight to enter into litigation"; "Joining the lawsuit is essential, not just symbolically"). After public comment the chair calls the consent calendar, items 2 to 18, "moved by Mayor Pro Tem Camacho, seconded by Council Member Lara", and the roll call is spoken as Lara yes, Lutz yes, Sánchez yes, Garcia yes (Camacho's answer is not transcribed), "Motion passes, five zero". That the lawsuit item is within items 2-18 is INFERRED from the agenda numbering. Later (8136 s) a member says "we have joined a lawsuit". | Resolves to a 5-0 consent roll call (item inferred) inferred | ▶ Watch the presentation ▶ Watch the consent roll call |
| El Niño local emergency proclamation (Oct 13, 2026) | 2026-10-13 | On the video staff explain the proclamation of a local emergency and use of the emergency purchasing procedures (about 4514-4550 s). A member moves ("I'll move, Mayor"), it is seconded, and the roll call is spoken: Garcia yes, Lara yes, Lutz yes, Sánchez yes, Camacho yes, "Motion passes, 5-0". | Video confirms minutes documented | ▶ Watch the staff explanation ▶ Watch the roll call |
| Sister City with Changting County (PRC): two members step aside; item continued 3-0 (Oct 27, 2026) | 2026-10-27 | Item 14 asked the council to consider a Sister City Commission recommendation to start a sister-city relationship with Changting County, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. On the video the City Attorney, citing FPPC rules, advised that Council Member Lutz and Mayor Pro Tem Sánchez should not take part. Lara moved to table the item because the council was not at full strength and Garcia seconded; it was restated as a continuance with staff to return with a plan and safeguards, and the roll call was 3-0 (Garcia, Lara, Camacho). The clerk later corrected the record from "table" to "continue". In her AB 1234 report Sánchez said she and the council member "were sponsored to go by the People's Republic of China and that is legal however that prevents us from voting on any item" for 12 months, and suggested guardrails for gifts from other sister cities. Background on the video: a Fujian/Changting delegation visit was reported on Jun 9, 2026; Sánchez described the trip on Jul 14, 2026; Lutz asked on Oct 13, 2026 to agendize a fifth sister city. The Sept 16, 2026 Sister City Commission agenda spells the place "Changle County" (naming discrepancy, as written). The 12-month bar is as self-stated; Form 700 gift/travel schedules are not online, so the sponsorship details are unverified. This is a documented connection, not evidence of impropriety. | Documented (video); minutes pending; travel-sponsorship basis self-stated inferred | ▶ Watch the City Attorney advice ▶ Watch the 3-0 roll call ▶ Watch the AB 1234 remarks ▶ Oct 13 request to agendize ▶ Jul 14 trip remarks ▶ Jun 9 delegation mention |
| Oct 27, 2026 meeting votes (minutes pending) | 2026-10-27 | All five members were present (the attendance roll call is partly garbled in the auto-transcript, but Lutz is heard voting on items 2 and 3). Item 1 (Tentative Tract Map 082864 public hearing) was continued to Nov 10, 2026. Item 2 (Prohousing designation application) passed 5-0 on a roll call. Item 3 (Syserco Phase 1 energy services contract, $5,989,324) passed 5-0 on a roll call (Garcia, Lutz, Sánchez and Camacho heard yes; Lara's response is not distinct in the auto-transcript, but the chair stated 5-0). Consent items 4-12 (including the $40,000 Chamber of Commerce MOU, the Barnard Construction license for 3260 Fairway Drive, the $135,987 LCR Earthwork crosswalk award, Robert Half Amendment No. 1 to NTE $350,000, and the $100,000 Automated Water Treatment purchase order) passed by voice vote with no opposition or abstention heard. A closed-session item (City v. Ari Stock) was continued. These outcomes come from the video only and should be checked against the approved minutes when they are published. | Video only; minutes pending inferred | ▶ Watch items 1-3 ▶ Watch the consent vote |
News about this member
