Mon 22 Mar 2010
Commentary: City Council Voter Guide for the Disenfranchised
Posted by admin under City of Santa Clarita , elections , Local , Media , Politics [4] Comments
I have given long hard thought to what would be the best possible outcome for the Santa Clarita City Council election. Over the last several weeks I have listened to, spoken with and read interviews about many of the candidates. Essentially, I was doing my best to get as full a picture of the candidates as possible so that The Beacon, as one of the SCV media outlets, could, in effect, make a reasonably intelligent endorsement.
Last Monday evening I was even invited to a private fundraiser for the three incumbents and I showed up to hear what they had to say regardless of the fact that I have been quite critical of some. Needless to say a number of folks, including the incumbents, were surprised to see me there and even mentioned this blog several times when they spoke. I actually thanked Laurie Ender for referencing The Beacon but somehow I don’t think she appreciated that!
Nonetheless, I did do my homework and after discussing with some colleagues here is what we have concluded; the Beacon is endorsing David Gauney, TimBen Boydston and Laurene Weste. In a perfect world, this would be the outcome of the April 13, 2010 Santa Clarita City Council election.
Here is why The Beacon is endorsing these three candidates:
- David Gauny has proven that he has the leadership chops and communication skills to be an effective City Council member. He is someone that will be able to facilitate change and rebuild the integrity of the City Council while representing City residents. We also believe that Gauny will have a positive effect on relations with the County and the unincorporated communities in the Santa Clarita Valley which is something the current City Council has proven they are unwilling to do. David is smart, politically savvy, and thick-skinned enough to handle the job at hand on the Santa Clarita City Council. If there were just one new face on the City Council we believe it should be David Gauny.
- TimBen Boydston had made many people nervous around town when he was appointed to the City Council to finish out Cameron Smyth’s term. Yes, there were some political missteps on his part but we think he deserves another shot on the City Council. He is a creative thinker and a genuinely good person. TimBen has the ability to bring a different perspective to the Santa Clarita City Council and that is healthy for any organization. Although we do not agree with some of his views, we do believe that his heart is in the right place and that he will represent many city residents who feel disenfranchised by the current City Council. We also know that he would be willing and able to improve relations with the County and the unincorporated communities in the Santa Clarita Valley which will ultimately be beneficial the entire Santa Clarita Valley.
- Laurene Weste is a person who has done a lot of good for the entire Santa Clarita Valley and has done it with decorum. Laurene was a major force in helping to save historic Mentryville, which is the first oil town in California, located in the unincorporated west side area. She is also a supporter of the local arts community, has done much in preserving open space, and is the one incumbent who has been reasonably respectful to residents that have come before the City Council. One thing that bugged us about Laurene, though, is a piece of property that she owns and apparently wants to sell to the City. She needs to be completely above board about any current or future transaction; total transparency. Politicians must be held to a higher standard. Of the three incumbents Laurene Weste is the only one that we wouldn’t mind seeing re-elected to the City Council for another term.
Those are our picks. Granted this scenario may be a long shot to some but stranger things have happened. A lot of people are claiming that will never happen or at best one of the incumbents would be knocked off the Council. I disagree! I think that if voters are angry enough, pissed off enough and/or mad as hell and not going to take it anymore there could actually be a chance at an upset.
By the way, the reason the City of Santa Clarita holds its elections in April is precisely because it is so out of sync with the normal State and National election cycles of June and November that it all but guarantees low voter turnout. This is why the incumbents always seem to get reelected; most voters are not in tune with these elections which only come every two years. Thereby you have 10 or 12% of registered voters controlling the outcome of these elections. If 30 or 40% of the registered voters turned up there is absolutely a chance for a seismic shift in the outcome of the Santa Clarita City council election.
Anything is possible but the voters have to vote! It is completely up to the residents, the disenfranchised, and the angry or outraged who can make a difference on April 13. Close off your mind to the negative hit pieces or untrue comments that are being hurled at the candidates; pay no attention to the smear tactics that will be perpetrated by some of the incumbents in the waning days of the election.
Instead, talk to your friends, neighbors and/or your co-workers and get them to vote. Give them a copy of this commentary or send them the link to this site. The more information you have the better and more informed decision you will be able to make. Remember, you have the right to vote and to exact change in our valley community.
