McPherson to Hold Constituent Meetings in SLV

Press Release from the Fifth District Supervisors office:

         Fifth District Supervisor Bruce McPherson has announced a constituent meeting schedule for the month of January.  McPherson will hold regular constituent meetings at the Sheriff's San Lorenzo Valley Community Service Center, 6059 Highway 9 in Felton, on the first three Wednesdays of every month.  Those meetings will be held from noon until 2:00 p.m. on a first-come, first served basis.  The meetings will be in the conference room of the Service Center/California Department of Forestry building.  The first two will be held on January 16, 2013, and January 23, 2013.

          On the last Wednesday of each month, Supervisor McPherson will hold an evening constituent meeting at various locations in the district.  The first evening meeting will be held Wednesday, January 30, 2013, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Boulder Creek Museum, 12547 Highway 9, Boulder Creek.

Taking The Fifth: Top Ten Reasons I'm Voting for Eric Hammer

Not a Letterman list and in no particular order, here are ten reasons I'll be casting my vote for Eric Hammer for the County Board of Supervisors for the 5th District:

1. He’s local.  Eric lives in the San Lorenzo Valley.  He was born and raised here, went to the local schools, played in the local parks.  Now he’s raising his family here.  He drives on our roads, shops in our stores, and enjoys and suffers all of the same things the rest of us in SLV enjoy and suffer.  I like the fact that I see him all over the Valley, if I want to complain about something or share my opinion I can do it in person.

2.  He’s a Democrat.  Eric shares the predominant values of the community regarding the environment, human rights, and economic justice.

3.  He has a work ethic.  Eric is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and go to work.  He doesn’t ask anyone to do anything he’s not willing and ready to do himself.

4.  He’s realistic.  Eric understands that you can’t just call Sacramento and expect someone else to solve a problem.  

5.  He’s transparent.  You might not always agree with him but you can count on him to let you know how he feels and why.

6.  He respects the past but represents the future.  Eric knows how close SLV came to becoming overrun by developers, how fragile the watershed is and how much the river needs to be protected. He turns 44 on Saturday.  

7.  He’s respected by the community.   Eric has stood for election twice and won both times with overwhelming support.  His colleagues elected him chair and all support his election to Supervisor.  State Assemblymembers Bill Monning and Luis Alejo have endorsed him. All five directors of the SLV Water District support him as does the Superintendent of Schools, a number of the current fire chiefs and district trustees as well as a host of other local community leaders. Check out the partial list of endorsers here: http://www.hammerforsupervisor.com/?q=whos_with_us

8.  He has a vision.  As a builder, he understands the need to upgrade our existing housing stock to make it more environmentally sound.

9.  He’s pragmatic.  He knows you build from the ground up not the top down.

10.  He’s collaborative. He understands that you have to bring people together in conversation in order to move forward and that not everyone, himself included, can always get exactly what they want.

Taking The Fifth: McPherson Sets Campaign Fundraising Record

Financial disclosure statements made public last week show that Bruce McPherson, candidate for County Supervisor, has amassed over $118,000 in campaign contributions, more than twice his nearest rival for the 5th District seat and more than all of the other candidates in the other two district races combined.  

The former Sentinel editor has easily broken all spending records for a local Santa Cruz County campaign however little of the money raised seems to have come from voters in the 5th District.   Less than $3,000 came from residents in the communities along the Hwy 9 corridor: Felton, Ben Lomond, Brookdale and Boulder Creek.  Scotts Valley residents account for less than 5% of his total.  

Eric Hammer’s campaign disclosed $47,023 raised through the filing deadline of May 17th.  Zach Friend running in the 2nd District reported raising $49,223 and John Leopold in the 1st District had contributions totaling $21,173.

McPherson, the Pasatiempo Republican and former state legislator, is hoping to become the first Santa Cruz resident ever to represent the predominantly San Lorenzo Valley District. He would also be the first Republican elected since 1978 when Pat Liberty won the seat in a recall election with 35% of the vote.

Since entering politics in 1993, McPherson has competed in over a dozen races, raising close to $7 million in the process.   In 2002, while serving in the State Senate he ran for and won the Republican primary for Lt Governor and despite raising $2.7 million he lost in the general election.  In 2006, as the appointed, incumbent Secretary of State, he ran for and won the GOP’s primary but again, after raising over $2 million, he lost in the general election.

The Supervisors election will likely be decided on Tuesday.  Although four candidates names will appear on the ballot it has become a two person race between McPherson and Hammer.  Susan Weber never actively campaigned but withdrew too late for her name to be removed.  Bill Smallman has been actively seeking support but seems to have gained little traction.  To avoid a November runoff a candidate needs 50% plus one vote to become Supervisor.