| Date | Outlet | Headline | Type | Members | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-22 | Hoodline | Metro Backs $6M Plan to Move Commerce Metrolink Stop to Pico Rivera | news | Council-wide | Metro board voted to fund early work toward relocating the Commerce Metrolink station to Pico Rivera; the City Manager said the council unanimously considers the station critical (council-wide, no individual member named). |
| 2026-03-07 | MyNewsLA.com | Majority of Primary Ballot Filing Period Concludes on June 2 | news | Sánchez, Lutz | Notes that Pico Rivera Councilmembers Erik Lutz and Monica Sánchez filed to run in the new 38th Congressional District alongside Hilda Solis and Pedro Casas. |
| 2025-12-09 | Citizen Portal (AI summary) | Gustavo V. Camacho elected Pico Rivera mayor for 2026; Monica Sanchez named mayor pro tem | meeting summary (secondary) | Camacho, Sánchez | Council reorganization on Dec 9, 2025: Camacho selected Mayor and Sánchez Mayor Pro Tem (publication date not captured; meeting date shown). |
| 2025-06-24 | Citizen Portal (AI summary) | Pico Rivera council unanimously authorizes joining Los Angeles lawsuit over federal immigration enforcement; discusses local legal defense fund | meeting summary (secondary) | Council-wide | Reports a 5-0 council vote to join Los Angeles' lawsuit and discussion of a legal-assistance fund for affected residents. |
City coverage that names this member
| Date | Outlet | Headline | Type | Members | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-07-30 | Los Cerritos Community News | Pico Rivera Approves Mini Soccer Pitch | news (meeting report) | Sánchez, Lara, Lutz | Meeting report: 5-0 vote on a mini soccer pitch (motion by Sánchez, second by Lutz), a 10%-per-year water rate increase for five years, tree-trimming and golf-course management contracts; Lara raised questions on the tree contract. |
| 2020-11-05 | Los Angeles Wave | Several area city council races remain undecided | news (election roundup) | Sánchez, Lara, Lutz | Election-night tallies: appointed incumbent Monica Sánchez and challenger Erik Lutz led for two of three seats; Andrew Lara, Luis Alvarado and incumbent Brett Tercero were close for the third. |
Legal history
No criminal, civil, ethics or administrative matters were found in the searches logged for this member. (6 logged searches.) Absence of a record in these searches is not proof that none exists; see Methods.
Public relationships
| From | Relationship | To | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Monica Sánchez | serves on City Councilmember | City of Pico Rivera | documented | Source |
| John R. Garcia | nominated for office Garcia nominated Sánchez for Mayor Pro Tem on Dec 9, 2025 (5-0) | Dr. Monica Sánchez | documented | Source |
| Dr. Monica Sánchez | co-elected Elected together in the Nov 2020 three-seat contest (1st and 2nd) and 2024 | Erik Lutz | documented | Source |
| Andrew C. Lara | co-elected Elected in the same three-seat contests (2020, 2024) | Dr. Monica Sánchez | documented | Source |
| Dr. Monica Sánchez | ran in Lost June 2, 2026 primary (13.3%) | CA-38 (U.S. House) 2026 race | documented | Source |
| Dr. Monica Sánchez | opponent (2024) Same 2024 contest | Genaro Moreno | documented | Source |
| Dr. Monica Sánchez | donor to campaign $2,000 (2020) | Nancy Guzman | unverified | Source |
| Dr. Monica Sánchez | donor to campaign $2,500 (2020) | OPM fbo Pico Rivera Marketplace | unverified | Source |
| Dr. Monica Sánchez | employed Educator | Los Angeles County Office of Education | documented | Source |
| Dr. Monica Sánchez | board member | Southeast Area Social Services Funding Authority (SASSFA) | documented | Source |
| Dr. Monica Sánchez | former chair Two terms on committee | Rio Hondo College District Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee | documented | Source |
| LEBA, Inc. | contribution (Form 460) $5,000 on 2024-04-03 (Leba Inc/Picolandia) | Dr. Monica Sánchez | inferred | Source |
| LEBA, Inc. | contribution disclosed in minutes Disclosed Jul 13, 2021, Sep 13, 2022 and Nov 12, 2024 | Dr. Monica Sánchez | documented | Source |
| NASA Services, Inc. | contribution (Form 460) $1,000 on 2020-10-17 | Dr. Monica Sánchez | unverified | Source |
| Dr. Monica Sánchez | committee expenditure $300 (CVC), 2024 | Pico Rivera Chamber of Commerce | unverified | Source |