| Main Street issues !!! |
"Pacifica BACPAC will be sponsoring a candidates forum, along with San Mateo County Association of Realtors on Tuesday, September 23 at the Council Chambers from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Location: 2212 Beach Boulevard.
UPDATE: LIVE AT 6:30 TONIGHT as now listed on Pacific Coast.TV 26. On Comcast TV, channel 26. Or view on Pacific Coast TV Live feed, expect commercial interruptions which are very annoying.
We invite all to come and listen to our city council candidates address pressing issues of the day. .... Hoping to see you at the Sept. 23 council forum."
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Note the above information is from a Fix Pacifica reprint article, Pacifica Tribune, Letters to the editor, 9/9/14. "This Election-- Better Decisions" by Jim Wagner, Chair, Pacifica BACPAC. The photograph is from Lifehacker.
Posted by Kathy Meeh
159 comments:
Main Street could easily become Mean Street.
Forum will be broadcast live tonite at 6:30, I just learned. It will also be rebroadcast as the schedule allows.
Thanks Jim. That information has been posted on the article.
Sue Digre just said "It's not true that people don't want any taxes." "Who wants taxes?" "Nobody"
The greedy realtors did nothing but soak poor homeowners into buying houses they couldn't afford. The realtors have done nothing in Pacifica except load their pockets. Now they want to sponsor a debate. Umm they slept for the last 30 years. Go back to sleep
What kind of taxes we talking about?
Therese rocks! Does O'Neill know he's running for Council and not the school board?
Keener keeps saying "the pump station at the old sewer plant smells"
Where is he getting that from? There's no smell since they moved the plant to Vallemar. Maybe he should come down from Pedro Point once in a while.
He's trying to use it as an argument not to build a hotel restaurant there.
He also said "we need to think about sea level rise there. The sea wall is already toped at high tide"
Not at that spot John. Yes south of the pier on a king tide, but north of the pier is much higher.
Ruchames has the confidence voters look for without the smarm and hustler vibe. I think he's the clear star tonight based on his performance not his platform.
Keener said he's a microbiologist so he'll have to trust the experts on the sewer plant.
But I guess he's a highway engineer because he's concluded widening won't work.
To me Ruchames was still vague. He pushed for the library which is a no go with most voters. And people know he pushed the UUT "modernization". If they don't know now, they will know by election day
Even in a hatchet job we should strive to include at least one fact. Keener's a flat-lander. Lives back in Linda Mar, not on Pedro Point.
810 Vague or cautious and thoughtful? Certainly not so vague that he wasn't the star this evening. Came across with that authority a lot of cops carry forever. I have trouble with the library thing, but he'll impress people. Anyway, the very few who actually see these things.
Actually, Hutch, it reeks, but only nimbys can smell it. Scientific fact.
Ruchames was far from the star. He started off by dodging the highway widening question. Then went on to really give no substance on anything. I thought Therese did better than he did.
810 The library and the UUT aren't the deal breakers you think they are.
Ruchames is for open government. Ha that's a good one. Remember the phony phone poll? How about not calling measure v a tax and saying the money would go to fix streets. Eric Ruchames was one of the ones behind all that bull crappy. His campaign for Measure V is a big reason voters don't trust the city.
858 Depends what you're looking for. Therese is a lot more entertaining, but Ruchames would keep the lights on. It's going to get grim. He understands triage. We might need a steady hand who can work with others under pressure.
858 As far as I could tell--and I didn't listen to the kid and Ms. Dyer, only Keener and Digre made clear statements on the highway. Did Spano and O'Neill use the W or the I word? Widening or improvement? I may have missed it. Or maybe it was subliminal.
917 you mean Ruchames is a guy who would try to tax us again? That seems like that's what he's for.
910 It's just not the albatross you hope for. Most voters can think it through and respect someone who takes a reasoned position and then backs it up with action even if they don't agree with the position. Particularly if the person and his record are known to them. Ruchames is well-known and well thought of by people who always vote.
Really 9:00? You don't think Ruchames pushing the UUT tax matters? Or that he personally gave $250 to the yes side? Or that as Pres of the Police Union he gave another $1500? It was only a year ago and was defeated by a 2-1 margin. You sound like one of the naive architects of that disaster.
910 The bull crappy started with the subcommittee of Stone and Nihart looking for ways to raise some money. We could use a little law & order on council. The sub-comm of two spent money under the radar to get the consultant and polls started, before the public knew about it. Funny how that keeps happening. Under the radar, through the back door, in closed session, on the consent agenda, faux public notice. That stuff will catch up with you.
