MORE in - The Spectrum Magazine - Redwood City's Monthly ...

Once again I am looking into my crystal ball to
give me some direction as I try to predict results
of the local races that our community will be
voting on this Nov. 2. It looks a little foggy and
the crystals have not settled down, but I think I
can see through all the campaign rhetoric and tell
you what you will be reading on Nov. 3.
The county supervisor race between former
Sheriff Don Horsley and Coastside resident April
Vargas will go in the direction of Horsley. The only
question is how much of the vote he will gather.
In the race for county treasurer–tax collector,
between Deputy Treasurer–Tax Collector Sandie
Arnott and Dave Mandelkern, Arnott will win
and, in the process, upset the unions that are
working so strongly for Mandelkern.
The Sequoia Healthcare District Board race has
seven candidates vying for three seats. Among
those running are incumbents Art Faro and Jack
Hickey.Also running are business owner and
Redwood City resident Alpio Barbara, health
care professional Ruth West-Gorrin, retired
engineer Frederick Graham, physician Jerry
Shefren and businessman Michael Stogner.
This race is a hard one to call because there are
so many different scenarios that could happen
depending on voter awareness. Hickey is running
with candidates Graham and Stogner, and if elected
they want to dissolve the district, while Barbara,
Faro and Shefren are in an unofficial slate to keep it going.
West-Gorrin is also a proponent of continuing the district.
Political watchers have underestimated Hickey
before, and given the fact that his slate is spending
money this election on mailers, newspaper ads
and literature, he is serious in his attempts. On the
other hand, the slate that wants to save the district
is doing much the same but has done mailings to a
broader numbers of targeted voters.
Voters are confused about the issue of dissolving
the district, but once it is explained that the taxes
currently collected would continue being collected
if the district were to dissolve, and that those
taxes would go to the state, it makes a tremendous
difference. I think the only way this issue will be
resolved is though a future ballot initiative.
So, given all that, and taking into account voter
intelligence and information, I would go out on
a limb and say that incumbents Hickey and Faro
will win, with Barbara gaining the third spot. It
must be noted that those three candidates were the
only ones to submit statements in the voter guide.
When I write about voter intelligence, I am
focusing on voters who vote because of a ballot
designation. For instance, Shefren is a physician
and West-Gorrin a health care professional. Will
voters vote just based on that, since it is a health
care district? If so, the whole scenario could
change, as would the results.
www.SpectrumMagazine.net
As I Was
Saying…
In the San Mateo County Harbor District race,
current Commissioner Jim Tucker is looking to
hold on to his seat, while newcomers Sabrina
Brennan, William Klear and Robert Bernardo
are vying for the position being vacated by Ken
Lundie. Tucker and Brennan will win.
Measure U is a charter amendment by the
County of San Mateo. Voters want a say in who
is representing them and will pass this measure.
Measure N is a bond for the Belmont–
Redwood Shores School District that needs a
55-percent approval to pass. It will pass easily.
Measure M is a vehicle registration fee for
the County of San Mateo. “Shall the Congestion
Management Agency for San Mateo County levy
a $10 registration fee, for 25 years, on vehicles
registered in San Mateo County?” Voters will tell
the Board of Supervisors to get to work and stop
asking us for more money. Won’t pass.
.…
Halle-julia! (that’s her daughters name) stated
Councilwoman Rosanne Foust when she heard
that county supervisors had voted 5-0 to consider
building a new jail on Chemical Way rather than
at the “motor pool” site at the current Maguire
Correctional Facility near downtown. You may
remember the discussion was started under her
leadership as mayor, and a strong stance against
a new jail downtown was established. Current
Mayor Jeff Ira continued that effort and has
mastered a great alternative site. Even though it is
still in Redwood City, it is not downtown.
As proposed, the new jail would have 768
beds and require some 145 additional employees.
County Sheriff Greg Munks estimates needing
$18 million in operating costs. But remember it
also has an estimated jail construction price tag of
$150 million. Let me just say now that the county
will have to try to pass a voter-approved bond or
special taxes to pay for all this. Not to mention the
operating costs once it is completed, which will
be more in the range of $20 million.
A year ago, I wrote that the final location for
the new jail would be “off Maple Street by the
Redwood City police station” and it is. Now I
will predict that the jail will never be built. How
can it be, given all the costs involved? There are
also still lingering doubts that a new jail is even
needed. With two new county supervisors being
seated within the next five months, the momentum
of support for a new jail will undoubtedly change.
In an article written for the Daily Journal
newspaper about the new jail location,
Councilman Jeff Gee stated, “Adding a new
county jail on Chemical Way could help boost the
area.” He also said, “Adding new infrastructure
to that part of town will hopefully energize it.”
Publisher | Steve Penna
Which leads one to ask the question, if a new jail
would “boost and energize” the area, why not
build it downtown, because we all know that is
still needed there? Ah, freshman councilmembers,
you never know what they are going to say.
Sounds like he is still campaigning to me.
There is nothing “boosting or energizing” about
having a jail in your neighborhood. That is why
those working against it did so.
In typical political posturing, Vice President Joe
Biden and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., caused
traffic backups and used local law enforcement
resources without compensation to meet with 16
third-graders from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the
Peninsula’s “Center for a New Generation” after-school
program at Taft School in the Fair Oaks neighborhood.
Normally I would say, what a great event
and experience for some of the youth in our
community and our community as a whole. And it
is. But this is election time and Boxer seems to be
in some trouble in the polls. Granted, the school’s
program receives roughly $112,000 annually in
21st Century funds, a program the senator has
been involved in. So she should be interested in
its progress and visit. But why now? I don’t need
to answer that at all, do I?
Had I been in the company of two powerful
elected officials like Biden and Boxer and been
interested in improving the lives of students here,
I would have had a few things to say and it would
not have been, “Can I stroke your back?”
It would go something like this: The Redwood
City School District has faced many challenges in
the last several years as state funding has steadily
dwindled. Over the past four years, they have cut
more than $14 million, including $7.1 million
from the 2010–11 budget alone. In 2007–08, they
educated around 8,000 students with about $78
million; in 2010–11, they will educate more than
9,100 students with about $71 million.
I would also point out that the district receives
less money per student than most districts
surrounding them, and we can’t convince a
majority of our community to pass a bond or
parcel tax to help them out. What can either, or
both, of you do to help them out? Will you come
back and visit us when we need you, given the fact
that we helped you possibly win your election?
I don’t need to answer that at all, do I? Go vote!
As I was saying…
.…