Taking the Fifth: McPherson and The Million Dollar Question

On Wednesday night 5th District Supervisor candidate Bruce McPherson joined Sleepy John Sandidge on KZSC.  Comedian Richard Stockton was in the studio for the first half hour and then Sandidge and McPherson discussed local politics and took calls for the remainder of the show.

Check out Part 1 of my account here.

McPherson is justifiably proud of his participation on the boards of local non-profits, he singled out his involvement with 2nd Harvest Food Bank, the Marine Exploration Center and the Tannery Arts Center.  He said cultural and arts activities account for as much as $30 million in the local economy.

Before getting to the call in questions John posed a hypothetical to his guest essentially asking how to control speeders on the rural roads in the county.  McPherson spoke about  the need for more patrols to slow down traffic.  He said the Sheriff’s department would be his top priority.  He then said that currently there were only two patrols per shift to cover the San Lorenzo Valley and parts of Bonny Doon.  He offered a suggestion that electronic speed indicators might be an idea but expressed doubt on their effectiveness; message boards alerting people to accidents or hazards might be a good idea he thought; then he recalled a story he remembered that if people drove 55 on Hwy 17 they would get over the hill within 2 minutes of those driving faster.  Sandidge pointed out that the speed limit was 50 mph.

When Sandidge brought up the Sentinel, McPherson shared the story about how the paper first came into the family in 1864. When his ancestors, who had migrated to the gold fields from Scotland by way of New York and then came to Santa Cruz to pursue logging his grandfather Duncan took a half interest in the paper for $900.  McPherson thought the paper became less conservative when his brother Fred took over as publisher and he became a writer, eventually working his way from the sports desk to editor.

Sandidge was critical of paper’s move out of Santa Cruz,(which happened after the paper was sold to a New York publisher).  Bruce defended the current Sentinel news staff and said it was one of the top newspapers among it’s size in the state.  “There are some good folks over there.  I think they’re doing very well.”

Sandidge tried to draw McPherson out on why, after 118 years in the family, the brothers decided to get out of the business.  “It must have been weird selling the paper.” he asked.

McPherson would only offer that “It was very difficult.”  He said the business was different now pointing out in particular the decline in classified advertising pages.

Sandidge also brought up the fact that the family once owned KSCO but beyond saying that his father preferred print to broadcast he had little to say.  He did agree that current talk radio seems to “feed the fire” that is among the reasons why there is so much partisanship today.

When Sandidge went to the phone for questions from listeners the first was about the effects of Proposition 13 and on whether or not the way the law conflated residential and commercial property was appropriate.  

McPherson acknowledged that the measure, passed in 1978, has had a dramatic effect on local government.  He said it is probably “unrealistic” to think it could be changed.  “It would be a very difficult thing to do” he said.  He also implied businesses might suffer from a change in how commercial property was assessed.

The next call came from a resident of Ben Lomond who claimed that as a candidate, McPherson has called the Sheriff’s office, the roads, building a Library in Felton; putting a bike trail from Felton to the school and perhaps from Boulder Creek to Santa Cruz; improving the bus system, support of Planned Parenthood and other non-profits; all “top priorities” of the former state legislator.

McPherson replied at length about these and other needs he intended to fight for if elected and when pressed by the caller to say where the money would come from his answer was “That’s the million dollar question.”  Pressed further he said “Maybe we can look at the sales tax.” He also thinks creating a better climate for new businesses would boost the economy and increase revenues for local government.

The next caller wanted to know what could be done about unscrupulous landlords who were building illegal units, running extension cords to provide power to outbuildings or renting out RV’s.
and trailers that overtaxed already failing septic systems.

McPherson responded by talking about “strict planning policies” and wondered why there hadn’t been enforcement. He wanted to know if the caller had filed any complaints.  “I’m interested to hear what you have to say.”  he said.

Sandidge pointed out that there were likely hundreds of similar situations and that it would be next to impossible for the short staffed county to address them.

Both McPherson and Sandidge tried to help a caller who was distressed that a planned refinishing of the Derby Park skate board ramps was to proceed without public input.  A subsequent caller pointed out that it was a city, not a county park and that the ramps were in need of repair.

Another caller wanted to know how McPherson felt about private management for the Simpkins Center.  McPherson said we should look at it.

A caller from Boulder Creek told about his situation involving a building which had burned down on a small site that he owned but that he was unable to get permission to rebuild.  McPherson thought he should have that right.  “I don’t think government should be punitive.  We should respect private property rights.”

The show ended with Mr McPherson saying how much he loved this part of politics, listening to the people.

Sandidge said that would have McPherson’s main opponent, Eric Hammer on a subsequent show.

Taking the Fifth: Sleepy John, The Surfing Senator and Planet Cruz

Whether by design or serendipity, Sleepy John Sandidge had comedian Richard Stockton and politician Bruce McPherson together in the studio at KZSC 88.1 FM Wednesday night for what was a free wheeling and thoroughly entertaining show.