928 Hey, if he does, you can vote no again, bake cupcakes, take out ads, march on city hall. He'll be there.
Spano seemed very realtor-esque this evening. Was he just being polite towards his hosts or was that the real Spano? I'm not sure that plays well in greater Pacifica. O'Neill got in but he was much better known for the school board than as a realtor.
I declare Victor Spano the clear winner. He takes a stand. He has good plausible ideas and he has the experience in economic development we need. Last place was tied between Digre and Greener. Er I mean Keener.
935 Yeah, really. Think of me as proof none of that matters. I voted against the UUT, do not want a new library, am appalled at the pension bomb, want the police outsourced, paid no attention to the school board and think this council is lead by people who are manipulative by nature. I'm voting for Ruchames because I think he can hold his own. Who knows? Maybe there will be an epidemic of backbone on the dais.
The last person we need on council now is the x president of the police union. You think they get over on us now, just wait. I know for a fact he was against outsourcing and helped to push that off the table before citizens could even see it. Remember outsourcing?
If the vote was today, I'd go for O'Neill, Spano and Ruchames. I didn't vote for the UUT, but it's not a big issue for me if a candidate supported it.
IMHO It's Ruchames and probably the incumbents because of vote splitting. Spano might have an outside chance to bump an incumbent. Too much enthusiasm and he'll look like a huckster. Keener's dull, too new. The rest are just sucking up votes in a low-turnout election. IMHO.
ISIS among us. Cops are in. Uniforms are in.
1004 Haha I expect the union to do their best. The problem was we had idiots on the city side. Pin that outsourcing debacle on a couple of council donkeys with a CM and good ole Ritzma doing their bidding.
Kumbaya 10:34
Anybody else notice that Keener was reading all his answers? Not a good sign!
Looks like the two incumbents, with Ruchames the top challenger!
But who'll come in last? Will it be Dougherty or Dyer?
1100 Yeah. Scholarly approach. Did his homework, organized his thoughts, made his points. It's all new to him. Usually takes a couple runs in Pacifica before they win. The greens will really have to push to get him in the door. I don't think they have the juice anymore to get an unknown elected. Time will tell.
Therese will support and work for needed housing (including low cost housing), and for commercial/retail Economic Development in this city. That was made clear in her closing speech tonight. She's got my vote.
Last night I happened to view the San Mateo Board of Supervisor's meeting for a time. Therese was there supporting affordable housing in the county (well guess what Pacifica is part of the county too). Her speech was exact, powerful and brilliant! (You don't hear that from me very often.)
She is no lightweight, she's been on the planet a long time, she has an inquiring mind, she does research, she knows this region and this city. I hope voters will consider it takes at least 3 willing city council votes (a majority) to affect legislation in this city. 3 votes determine city progress, or more regressive, backwards neglect and poverty. Remember, weaker elected candidates have a track record of disappointing, sometimes on important city issues and key votes. Don't take the chance again. A vote for Therese is a vote for city progress period.
Oh, I'm also voting for Victor Spano (Economic Developer), and for Mike O'Neill (Realtor/Financial Planning), for some of the same reasons: they can all count!
Kathleen
You know we love you but, brilliant and our city council.
Come on. I will take someone who can focus on the core issues.
Ruchames was so cute, like a Dick Cheney Mini Me.
Hutch, Keener lives about as close to Pedro Point as you do. You're going to have to try another smear tactic, sorry. Maybe you can make of his glasses--call him four eyes? Just a thought.
LOL at the poster who thinks Ruchames' pushing for the UUT and a $30 million library isn't a big deal. Math must not be your strong point. The UUT only had 33% support and the library is currently polling at under 50%. Explain to us, the great unwashed, how this equates to anything but a serious downward drag on his numbers?
I guess Ruchames is pro-library. Okay, is that what he's running on? The library?
I watched the debate last night and still can't figure Ruchames out. Can anyone name ONE other thing he's for or against? Just one. Anyone from his campaign want to answer?
Why doesn't he have a single opinion on anything? Ruchames supporters: WHO are you voting for? Many of us would like to know what this guy believes in. The "nothing" we're getting ain't gonna cut it!
605, then from your view 1) what are the core issues, including the #1 core issue in this city, and 2) what 3 candidates might be willing to "focus" on and achieve that purpose, or those goals? Remember this isn't a popularity contest, and this city has a core structural financial/economic problem. We need city council members who are willing to move this city forward, and that has not been happening in any significant way for several decades.
