San Mateo County Times/Aaron Kinney, 8/17/12. "Crowded Pacifica council election among San Mateo County races."
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| Crowded race for Pacifica? Not really |
The candidates for Vreeland's seat are Richard Campbell, an attorney and member of the Pacifica Planning Commission; Mike O'Neill, vice president of the Pacifica School District board of trustees; Victor Spano, economic development coordinator for the city of Daly City; and Gary Mondfrans, a small business owner, emergency dispatcher and former San Bruno mayor."
2 candidates will win, 4 year term. "Nihart is running for re-election against two challengers -- Susan Vellone, a small business owner, and Karen Ervin, a Genentech researcher and former member of the Pacifica school board -- in a separate race for two council seats. Mayor Pete DeJarnatt decided not to run again." Read Article, includes brief comments about other peninsula city council races.
Posted by Kathy Meeh
72 comments:
Rich Campbell: Another know it all EPA Attorney. Brought on to stack the deck against any revenue producing project. Horrible pick
Mike O'Neil: On the school board but don't know too much about him.
Gary Monfrans: On San Bruno Council awhile ago. Been around Pacifica for a long time. Don't know too much about him,
Vic Spano: The clear cut favorite. Knows and understands the problems in Pacifica. Know the town may be bankrupt.
Susan Vellone: Won't listen to anyone. Know it all. Bad Choice
Karen Ervin. Was on the school board but don't know too much about her.
Mary Ann: Never met a tax she didn't vote for. At least she says sorry to the homeowners and residence when she raises taxes and frees. Depends on what her "base" thinks of what kind of job she did.
Anonymous 212 said...
"Mary Ann: Never met a tax she didn't vote for."
Mary Ann and Len both shot down the sales tax. She will be re-elected easily.
As far as Mondfrans, being he's retiring from SF PD dispatch he'll have a hard time cutting his brothers in blue. He also want to extend 380 into Pacifica. Whats missing is any serious mention of solving our budget crisis.
Same with Mike O'Neil, his priorety is not solving our financial emergency.
Rich Campbell is the NIMBY's candidate.
Vic Spano is too good to be true. He seems to understand our problems and what we need to do to save this city from bankruptcy.
Susan Vellone I don't know
Karen Ervin need to find out more
Spano actually has the city economic development experience we need. Of all the candidates he's #1for me. Of the others, Ervin is smart and gets the big picture. So does O'Neill. And they both know how to deal with complex organizations, unions, big problems and painful decisions. Flat out NO to Campbell, Nihart has had her chance, Vellone's experience falls short and she has ties to unions and police which will effect her judgement on those issues (married to a retired cop),
don't know enough about Mondfrans.
I'm ready to vote and can't wait for a new council.
Maryann and those tax-happy school-boarders? I don't think so.
I'd vote for O'Neill anyway.
Probably Spano since it's the only way this town will ever get any economic development skills.
No one from the planning commission, thanks. Short on good choices this year.
Read the article. The 2 year and 4 year thing further narrows the choices. Confusion in the voting booth?? Going to be interesting.
Get real. It's an election year. No politician up for re-election, like Nihart, is going to endorse a tax or outsourcing in an election year. If she and Ervin get elected and O'Neill or Campbell we'll see nothing but taxes. We need Spano. Probably stuck with Nihart and Ervin. Vellone probably has Chamber backing but a real lightweight on experience. But so were Nihart and Stone. For me her police and union bias is more of a problem. Pretty slim pickings. Not many applicants for the job of pallbearer.
Vellone a know it all? We could use one since the bunch we have now, the entire bunch, are clueless.
Vellone, is for the sales tax increase.
Another tax & spender.
You can't vote for O'Neill and Spano. They're both running for the 2-year seat. Only 1 can win. You can only vote for 1. You have to make a choice.
Yes, I noticed that. I hate it. They're my favorites. The rest are not even close. Screwed again, Pacifica!
I expect Campbell to be the Great NIMBY Hope. He'll have tremendous, unwavering support from that part of the galaxy. Incumbents are favored in a big field but this is not really a big field, is it? And there's just one incumbent. I think organization and campaign financing will make the difference.
Will there be a BACPAC slate?
My understanding is that Mr. Mondfrans is running for either the two-year special election seat and/or the four-year seat.
https://www.shapethefuture.org/documents/dynamic/candidaterosterweb.pdf
We need new people, badly.
