By Robert Haugh

A Bay Area community coalition is blasting Jed York for spending millions to influence Santa Clara elections while calling on the NFL to impose a tougher penalty for his recent legal troubles.

“Local government should belong to local residents, not to the highest bidder,” said Tuan Ngo, a founding member of the Coalition for Community Engagement.

The group’s statement comes as petitions on JedYorkExposed.com gain traction. Launched Saturday, the petitions have attracted approximately 1,400 signers each, according to organizers.

The coalition says campaign finance filings show York and 49ers-funded political committees have spent more than $10 million since 2020 influencing local elections.

That includes approximately $3 million in 2020, $3.8 million in 2022, and more than $2.6 million in 2026 — including $1.87 million in the Santa Clara mayoral race and $753,000 in a City Council race.

“That is not normal civic participation,” Ngo said. “When one corporation can outspend an entire community 200-to-1, voters lose trust.”

The coalition also cited Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, which has raised concerns about massive special-interest spending in local elections.

NFL Punishment: A Double Standard?

The coalition also criticized the NFL’s punishment of York following his August arrest in an Ohio prostitution sting.

York pleaded no contest to reduced charges. The NFL suspended him for six games and fined him $500,000.

But the coalition argues the punishment is far less severe financially than what NFL players face for similar violations.

Players lose game checks during unpaid suspensions. York, meanwhile, continues to benefit from the 49ers’ share of NFL revenue.

“A suspension without a meaningful financial loss is not a suspension,” Ngo said. “It is a vacation.”

The coalition is calling on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to impose financial consequences on York comparable to those faced by suspended players.

It also wants candidates benefiting from 49ers-funded independent expenditures to publicly reject that support and demand the spending stop.

The coalition says the issue goes beyond York’s personal conduct.

“Should someone whose own conduct is under NFL review be spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to hand-pick local leaders in California?” Ngo asked.

“Local elections should be decided by the people who live in the community, not by billionaire-owned independent expenditure committees.”