What I said about Therese's speech at the Board of Supervisors was that the speech itself was brilliant. That was in no way a commentary about city council. Meantime, I'll stand by the known #1 core city issue: structural economic development to develop revenue, so that this city may function better. And I'll stand by my choices of city council candidates to deal with that #1 city issue: Victor Spano, Mike O'Neill and Therese Dyer.
How's that for focus? And you?
Ruchames is TOO slick for his own good. Won't give direct answers, hiding his position on most everything. Just what we need on council huh? A guy who ran a deceptive campaign with secret meetings, misleading wording, fake polls and wasted 100K in an effort to fool voters into taxing themselves for his union buddies profit. Yeah, that is the kind of open government we need. Sign me up.
58 Put your pen away. You've been signed up for years. That campaign for V was started and run at city hall. Start with the Nihart and Stone sub-committee. Savvy enough to keep their fingerprints off it. Funded initially under the radar, then openly. The usual army of volunteers who turn out for every tax and their favorite candidates who btw are currently running the town.
Instead of attacking Ruchames so ineptly you might consider sharing the virtues and attributes of your challenger candidate--whomever he may be.
I think Ruchames has the makings of an
effective, very pragmatic politician. Never really saw that quality til I watched the forum. He won't be pushed, which is not to say he won't compromise. Very cautious and that's a good thing. Used to working on a team with limited resources under pressure and public scrutiny. Knows responsibility and accountability. I believe he's got some real altruism going on but he's not a bit naive about what this job takes. That alone sets him apart among the challengers. Thanks, SAMCAR.
I respect Ms. Dyer for fighting the good fight. Most folk her age are taking it a lot easier. Quite a leap from Ms. Dyer to young Mr. Dougherty.
Slick? I don't see slick. Spoke well, very well, but he rocks in his chair, forgets the camera and slouches back. That's not slick. He was comfortable up there. I think what we saw is what we get. Works for me.
Kathy
The core issues.
1. Revenue producing projects
2. rebuilt the broken infrastructure around town.
3. Turn Pacifica into another Beach town, not the only beach town that doesn't take advantage of being a beach town.
4. Bring people in that know how to turn around Palmetto. Karen and her mad scientist rebuilding Palmetto is an utter failure.
5. Clean up Beach Blvd and get developement on the site asap.
6. The Quarry.
7. Highway 1
8. Pedro Point Carlsons property.
9. More hotel rooms
10. Take advantage of city owned parcels.
11. clean up park mall
12. Senior housing at Park Mall Oddstad site and site in front of St Peters.
13. Silence the gang of no
There is no smell coming from the old wastewater treatment plant whatsoever. I am directly across the street at least ten hours a day.
I was wondering what Keener was talking about. The smell problems cleared up when the old waste water treatment plant closed years ago. It's certainly not an excuse to block development in the area.
It seemed like Keener's message was that Pacifica should just accept that it will be perpetually poor.
Well, if it isn't the old sewer plant, what is it because something on that site still smells like sewer. Not all the time, but it is noticeable on Montecito and on Beach Blvd. Park your car for a meeting and it's noticeable. Maybe depends on the weather? Be that as it may, it's no reason not to develop the site unless the developer finds it to be. Developer? There better be one real quick after all the money council poured down that hole.
1228 At least your #13 is new. The rest are older than dirt, passed along from generation to generation. Folk lore.
Hi, Steve,
It was nice seeing you so I could say hello to you in person last night at the forum.
After you and I said hello, John Keener and I were talking about the forum went. As we were slowly walking back to our cars, we passed the sewage pumps that are are down there on the first floor of the Chamber building and caught a pretty good whiff of exactly what John spoke about. We both looked at each other and went, "There it is!"
I want to be very, very clear: John is absolutely not against development of the Beach Blvd site.
His point was that by keeping that whole pumping facility in place with the noise and yes, odor, the City isn't going to get top dollar for the property than it otherwise would. The pump's presence really restricts what might otherwise be done with the property.
Who knows how many developers or projects have passed on the site because of that pumping station.
after a while you don't notice smells. it's still there just barely but there.
so what? cafe broils some burgers, fry some fish and it's gone.
Hi Chris,
Good seeing you, too.
I didn't smell anything unusual when I was walking back to the car after the forum.
Sometimes you can get weird smells coming off of the ocean. A few years ago I was in Soquel and was gagging from some kind of dead fish odor.
Yeah there is no smell anymore. I'v lived down there for 30+ years. I don't know what Keener is talking about. Maybe if had ever gone down there for a city council meeting in the 7 years he's been here he would know it doesn't smell.
I DID here John express doubts about building there because of the smell and sea level rise.