Right now my votes are for Nihart, O'Neil and Vellone.
Spano, Vellone, Ervin!!!
You can't run for a 4-year seat and/or the 2-year seat. You can only run for one.
If Vreeland hadn't resigned, there would only be 2 seats up for election.
The 3 candidates who have won elections before are Nihart, Ervin, and O'Neill. This gives them the edge in terms of voter behavior. If Spano, Vellone, Campbell, or Mondfrans are going to beat out one of those 3, they'll have to put on a very strong campaign.
Vellone and Nihart no bueno. It's a girl thing.
It's all about who has the biggest signs along Highway 1.
more signs = more votes
Voter recognition really helps. The schoolboarders may have improved their individual odds by running for different specific seats/terms. So, more of Nihart or time for Vellone? Eeny meeny.
It's all about the signs.
Stone has been a disappointment. I had high hopes for him. Wish he and Digre were up for re-election. I am voting Spano, Vellone and Ervin. Vellone has done a lot for the city with Chamber, Pacifican's care and rotary. Ervin seems smart and did a good job on the school board.
Sinai, if you and fix Pacifica got behind Spank, he can win
He knows the issues and the problems and how to fix them.
You need someone who knows how to balance the checkbook.
The issue with Digre is clear, she'll be gone in the next election if not sooner. What have Nihart and Stone done to improve the economic situation? We need new blood, even if it is giving some with less political experience a chance. Len, you have a limited window to get the things you have been talking about done. At least this year there is only one incumbent Pacifica can return. Pacifica needs a do-over.
Which one is Spank? New blood is what we need. The one's we've got have done nothing. Worse than nothing.
Oh good lord, not another recall.
Until just a few months ago, Nihart and Stone were in the council minority. They haven't had the chance to fix the problems caused by their predecessors and the no-growth majority on council.
Even then, I think Mary Ann did more to shake council out of its do-nothing coma than any member I've seen in almost 30 years.
This is coming from someone who didn't even vote for her the first time she ran.
Yep, they're wide awake now but wheere's the upside? I think the turmoil surrounding Vreeland actually woke them up more than anything else. That and the fact that the public has turned on them with real anger. Not much achieved by any of them and Nihart had the most potential. Expected her to use those psych skills on her uncooperative colleagues, not the public. Everybody wants to work with like-minded people. It rarely happens but we're expected to get the job done. I won't vote for her again.
Nihart can only do so much when the council majority are clueless. The Vreeland problems didn't shake up anything just made two of them more entrenched and stupid. Mary Ann has more than proven herself so she gets my vote this time and no I didn't vote for her the first time. She got economic development even on the table. She found Spano and I think supports him. I vote Nihart, Ervin and Spano.
Mary Ann could not use her pysch skills to help Vreeland and Pete. Well, something happens to Sue, where she just mumbles to her self in every meeting. No one knows what she is saying?
The people are tired of giving this sinking ship any more money.
They have ran the ship into the rocky jetty!
Sinai, if you and fix Pacifica got behind Spank, he can win
Sorry my I-phone auto correct changed this. I wish we can go back and edit posts.
I was saying Spano.
I honestly believe had Fix Pacifica got behind a couple different people and tried to get them elected both Vreeland and "Sneaky Pete" would be gone.
Had Vreeland & "Sneaky Pete" been called out in public about all the lies and money they cost the city in lost revenue, due to no revenue producing projects being built, money wasted on lawsuits, wrongful termination lawsuits, and the catering to the "friends of Vreeland and "Sneaky Pete"
"Sneaky Pete" claimed to be on the phone a couple times a week with John Curtis, the engineer of the bankruptcy of the city of Pacifica.
Mary Ann and Len both shot down the sales tax. She will be re-elected easily.
As far as Mondfrans, being he's retiring from SF PD dispatch he'll have a hard time cutting his brothers in blue. He also want to extend 380 into Pacifica. Whats missing is any serious mention of solving our budget crisis.
Hutch
Mary Ann & Len kicked the can down the road. The sales tax will be back up and on the next ballot. Same with the police outsourcing to the sheriff. I can see it sitting on the back burner right now.
Len, always says he was reading this the night before, but does he understand what he is reading?
A lot more then just going to grand openings and ribbon cuttings to get your mug posted on the front page of the Pacifica Tribune.
Steve is right. Mary Ann and Len have had to put up with the three others driving us to the brink. Now is not the time to get rid of a voice of reason.