Stockton was pretty funny, he plugged his latest project “Are We There Yet?”; stories about his experience as a baby boomer from Bakersfield coming of age in the Bay Area and Santa Cruz  (He told a great story about meeting Janis Joplin when he was 18.)    Between pot and sex jokes, Sleepy John brought Mr. McPherson, who is 69 and trying to get elected to the Board of Supervisors, into the conversation.  McPherson is not quite a baby boomer but he has fond memories of the 60’s.  He said he especially liked the “cool cars” and also mentioned "the music" and all "the changes".

He told a story about the Regents deciding between Alviso and Santa Cruz for the UC campus..  Evidently we were lucky that it was sunny in Santa Cruz and smoggy in Alviso on the day they chose to visit the proposed sites.



McPherson whose family owned the Sentinel for 118 years spoke about how the University changed the town.  “It was all crew cuts and saddle shoes,” he said.  “It was a very conservative town.  We saw the University as a cash cow.”



Stockton talked about his enlightenment and transformation during the Vietnam era.  McPherson talked about Nixon changing the voting age to 18.  “That turned things upside down.  That really changed politics in Santa Cruz.” he said.



Bruce told Richard that he knew a lot of his “cohorts from Bakersfield” from his own days as a student - and football player - at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Richard told Bruce that the smog was so bad in Bakersfield that "when you throw a frisbee it sticks."

Bruce said he didn't think any of his friends still lived in Bakersfield.  



Stockton, will be a featured performer at this summer’s Fringe Festival with an appearance at the Actors Theatre on July 15th. He produced 20 plus episodes of the Planet Cruz radio show and is friends with Zach Friend who is also running for Supervisor. He wanted to know how he was doing?  

McPherson said "Zach is looking real good."

Stockton left after a half hour and Sleepy John turned to McPherson and asked him right off, "Why?"  

“Why not?”  was McPherson's eventual response along with his stump bio: 4th generation, 26 yrs at the Sentinel; 13 in politics, lots of working with non-profits, public service, form of giving; experience, knowledge, contacts.

Sleepy John:  “In politics It really is who you know, right?


McPherson:  “Absolutely.  The counties are really an arm of the state government.  I can pick up the phone and call the Governor’s office, or some of the legislators, or the departments and they’re going to call back.”


Sleepy John:  “Like the Department of Natural Resources?”
(laughter)


McPherson:  “John (Laird) is doing a fantastic job up there.  He’s really busy. I know he likes that, the more you give him the more he likes it.”

(Check back for part II where Sleepy John and the Surfing Senator try to solve a Santa Cruz City skateboard park dilemna; discuss the Marine Sanctuary Center, The Tannery Arts Center, the Simpkins Center, the Sentinel, KSCO, and a lot more.)

Taking The Fifth: Supe Candidates Face-Off in 1st Forum

Thanks to Wendy Sigmund, publisher of the new Boulder Creek Bulletin, for allowing us to share this account by Valerie White of the Valley Women's Club/League of Women Voters Candidate Forum held last week. If you haven't yet seen the new print publication (the 4th issue is out now) you can find it at most BC merchants. It's chock full of news and info focused on the people and events in Boulder Creek. I was present at the forum and I think Ms White does a credible job of reporting on the event. It is obviously not a verbatim transcript but I think it fairly represents the questions and responses. The account is unedited and first appeared in the April 14th edition of the Boulder Creek Bulletin (Vol 1:4).

Update: Valerie White contacted me and provided her original story which contains a different version of one of Eric Hammer's responses regarding the proposed desal plant in Santa Cruz. The version which went to print could leave the impression that Hammer supports the Santa Cruz Water Dept proposal which is not the case. I've edited the text below to reflect her original account.