Yeah, the folks in Vallemar can tell you all about that "whiff of Pacifica" on certain days and certain weather. The WSP nimbies dumped the plant in the quarry in a perfect marriage of clever enviros and foolish nimbys but the karma lingers at Beach Blvd.
If there was a smell emanating from the old waste water treatment plant, what would be causing it? Didn't it shut down about 15 years ago? It's not like there are still sewage ponds there.
Who knows what's causing it. Maybe some maintenance problem. We don't know. It's definitely there from time to time. Even city workers joke about it. The sense of smell is the fastest to adjust to its environment. You just don't notice a noxious odor within a few minutes if you're "in it". Nobody, not even John Keener, is saying don't develop the property. That's cheesey campaigning and I'm not even voting for him. Why lie?
Steve,
There's actually a sewage retention basin at the pump site. Same as over at Linda Mar and the other pump stations around town.
When I smelled the sewage last night, it wasn't particularly strong (like it can be at Linda Mar fairly often), but it was there. I was admittedly about 20 feet from the pumps themselves at the time.
Moving that pump would be very expensive. The asking price is going to reflect an operating sewer pump being there and the occasional stinker. For a public building like a library should be no problem. Paying customers might feel very differently which may limit some interest and commercial uses. I smell a discount, maybe a bargain, maybe just a library and open space.
Aha! 258. That makes perfect sense and explains why it comes and goes. Noticed the same thing at LMBeach. Sometimes strong enough to smell if you're stopped at the light with your windows down. Wow. Buyers are going to love that. A real marketing challenge. The city's stubborn insistence on a library now makes a little more sense. Not enough to be in favor of it, but I can see how bureaucrats and politicians could get there. It's always been the library and new council chambers. Well, ten years ago, a new city hall was the centerpiece. Now it's a library. The rest was just a carrot to dangle in front of fed-up taxpayers while they poured a million bucks into the plans. It's the library, stupid! It's always been the library and those new council chambers. A sewage retention basin. The stuff you learn on Fix.
Hutch and Sinai
Did you guys shower that day?
The only things I can thing of there is a sewer water pump station and the garbage building were the trucks are kept.
Maybe Keener made it up, he seems good about that.
It's called sea air. I live a block away and I never smell the pump. And no, you wouldn't get acclimated to an intermittent smell. It has to be ongoing. I know I lived here when the old sewer plant was operating. You got used to it. Think this is another case of exaggeration.
Who are ya gonna believe, me or your lying noses?
Digre was giving excuses for why nothing ever happened when she was on the council, while Keener was telling people that nothing would happen if he was on council.
Hmm Fogel and my own nose or someone who assigns political motive to everything? Fogel and my own nose.
My god it's like somebody's gonna cry or beat their dog if there happens to be a bit of an occasional smell at the OWWTP. There just can't be anything wrong sob sob with that site. It just can't be true. It's a nimby-spiracy.
449 no one said you would at that distance. capeeesh?
Since everyone is saying who they will and won't vote for I'll say that my first two votes will be going to Mike O'Neill and John Keener. Both are levelheaded,pragmatic and support openness and public involvement in the budget process.
My third vote is still up in the air an I will have to wait until I get back from S. Korea to weed through the remaining Candidates
Naw, Fogel doesn't have any political motive. Naw. Oh wait.
Have some Korean BBQ for me Tom. Have a good trip.
852 He has a pretty good public track record for being factual. We don't agree on everything but I've never caught him practicing situational ethics or playing fast and loose with the facts.
Tom, weed through them? Very funny.
Tom, I've voted for O'Neill before and I'd like to again, but first I'll have to forget that unfortunate "This is a public hearing, right" that came out of his mouth in the puppet show. I don't know if there's enough time left before Nov 4th.
Mike has the best slide show!
Tom
Bring back a cute girl for me
Oneill was on the PTA and what has he done on city council? A couple slide shows?
More of the same turns to nothing.
Mike talked about rezoning Beach Blvd. in 2012 to make it look like Santa Cruz. In two years, he could have lifted a finger and done something...but didnt.. Too busy attending all those meetings I guess. It's a crying shame.
Listen to O'Neill and you here about his glory days on the school board 10 years ago or else it's "don't blame me, that happened before I was elected." He never owns up to what happened on council during his watch.
So what WERE you responsible for, Mike?
Trying to push another tax on us (utter failure)
Trying to sneak stuff like buying a prime caltrans parcel for a poop pit under the radar via consent calendar (oops!)
Trying to sneak a $5.5 million trail onto consent (double oops)
Hasn't hired an econ developer yet.
