McFreedom
Politics, Guns, Law and TechSunday, October 31, 2004
San Carlos, CA Local Election Info
- President and Vice President of the United States
- I figure most people already have an opinion on this one...
- United States Senator
- Up for reelection this time is Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer. Much like Dianne Feinstein, there are very few things I agree with her on. Her primary challenger is Republican Bill Jones ("Farmer/Businessman"), with whom I don't agree about everything, but he'd be better than Barbara. There's no question Boxer will win - she's leading by 16 points in the polls. A glance at the Libertarian candidate - a Judge, surprisingly - reveals a naive foreign policy "It?s very simple: Neutrality, free trade and strong, responsible defense." The age of American neutrality even being possible ended about 125 years ago. McFreedom Votes Bill Jones for Senate.
- United States Representative, 12th Congressional District
- Tom Lantos is the Democratic incumbent, and through the miracle of Gerrymandering, this district stretches up to western San Francisco. Normally I'm all about sending Democratic Congressmen back to San Francisco, but Tom Lantos was a resistance fighter in Hungary during World War II, and he seems to get the magnitude of our current struggle. The Green Party candidate (Pat Gray) is running against Lantos' war record: "[Lantos is] an old warmonger...Mister Lantos is popularly known as the representative from Tel Aviv." Those are foreign policy credentials I can get behind, and Mr. Lantos' pro-war stand is unpopular in his district; he's clearly doing it because he thinks it's right, not for temporary gain. McFreedom Votes Tom Lantos for Congress.
- California State Senator, 11th Senate District
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The incumbent is Joe Simitian. His website has precious little about what he'd like to accomplish (other than being reelected). His past accomplishments (if you drill down from that vague page) aren't many I'm impressed by - coauthored the California "global warming" bill, tried to make it easier to raise taxes, tried to send more of San Carlos' money to other education districts... On the plus side, he seems to be a strong supporter of gay rights. He's endorsed by Pelosi, NOW, California Federation of Teachers, California State Employees Association...
His Republican opponent is Jon Zellhoefer (warning: hideously ugly website). His "issues" page is light on content, and he stands little chance in this overwhelmingly Democratic district. He seems a lightweight.
The Libertarian, Allen M. Rice, actually seems to have his head screwed on straight. For example, he doesn't want to end public funding of schools, he just wants to return money and control to local districts. He's concerned about Gerrymandering. He'll no doubt lose, but McFreedom Votes Rice for State Senate.
- Member of the State Assembly, 21st Assembly District
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There's no incumbent in this race, and no third-party candidates. Ira Ruskin, the Democrat, wants you to download a book to find out his stand on the issues. No thanks, I've already spent many hours on this election, already. He has the laundry list of leftist endorsements. In the voter information booklet they mailed out, he only runs down his positions on the Propositions, but it's almost a perfect mirror image of the McFreedom positions.
The Republican is Steve Poizner, a self-described "frustrated moderate Republican." He also wants us to download an 84-page PDF to find his stands on the issues. He's endorsed by the governor, and, running not against an incumbent, may have some chance of actually winning. Skimming his positions, they don't seem revolutionary, but they don't seem objectionable, either. He's endorsed by the Log Cabin Republicans, so he's not a Neanderthal. McFreedom Votes Poizner for Member of the State Assembly.
- San Mateo County Board of Education Member, Trustee Area 4
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Unfortunately, all of the local board memberships are "nonpartisan," which means you don't get to see the candidates' party affiliation on the ballot. No doubt this means that most people - who are rationally ignorant on the topic of who would make the best Harbor commissioner - simply don't vote on these.
The two main candidates for this seat are "Fel" Amistad and John Belforte. They both mostly offer generic commentary on what they'd do, and both are endorsed by various Democratic groups. But John says he would bring "responsiveness and dedication to provide leadership in meeting our educational needs during a period of uncertain educational funding," and I do think our schools around here are doing pretty well, with their biggest challenge being funding, so McFreedom Votes Belforte for Trustee, Area 4.
- San Mateo County Board of Education Member, Trustee Area 6
- This race is clearer: Ted Lempert, the incumbent, against Jack Hickey, the Libertarian nutjob. As I said, our school board is doing a pretty good job, so when I have to choose between "incumbent who's doing a good job" and "Libertarian whose platform is that we spend too much on education at the local level," McFreedom Votes Lempert for Trustee, Area 6.
