Simon Did What?
Benny Lee
Vice President, Oro Loma Sanitary District
Chair, Finance & Insurance
San Leandro City Council, 2012-2020
Chair, Finance & Insurance
San Leandro City Council, 2012-2020
Fred Simon
Punished by his own City Council.
Punished again in 2026.
Nearly $470,000 in taxpayer damage.
One of them has spent six years on the Oro Loma Sanitary District Board fixing the system you pay for. The other already cost San Leandro taxpayers nearly half a million dollars.
Same Seat…..Two Records
Your Money
Benny Lee
Watches the money. Chairs Finance & Insurance. Pipe and crews first.
Fred Simon
$470,000 legal bill. His break of the city charter and harassment of the City Manager forced San Leandro taxpayers to pay a $335,000 settlement. The investigation cost taxpayers another $135,000.
The Job
Benny Lee
Eight years on the San Leandro City Council, then Oro Loma. No deficit with his name on it.
Fred Simon
$30 million in reverse. He has been on the City Council since January 2021. The city opened that period with a budget surplus and reserves above requirements. It is now a projected deficit of more than $11 million.
The Habit
Benny Lee
Six years on this board. No land buys outside the plan. No gifts of ratepayer money to another agency.
Fred Simon
$1 million on a whim. Oro Loma spent $1 million on land next to the plant. Not in the plan. He wanted a community center despite no discussion and no connection to the district’s core mission.
The Company He Keeps
Benny Lee
Led the utility to three top statewide awards out of 500 agencies. No investigations. No punishments. Does the job and goes home.
Fred Simon
Punished twice. His own council voted 4-1 in November 2024 to punish him for interfering with the City Manager and threatening her job. He was punished again in January 2026.