@Steve Sinai: I agree that Mary Ann and Len were in the minority until more recently, however, the handling of the police outsourcing question has caused me to lose my trust in them. They hid behind "attorney-client" privilege and had all of the critical discussions behind closed doors and then had the audacity to talk about the need to voluntarily comply with the Brown act and make "transparency" one of the core goals for city council. Nonsense. Goodbye to all. Need fresh faces and a group willing to work together and stop trying to pull one over on the public.
"You can't run for a 4-year seat and/or the 2-year seat. You can only run for one."
Look at the link I provided.
Apparently, you can run for both seats, maybe because they are different elections.
Vellone has done more for this Ciy without being on council then the rest put together. She has been president of the chamber of commerce, rotary, pacifican's care and is a member of the pacifica land trust. I think she knows the issues from the inside out instead of being on the school board and passing bonds for everything. She has my vote and for the two year term, who knows but not O'Neill or the planning commissioner.
380 into pacifica had its faults, but I think it would have been a great idea.
But the hippies like having highway one the only way in or out.
Wait till the hippies need medical care that can not get to them in time to save them!
"Look at the link I provided.
Apparently, you can run for both seats, maybe because they are different elections."
Apparently, you can't. Next to Mondfrans' name for the 4-year seat, it says "Not Qualified."
"I honestly believe had Fix Pacifica got behind a couple different people and tried to get them elected both Vreeland and "Sneaky Pete" would be gone."
Fix Pacifica didn't exist the last time Pete ran.
You can only run for one term, either the 2 year or the 4 year. Personally, I think they all should have run for the four year and the third highest vote getter should have been elected to the 2 year term but I guess that is not legal.
Vic Spano, the clear cut favorite. Of who? Never heard of him nor do I want an outsider jumping into the mess the insiders are having a problem understanding.
"Look at the link I provided.
Apparently, you can run for both seats, maybe because they are different elections."
Apparently, you can't. Next to Mondfrans' name for the 4-year seat, it says "Not Qualified."
OK, you're probably right, unless its because he didn't get the requisite 20 signatures. The city clerk would probably know.
I wonder if the cadidates know that ap reported that the state of california sales tax revenue has dropped 33.5% A NOSE DIVE.
Governor Brown has turned into a Capitalists steamrolling over environmentalists to create revenue and jobs. CANDIDATES NEED TO TAKE NOTE THAT MOODY IS WATCHING AND READY FOR ANOTHER DOWNGRADE. CITIES AND MUNICIPATALIES ARE IN SEVERE JEOPARDY. FEDERAL AND STATES ARE READY IN POSITION TO TAKE MORE MONEY FROM CITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. PLEASE PREPARE.
Len Stone came in in the middle of difficult economic times.
I am anti-tax. I vote against every tax increase.
I am pro PD, Fire, Teacher and Road Infrastructure.
I am pro-union contract reforms. Remove spiking.
I am pro-austerity measures.
I am pro smart development. We are a small coastal city. Our environment is and can be our economy. Build the Oddstad Care Facility. Build Nick's Remodeling Restaurant and Hotel. We clearly need it.
Until then, I will continue to vote against tax increases.
"I am anti-tax. I vote against every tax increase.
I am pro PD, Fire, Teacher and Road Infrastructure."
Can't have it both ways.
Sure you can Steve. I am pro PD & Fire and anti tax too.
We just have to do what other California cities are doing and cut back wages and benefits to an affordable level. We don't need to lay off more Police.
Just a casual search on Google turns up many examples of this going on all around us.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57448580/calif-voters-cut-city-workers-pension-benefits/
Hutch, you may consider yourself pro PD and FD, but I doubt that those in the PD or FD would agree with you.
Build Nick's Remodeling Restaurant and Hotel
Nick's redmodeling restaurant and hotel will never happen. It is an estate planning ploy to sell the property with permits to built. The coastal commission and the hippies will never allow it to be remodeled or rebuilt
I don't usually go around worrying what other people think about me Steve. Do you?
Damm you Hippies to H E double hockey sticks! Let it happen. Let us outsoure our PD! Let's outsource our libraries as well. At least that way we can control what they read. Eventually there will be no more hippies.
"I am pro-police. We need to slash their wages."
Huh? Sounds like something Digre or Akin would say.