Spent $20k on a trail, but cut $70k in funding for our library hours (thanks!)
Claims to have balanced the budget, yeah right, when we're actually 3 million in the red and he knows it (total fail)
NAME ONE THING YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED, MIKE? ONE! A slide show?!
O'Neal voted for and supported the UUT tax. No cuts to the union contracts that he negotiated either.
Nooooooooooooo thank you.
What tax is he going to try next?
Mike O'Neill is the hardest working council person we have. He went out of his way to hold public forums all over town explaining the major infrastructure projects to the people. He was the ONLY one to do that. He is always accessible and returns calls and emails promptly. And if you remember he was the only councilperson who expressed concern over measure V. He suggested there could be some kind of limits. He was not out there campaigning for it. I believe Sue Digre also voted to put it on the ballot along with all of them.
We need more council people like Mike that will speak their mind and come up with good ideas like rezoning Beach Blvd mixed use. Victor Spano is that kind of person too and would make a hard working servant of the city.
Everyone on city council supported Measure V, so get over it, 852. Also, Mike is among the 4 who usually vote yes on projects that are important for this city. Whereas, Sue Digre is usually the no to "everything" vote.
Your 852, 846, 802, 718, 711, 1153 campaign against Mike O'Neill who supports city progress is an annoying, twisted waste of space on this thread.
But do tell us who your "alternative" choice of anti-progress candidates are? Bet I can guess, hint: Degree and Greener.
I like Mike, but so far he's better at campaigning than getting things done. His traveling slide show is nice but it's just slides. He doesn't have the 3 votes on council he needs for anything on his agenda. When it's his turn to be mayor maybe the rest will toss him a bone if he plays along with them now. Maybe. Maybe not.
846 ONeill held pulic meetings about the poop pit. He wasn't sneaking anything. And he was not gung ho behind the tax like Mary Ann and Len were.
Sue Digre has done nothing good for the City. She if anyone should go. She is copable for the 4 million $ loss. It happened during her watch. She has been a drag on our economy. She's the last vestage of the old nimby loving council. Time to go Sue.
What are you guys smoking? Do you really expect me to believe that O'Neill voted FOR a tax but he was really against it?! C'mon, I may be dumb but I ain't stupid.
And the poop pit purchase was on consent -- NO public discussion.
You guys might be all for more taxes, but I'm not. Vote all these bums out. Stop putting your hands in my pockets!!!!!!
1103, don't forget the old sewer fund switcheroo that happened on this council's watch.
"Borrowed" money from the sewer funds to pay for more public employee pensions.
Think of O'Neill and the others the next time you look at that sewer tax on your property bill. Mike voted to increase that sewer tax two times now.
Great, just great. Good going, Mike. My family appreciates having a $150 less this year because of your votes.
it would have been $400 less for you, but thank god measure V was killed
nah, let's not hire an economic coordinator, let's tax ourselves to prosperity
is that what you did on the school board, mike?
Hutch,
Mike might be the hardest working clown in the clown car, but that doesn't make him any less of a clown than the rest of em.
Name one accomplishment that any of these five tab and spenders have achieved. I'M WAITING.
New voting bloc is Ervin and the twins Nihart and Ruchames...separated at birth and reunited again! If Spano squeaks in, I'm just guessing, but I think he'll spend a lot of time in the council dog house. Mike will just hang, doing his slide shows, bringing up interesting ideas, storing up good behavior credits he can redeem, within reason, when he's mayor. And so it goes.
Who's the target today?
1155 The awful truth is that this council does the same shit as the previous council because that's how you run a broke ass city. You move money from one fund to another to pay for stuff. NBD as long as you keep track of it. Lemon goes 2007 and nobody keeps track. The entire council then and now knows they're moving money around. You got your decision to make here. Were they all so furking stupid they didn't know accurate accounting wasn't being done for 7 years or did the brighter bears know but continue the cover-up? I dunno. Like Mike said in the forum, they're getting all the skeletons out of the closet. Oh, well then, bravo bravo! They're still moving money around because we're still broke. Record keeping is meticulous, I'm sure.
As we've said ad nauseam, this council is absolutely better than the nimby council of past.
This highway widening wouldn't have even gotten this far. They would have tied it up in public meetings and not picked a preferred option. And that's exactly what Sue Digre did.
This council discovered the fact that the nimby loving failed council of Digre, Vreeland, Dejarnette & Lancelle misplaced 4 million dollars. We can thank them for hobbling this city to the point we are pretty much crippled and can't even pave our roads.
