California’s public employee unions often put up the big money — and the only money — in elections for seats on the board that oversees the state’s largest pension fund .

This summer, they pulled together $660,000 through an independent expenditure committee to support their favored candidates at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System by sending mailers on their behalf.

But a different vein of money is pouring into the races, and it’s likely to make this the most-expensive CalPERS election ever.

The money is coming from a mix of mostly private sector construction and trade unions that have been urging the $584 billion pension fund to favor union shops in its real estate and construction investments.

They’re backing incumbent Jose Luis Pacheco , who indicated during

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