The bottom-line, regardless of who you vote for, it’s important that you vote. The higher the turnout the more legitimate the election results will be!
Dave Bossert- commentary
Dave Bossert is a community volunteer who serves on a number of boards and councils. His commentaries represent his own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization he may be affiliated with or those of the West Ranch Beacon.
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:36 pm
Dave: You’ve got one fact wrong concerning Laurene Weste. You said “One thing that bugged us about Laurene, though, is a piece of property that she owns and apparently wants to sell to the City. She needs to be completely above board about any current or future transaction; total transparency. Politicians must be held to a higher standard. Of the three incumbents Laurene Weste is the only one that we wouldn’t mind seeing re-elected to the City Council for another term.”
The reality is very simple. Laurene owns a lot, which contains her home, and which is located on a street leading into Placerita Canyon. She has owned her home and lived there for at least the 15 years I’ve known her.
The city staff plans on connecting Lyons Avenue to Placerita Canyon at some point in the future. They plan on putting the road right through Laurene’s home. Will they run the road through the front of the property where her animals are? Will they run the road smack dab through her house? Will they run the road behind her house? Will they run the road next to her house? The city staff simply will not commit where there are going to put the road.
Laurene and her husband DO NOT want to sell their home or its land. They like things the way they are. In fact, they could have made a good deal of money, selling their property to a developer “during the boom” but no developer in their right mind would commit to buying their home and its land unless the city staff would commit to where the roadway would go. The city staff wouldn’t.
I am sure you would not be thrilled if Los Angeles County announced they were going to put a road through your lot, but wouldn’t commit where or when. That is exactly the position Laurene finds herself in. She doesn’t want to sell her home or her land where she keeps her animals.
The misinformation you have posted is being spewed by a mentally unbalanced realtor who lives in Placerita Canyon. The Fair Political Practices Commission has already reviewed this nutball woman’s complaint about Laurene, and has dismissed it as junk.
In the future, before you do a subtle slam on someone, you should check your facts by talking to that person directly. You DID NOT personally talk to Laurene about you allegations, either at the social event you refer to, or at any other time.
March 22nd, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Thank you for your note and your perspective on my Weste property comments. You did however misinterpret my comments. They were not a “subtle slam” but rather a comment on if she does sell her property to the City that it should be transparent. To that end, if she doesn’t wish to sell the property then there is no issue! Except of course if the City decides to use eminent domain to take the property which hasn’t worked out so well for the City on other properties in recent years……………….
Regardless, we are still endorsing Laurene because she is basically a good person.
Thank you,
-Dave
March 22nd, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Laurene owns several parcels of property in this area. More than just the one her home sits upon.
Where the roads run is inconsequential because any development there will affect the values of these properties substantially. Will she make $8 million? $10 million? If you care to bicker over these questions, you may have a point.
Ms Weste has lied to the public. Minutes of meetings where she was present and voted have been expunged; there are multiple witnesses.
While Ms Weste may have accomplished much, she has done so with mob-style tactics. The No-Waste diaper idea and lies about Open Space fund usage. The Open Space campaign iteslf was funded by force and only those Weste selected were invited to the celebration – paid for by whom?
Please don’t lecture any of us about Weste’s character. She is aligned with some of the worst cronies in this town. Friends as thick as thieves.
March 26th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Sarah:
The misinformation you have posted is being spewed by a mentally unbalanced realtor who lives in Placerita Canyon. The Fair Political Practices Commission has already reviewed this nutball woman’s complaint about Laurene, and has dismissed it as junk.
If you have documents which substantiate what you have to say, go ahead and file a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission.
The FPPC is in Sacramento, and frankly they have no political agenda in Santa Clarita.
They fined the committee chairman who ran the “Yes” committee for the Hart District’s Bond Measure.
They fined Barbara Dore, Newhall County Water District, for failing to file campaign finance reports.
So if you have any evidence that Laurene has acted illegally, file it with the FPPC.
Or are you just another political operative who loves to spout rhetoric, but cannot back up the rhetoric with evidence and thereby are afraid that the FPPC will shut you down too?