It took 20+ years of enviro niby's to get us into this mess. We've only been rid of them for less than 2 years. Give it some time.
Want more?
sure, sure, o'neill is a regular ol' whistleblower now uh huh
he's cleaning out the skeletons while stacking bodies in the back yard
keep swapping money from one fund to another, keep committing the city to spend money that it doesn't have on more trails to nowhere. misplace the palmetto improvement money so that project has to stop
if you vote for any of these dumbasses again don't complain when more economic development goes down the toilet while your taxes go up to pay for another stupid trail
11:55 12:22 1:04, 2:02 and the rest are just Keener lovers trying to dig up some votes for their loser candidate here because they know there's nobody on their site.
oh, sure, hutch, this council has done SO MUCH for us compared to previous councils
why they've... uh.... uum.... they managed to... uhhhhh... give me a sec...
what was it that they've done again.
oh yeah, that's right... NOTHING!
oh, but what could anyone do in 2 years anyway? it's not like you could try and pass a UUT, vote to raise our trash and sewer taxes 4 times, cut library funding, lose the money for the palmetto street improvement, misplace 4 million dollars, and end up 2.5 million in the red during that time.
nah, things are just GREAT!
LOL
The highway?!
LOL
In case you haven't noticed, progress on the highway by this council currently sits between "jack" and "squat" on the Accomplishment Scale.
The whining, repetitive, "What have they done for Pacifica?" complaints do get tiresome.
202, it seems your ongoing anonymous rant today is all about attacking incumbent Mike O'Neill to split the vote between him and anyone else, to re-elect incumbent Sue Digre. Think that's working?
Oh, and you also forgot to confirm the candidates you support, NIMBIES Degree and Greener. Anything else we should know, other than your slogan: "Four more years of NO!"
Hum Steve 239, big change. Now "what have they done for Pacifica", has changed focus to 227 "LOL highway". At what point are such garbage comments without intelligent statement or meaning considered gibberish?
"At what point are such garbage comments without intelligent statement or meaning considered gibberish?"
After they've said the same thing a half-dozen times in an hour. I figure this clown's had his say for now. Let's go ahead and spam his new comments.
And I think that falls under "3) attempts to turn conversations into grade-school playground brawls, will be removed."
I will vote for Victor Spano,Therese Dyer,John Keener all no on V.
754 Keener with Dyer and Spano? Your ballot, if not the voting booth, may burst into flame.
833 Mary Ann's asylum it would be.
Speaking of Mary Ann, who is she pulling for? Wasnt she supposed to endorse Keener and Ruchames?
I doubt Mary Ann will endorse anyone.
Ruchames is her guy, but he doesn't need her endorsement to win so why cause problems with your nimby friends and supporters? Keep quiet, Ruchames wins, Keener doesn't. Dignity of the office and all.
Ruchames isn't going to win.
People are tired of the pre-packaged politician who speaks out of both sides of their mouth. They're looking at the issues more and more, and when they see that Ruchames doesn't have an opinion on anything, they'll pass on him.
Empty rhetoric and a big sign with stars and stripes will only get you so far in this town.
10:41 IMO Keener doesn't even have a shot. This contest is actually between Spano and Ruchames. Spano will win because he has greater name recognition from running last time, has the #1 ballot spot, has great ideas and tells us his opinion. People don't trust Ruchames a man who tried to tax them last year to help his union buddies and wont really tell us where he stands on anything.
732 Perhaps I wasn't clear. Ruchames is Nihart's guy but Nihart is not going to piss off her nimbys by endorsing Ruchames and not endorsing their candidate(s), particularly when Ruchames can win without her endorsement. There's no upside for Nihart. IMHO Ruchames is already the front runner. As that becomes more evident, maybe Nihart will endorse the clear "people's choice". Incumbents do it all the time. You know, to mark a new era of teamwork and collaboration. You'll know when this happens because doves will fly out of their asses.
Heads rolling, bombs dropping, boots on the ground, has your neighbor's weird kid gone ISIS? Uniforms are in this year. Ruchames wore one for 30 years and people know it. Spano looks and sounds like a salesman. True blue wins!
FYI 732 Pacificans already know where Eric Ruchames stands. He's been taking stands all his life. In Pacifica and for Pacificans...as a police officer, as a leader, as a tireless volunteer in the community, as an elected school board member for a decade. He didn't set out to get name recognition or to build a platform for a run for council, he just lived his life. His actions speak for themselves. No sales pitch required.
Anon @ 11:08, taking a stand at the donut cooler with his other cop buddies does not make Ruchames a any different than you.