The library will never happen. No developer will ever build the city a state of the art library at the Old Waste Water Treatment plant unless they get the old library site and part of Francisco Blvd for free to sweeten the deal.
The City Hall should have been built next to the Police Station. Oh wait one of our fire station needs to be rebuilt also.
Does anyone on here actually believe we can escape more taxes and outsourcing? Based on what? Nothing has improved and nothing good is on the economic horizon for this town. Why aren't we seeing smart, decisive action on critical issues? Because it's an election year and agenda item #1 is to keep and get people on council who are tax-friendly. Taxes, outsourcing, painful cuts have simply been moved to the back burner and it was done behind closed doors and with more regard for politics than what is best for this city. I can do the math and more taxes are unavoidable, but the way council has handled this is repugnant. The trust is gone for good. If they weren't politicians, they'd be ashamed of themselves.
Uhm, cutting wages is a hell of a lot better than laying off more officers. Isn't it?
So yeah that's pro PD to want to retain the employees we have.
Sorry but cities all over California are being forced to slash salaries and benefits in union contracts. People in the private sector have already lost 20-30% in wages and benefits since 2008 so don't ask them to pay more taxes in order to prop up a failing system that can not be sustained.
Anon 137 agree with you on the OWWTP charade. Scary thought that they'd even consider sweetening such a deal with valuable property thrown in to get a state-of-the-art library we really don't need. The last time we went for state-of-the-art we got a snazzy new sewer plant that has never worked right. And even worse, that brilliant move (thanks Sharp Park Nimbys) makes it near impossible to develop the quarry. And, of course we still have a hole in the ground on Beach Blvd. Another 0 for 0 day for Pacifica.
The reason why nothing will ever be allowed to develop or rebuild is because Pacifica has signed up for Agenda 21.
Here is the list of cities that have signed onto UNAgenda 21, which means Changing the way we live in the 21st Century. Educate yourself. Don't let the Hutch's (that are in denial or are part of the problem) convince you this is nothing to be concerned about. At the end of the article is the list of all cities and towns that have signed up for UNAgenda 21. They people who support UNAgenda 21 are told to campaign to win a seat on your city council and chamber of commerce.
http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/48898?utm_source=CFP+Mailout&utm_campaign=2a147e4362-Call_to_Champions&utm_medium=email
"I don't usually go around worrying what other people think about me Steve. Do you?"
I care deeply about how people think of you, Hutch. I'm a very caring person.
Good grief Anon 242.
Thanks Steve. Ditto.
I don't care.
"The reason why nothing will ever be allowed to develop or rebuild is because Pacifica has signed up for Agenda 21."
People get all worked up about the dumbest things.
".. nothing will ever be allowed to develop or rebuild is because Pacifica has signed up for Agenda 21" Anonymous 2:42 PM.
Sustainable development bothers you, Anonymous? We don't have sustainable development in Pacifica, we have less than that.
And for those who want more direct education here's the 1991 United Nations Agenda 21 document guidelines. More general information about Agenda 21 is also available on Wikipedia.
Maybe its climate change that bothers you and the scientists Anonymous? I'm sure most people on our city council, our Chamber of Commerce, and our public are also concerned about both issues.
World population is currently estimated at over 7 billion people and growing. Climate change is happening, the earth is getting warmer. The warmer weather has been enjoyable this summer compared to last summer.
What about PSD?
The only one of you time wasters and spam spewers that I see at council is Kathy Meeh.
The rest of you lumps on the log just sit around and post and whine online
Get off your asses and go to council.
Strenght in numbers! Do you think the hippies would have bankrupted the town if 20,30 people came to council every meeting and spoke. Hell NO!
Campbell is Vreeland's Mini-Me.
If you liked Vreeland you'll love Campbell.
anon 403 it really depends on which 20 or 30.
Mike, preaching to the choir.
"The rest of you lumps, etc." Anonymous 4:03 PM
Thanks for the showing-up at city council meetings recognition, but I'm one of the humps. Haven't been to city council for a long time. Anyhow several of the anonymous comment posters have been attending city council meetings, some speak. The same people and others are involved in all all kinds of productive work in an effort to change/improve this city.
Isn't Campbell taller than Vreeland?
Has anyone heard Campbell voice his position on any of the issues? Or any of the candidates for that matter? I want to hear what they say before I decide on whom will win my vote.
Well Digre always says she supports economic development. Campbell may say the same. Does that help.
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