- San Mateo County Board of Education Member, Trustee Area 7
- Again, a two horse race: Memo P. Morantes, Incumbant vs. Noria Zasslow, Disabled Advocate. Ms. Zassslow's sole platform is that we need more disabled access to schools. McFreedom Votes Morantes for Trustee, Area 7.
- San Mateo County Harbor District Members, Board of Harbor
- Who knows, and who cares? You're supposed to pick three. Padreddii, Parravano and Campbell are the incumbents. If you're happy with the way the harbor is run, vote for them. If you're not, vote for some other people. Or, if you have no idea about the harbor and wonder why the positions aren't appointed, you can follow our lead: McFreedom Abstains for San Mateo County Harbor District Members.
- Sequoia Healthcare District Members, Board of Directors
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Finally, one that's interesting. A long time ago, the Sequoia Healthcare District was set up to collect taxes to pay for a hospital on the Peninsula. That hospital is Sequoia Hospital, which was sold to Catholic Healthcare West, a private firm, eight years ago. So, why does this still exist and collect taxes? Hmmm...good question. Thus far they've seemed mostly interested in either sitting on a mountain of cash, or giving buckets of cash to CHW. Kane, an incumbent, brags that she "gave over $10 million dollars to Sequoia Hospital..." Yup, that's right - they took your tax money, gave it to a private firm to buy equipment so that private firm can charge you money, and she's proud of it!
The district is sitting on $50 million right now, and there are two people who are interested in doing something about it: The Libertarian candidates, Gibson and Sigler, vow to "close down the District, stop the taxes, and return the hoard to the taxpayers." Now that's a platform McFreedom can get behind! Remember, though, that these positions are "unaffiliated" - no party names on the ballot. So you'll just have to recall yourself that McFreedom Votes Gibson and Sigler for sequoia Healthcare District, and you should, too!
- County of San Mateo Measure A
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Measure A is a tough one - San Mateo's half-cent sales tax is expiring in 2008. This measure is a 25-year extension that is expected to raise $1.5 billion dollars to improve transportation in San Mateo County. It must pass at 2/3 approval, since it's a tax measure. Here's how they're planning on spending the money:
- Transit 30% ($450 Million)
- Highways 27.5% ($412.5 Million)
- Local Streets/Transportation 22.5% ($337.5 Million)
- Grade Separations 15% ($225 Million)
- Pedestrian and Bicycle 3% ($45 Million)
- Alternative Congestion Relief Programs 1% ($15 Million)
McFreedom Votes No on Measure A, and hopes we'll get a better measure in 2006.
- County of San Mateo Measure B
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Now we get into the middle of a bunch of San Mateo internal government restructuring Measures. This one is to amend the county's hiring policy to replace the word "handicapped" with "disabled" (as it is the currently favored term), add in some meaningless drivel about "serv[ing] the County's diverse population," which bothered me at first, but seems to have no real legislative point, and to add "sexual orientation" to the list of things they can't discriminate against hires on the basis of.
McFreedom Votes Yes on Measure B.
- County of San Mateo Measure C
- Currently, an Acting County Manager (in case of unexpected departure of the current County Manager) must be appointed from the existing employees of the county. This measure would make it so they could hire anyone, which makes sense to me. McFreedom votes Yes on Measure C.
- County of San Mateo Measure D
- This measure would reclassify some temporary employees as being under a more permanent status. Unfortunately I'm not clear what the costs are of this, but it seems harmless enough and I'm willing to give the County the benefit of the doubt, so McFreedom Votes Yes on Measure D.
- County of San Mateo Measure E
- Measure E would allow the County Board of Supervisors to request that a Grand Jury review their salary once a year and recommend if they should get raises. The point seems to be to give themselves political cover for deciding their own salaries, and seems likely to waste the Grand Jury's time. McFreedom Votes No on Measure E.
- Sequoia Union High School District Measure H
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This measure would issue $70M in bonds for school improvements. That's on top of the $45M in bonds in '96, and $88M in bonds in '01. The new bonds will be paid for by maintaining the current $24/$100k assessed value property tax over the next ten years; normally that rate would decline as we paid off the previous bonds.
My main complaint with this is the funding method - we've borrowed $133M in the past eight years, and this adds another $70M onto that. If this were a simple measure to increase property taxes to provide more funding, I'd be a lot less reticent about it, but I hate wasting tax money on bond interest. Since it's a school bond, it will require 55% approval. McFreedom Votes Yes on Measure H, because it probably makes sense. But don't expect to get another school bond out of us any time soon.
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