11:08, do I read you right: Ruchames has no platform he's running on?
You've gotta be kidding me. Are we supposed to vote for Eric because he deserves it?
What a campaign!
1156 Wow. What a no brainer! It's easy to understand why someone like Ruchames, who's been making a positive difference in Pacifica for decades, would make you and Bray so very uncomfortable. Why, I bet, just thinking about all that actual public service tires you out.
Dammit, if you can't bother to tell me what I want to hear, I can't vote for you. Pitch me something. Sell me!
Name one thing Ruchames will do on council.
It doesn't seem unreasonable to ask what Eric intends to do if elected. His silence about this says a lot about the courage of his convictions.
1238, all "I want to hear" is what Ruchame stands for. Why does this make you freak out?
Ruchames has told you what he would do and how he makes decisions. You just don't like what you're hearing. You want a tub-thumping, 'tell ya what I'm gonna do you for' kinda guy. Ruchames isn't that kind of candidate.
To see Ruchames loyalty to his police union ask him where he stands on looking at outsourcing again. He has said there is no reason to even consider it.
Yes Eric has a long and appreciated service as an officer and on the school board. But don't forget he was president of the police officers union. Those are his buddies. That is why he gave and fought for the UUT phone tax last year. That is where his loyalty still lays. And if you have any doubt ask him about outsourcing.
1:20 Put another way, it seems reasonable to ask what Eric intends to do if elected. His silence about this says a lot about having no convictions.
You're right 1:34. He told us exactly where he stands when he was a leader on that sneaky attempt to tax our phones. He is not just a "Union man", he was the President of the Union man. He wanted that tax bad so his brothers could finally get more raises. You don't just change your colors after that. Council should be a counter balance to the demands of city employee Unions. If we have a councilperson who is the x pres of the cop Union directing negotiations for the city we will be in deeper crap than we're in now. You can bet he'll push for more taxes too.
I wish we could filter people on this blog so we don't have to hear the same people saying the same bs every day.
Sometimes it may be a smarter campaign strategy to avoid saying what you stand for. Most people tend to give you the benefit of the doubt when you're ambiguous about things. I suspect that's what's going on with Ruchames. It's not something I respect, but I understand it.
In Ruchames case, I'm looking at the people who are supporting him to get an idea of what he stands for.
Even though I won't vote for him, I actually admire John Keener for coming right out and saying where he stands on Highway 1.
Theresa Dyer also deserves credit for being upfront about what she wants to do. My main concern with her is that her history as a gadfly suggests she won't be able to work well with other members of city council when it comes to getting things done.
I agree Steve. Sometimes it's best not to talk on certain hot issues and give a definite yes or no. We see that on the highway widening issue (except Keener). But to me Eric Ruchames is too vague and silent about almost everything. It's kind of like "I was a cop, I served on the school board, trust me, I'll do the right thing" We do know his position on the new library, although he even avoids saying he's for that. I just don't want any surprises. I want to know a candidates positions on the big issues before they get my vote.
Wassa matta 2:22? You don't like that most people are named Anonymous on this blog so you can't filter out the Anonymi you don't like?
What's a "donut cooler"?
When a candidate remains so vague about most everything I start to get veeeeeeery suspicious about what it is that they don't want me to know.
I gotta baaaaaaad feeling about Ruchames, but then again, I'm the slightly paranoid sort.
Still... makes you wonder, doesn't it?
THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT
There once was a man named Ruchames
Who ran an odd campaign
When asked for his views
He would refuse
And not a single damn one would he name
This shouldn't surprise anyone. This is the same tactics they used on the phone tax campaign. Don't say the word tax, call it modernization. Don't say the word phone either. In fact let's just call it "Support Pacifica's Future", all the labor unions will give us money because this will mean raises for everyone.
Maybe I'm missing something but this is all I can find on Eric Ruchames campaign website that speaks to his future goals or positions:
"I will promise to be a collaborative leader, communicate with the community and work with you to create the best solutions possible. I can guarantee to listen, even when we don’t agree on every issue. But we can talk to each other, treat one another with respect, and promote our mutual goal of enhancing our beautiful coastal community."
www.ericruchames4council.com/#!meet-eric/c1flq
Therese doesn't need to work with mediocrity they need to work with her.
So, so true 4:35, and it drives me freaking nutso. We've got a bunch of pro-union, pro-taxers on the ticket. People will vote against taxes and want pensions brought under control, but they're lining up to vote for these guys.
If they get in, two years from now when you're wondering how a $30 million library "modernization" bond got shoved through, think back on this election. You'll only have yourselves to blame.
153 Tell the whole story. Outsourcing isn't worth considering because of the existing police and fire pension bonds. The numbers can't be made to work in our favor. Ask council about it. They already decided it wasn't worth considering. Didn't they just extend the term on those bonds to 2020? A job with the county was pretty much assured and it was a better deal for the rank and file so if the day ever came, their union might not fight so hard. Upper ranks, maybe yes, maybe no.
As if we've never before had a candidate who avoided taking a stance during the campaign. He'll fit right in.
5:00 the only pro union pro taxer on the ticket is Ruchames. Maybe Keener is pro tax.
Spano fought the phone tax and handed out flyers that said the tax money would go to give city employees big raises.
That's not true 5:05, I believe Mary Ann said last year we could revisit outsourcing after Nov 2013. And council said if we could negotiate a better deal with the sheriff that would better control future costs it could work.
But the push back from people like Ruchames was and still is tremendous. They don't even want to discuss renegotiating with the sheriff. Not even discuss it.
That says to me that Ruchames is still beholden to his police union brothers which is not in the best interest of citizens.
and what's going to happen when the current police union contracts are up for negotiations?
i'm sure he'll be fair-minded andahahahahahahahaha i can't keep doin this
I heard that Keener's campaign manager is Chris Vogel. Does anybody know who Ruchames' and Spano's campaign managers are?
Hutch,
You're not missing anything. Check out his website and his statements in the Tribune. Look at what he says carefully. Ruchames won't state a position on anything.
I understand that this is a particular tactic on order to get elected, but it's very, very troubling to me.
These are very serious times for Pacifica's well being. We can't be voting on hopes and prayers.
526 We can revisit all kinds of stuff. It's politician-speak for go away and don't bother me. It will never happen with those police pension bonds out there.
Hiss and spit all you want, sock puppets and all. You can't stop Ruchames. Ask Sinai why he said he'd vote for him after the forum.
Spano does not have a campaign manager. He told me he's getting advice from a lot of people, including two former council members and a school board member, who contributed financially to his campaign.
728 That's what they said about measure V winning.
"they have 10X the money and backing of council, big politicians and unions. You can't beat them"
Anon @ 4:06... A donut cooler is to office cops what a water cooler is to office workers. A place to gather, eat donuts and take a break from... taking a break.
Bean, which former council members are advising Spano? Hinton, Lancelle, Dejarnatt, Stone?
I think most voters can separate the man from the measure. They may even
respect him for taking a stand on something we all know was bound to be unpopular because he and this council believed in it. But, time will tell.
8:18, you are amusing me. Lancelle? Dejarnatt advising Spano? You've got to be kidding. Spano opposed Measure V, so I doubt Stone or any of the hippies or school boardies would support him. Same goes for Mary Ann. Lancelle is behind Digre. Dejarnatt probably Digre and Keener. Stone, Mary Ann backing Ruchames. It's dog eat dog and every man and woman for him or herself!
914 I know, I know, but Jumping Bean said Spano was being advised by 2 former council members and a school board member. Who else matches that description? Unless Bean is just funnin'.
Keener said he was against V.
Victor Spano is managing his own campaign which says a lot about his get it done attitude. I haven't heard of any former council advising him. He listens to everyone and figures it out for himself. And he has actual positions about pertinent issues on his website.
http://vspano311.moonfruit.com/issues/4584798964
Oh sure 825 I really respect Ruchames for trying to fool voters with a sneaky tax they didn't even call a tax, so he can take care of all his union brothers and sisters. I mean they hired a professional PR firm with tax payer money to do a poll that said this would pass no problem. Brilliant. That's the kind of guy we need to elect.
Ha. I like Victor's Chinese outreach on his website.
http://vspano311.moonfruit.com/chinese/4584799045
1006 I realize you're on quite a tear, but who hired the PR firm with tax payer money? Who is the they you refer to?
1047 Those who were pushing for measure v to be put on the ballot, of those was Eric Ruchames.
Remember this poll? www.cityofpacifica.org/civica/inc/displayblobpdf2.asp?BlobID=5887
Remember Erics name on almost everything pro v?
www.mercurynews.com/pacifica/ci_24268133/our-turn-vote-yes-measure-v
He was part of the inside circle.
744 Wrong answer! Minister of Campaign Propaganda! City Council hired and paid for that early work on V with taxpayer money. I worry a lot more about why and for whom you lie than I do about someone working for something they believe in.
744 Oh so what? You've got nothing and Ruchames has the votes.
Again 4:11, that's what you guys said about v. "We have the votes"
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