Three Candidates For County Supervisor Debate

By Valerie White

Last Wednesday evening, April 11, the three remaining candidates for the 5th District County Supervisor position held a debate at the SLV High School hosted by the Valley Women’s Club.  The auditorium was packed and people were given cards to fill out for questions to ask the candidates. Bill Smallman began by saying that the wrong candidates are being elected and that they are sorely lacking goals.  Mr. Smallman stated that his goal is to create a Board of Economic Development.  Bruce Mc Pherson stated that he had been nominated by Arnold Schwarzenegger for Secretary of State and was voted in unanimously.  He also told us that he has been married for 44 years, and that he was an editor and writer for the Sentinel for 26 years.  Eric Hammer said that he is 43 years old and that he believes he has the skills to unite the three communities in this district. He interacts with the public on a daily basis and employs between one and two hundred people at his construction company.
There was a huge stack of questions and time did not allow for all of them to be asked.
Question #1:  What issue do you feel is the most pressing and how will you address it?
Mc Pherson:  My first priority is the economy.  When I went door to door speaking with people in this community, many people told me they were in imminent danger of losing their homes.   I am concerned that this county has no strategy for helping these people.  Another priority is the protection of our natural resources.  And finally, we need to provide more law enforcement and build and repair roads.  
Hammer:  Hammer: Renewable resources. We have a water shortage and the aquifers are being drained. Santa Cruz is talking about building a desalinization plant and we need to work together for a goal.
Smallman:  Roads need to be fixed not by a tax increase but by better budgeting.  We need to conserve water.  I am against a desalinization plant. We need to restrict growth and sprawl.
Question #2: Would you support funding for a new library in Felton?
Hammer:  Yes. I support the ten branch system.  I do not think a Scott’s Valley library alone can fully serve our community.
Mc Pherson:  Yes.  I signed a 4 cent sales tax designed to be used indefinitely for libraries.  I do not want to close any branches.  If elected I would ask for the Felton Library to be built tomorrow.
Smallman:  Yes.  Libraries serve as a learning center for people who can’t afford computers.  I want to have it built, maintained and supported.
Question#3:  Will you support “safe route to school”?
Hammer:  The route is already planned using People Power.  It will go through downtown Felton and then through the back streets.
Smallman:  I was unaware of this plan.  I am in favor of giving access to bikes, but am concerned about other paths going through environmentally sensitive places.
Mc Pherson:  Children deserve no less.
Question #4:  What happened to the Bike and Hike plan from Boulder Creek to the San Lorenzo Park in Santa Cruz?
Smallman:  We have to consider the cost.  We need to spend money where it is most needed.  Stick with the path to and from school, but not new recreational paths.
Mc Pherson:  We can make it happen.  It is a difficult task to take on when we need money for other things.  People need to keep their supervisor informed of their top priorities.
Hammer:  It wasn’t dropped completely.  There were road blocks.  Property owners didn’t want access on their properties.  But there is such a thing as eminent domain.
Question #5: How do you envision use to sustain the environment?
Mc Pherson:  We are a slow growth community.  Most people live here because of that.  I have always been very protective of our environmental resources.  I am the vice chairman for the Marine Center in Santa Cruz.  Environmental protection and jobs can work together, and they do.  In 1902 my great-grandfather helped establish Big Basin as a state park.  I am proud to be a Sempervirens member and intend to maintain Castle Rock as a state park.
Smallman:  We need to have civil engineers and scientists creating pristine environments.  The planning department has a big role in that.
Hammer:  We have a spoken and unspoken slow growth mentality.  We are at a point over the next four years that the general plan will be change.  I would like to see those houses that were built in the thirties and forties in this valley repaired and renovated.
Question #6: Do you support water acquisition in Felton?
Hammer:  Yes, Lompico is having issues and residents are reaching out to SLV for support for a merger. SLV wants to be sure there is consensus.  We need to give Zayante and Lompico some help before there is a draught.
Smallman: Five hundred houses were built in Zayante and Lompico with poor planning.  They built their own infrastructure and it eventually broke down.
Mc Pherson: There would have to be an agreement between San Lorenzo and Lompico.  SLV directors seem to be willing to do that, they just don’t want to be left holding the bag.
Question #7: What is the first step to ensure an adequate water supply in the future?
Mc Pherson: The options are limited.  We have a great aquifer, the most pristine water source.  We have the best record of water conservation in the state.  We may have to do it again.  Another good option is to tie in with one another in a cooperative effort.
Hammer:  Conservation, re-evaluating our building practices, making sacrifices.  We need catchment systems on all buildings.  We need pavement that allows water to soak down.  We need to rip up parking lots and repave.  We need to recharge aquifers.
Smallman:  There is a new type of septic treatment tank, but they are expensive.  The county is doing a bad job managing water pollution.  We can build a reservoir in Scotts Valley.
Question #8: What can we do to improve the situation with the Brookdale Lodge?
Smallman:  The owner needs to be forced to sell or have restrictions and time limits placed upon him to get him on a schedule and get the Brookdale Lodge back in business.  We are starting to lose recognition.
Mc Pherson:  We are dealing with private property rights, but the county needs to force the issue.  We need improvements in county practices.  The Brookdale Lodge is a critical element to tourism in the San Lorenzo Valley.  County can press issues to force the owner into action or get him out of there.  
Hammer:  Someone suggested that it might be used for low cost senior housing.  The county needs to be proactive.  We need to talk to the county, start a conversation with the owner, real estate agents and county counsel and put together a team to attract a buyer.
Question #9: Are you in favor of supporting Planned Parenthood?
Smallman, McPherson, Hammer: Yes.
Question #10: Marijuana, how do we insure safe practices?
Smallman:  Renegade pot farms are a real problem in many state parks.  I have suggested that people be given passes to go into parks that are closed to look for them.  Then rangers can be called when they are found.
Mc Pherson:  Different levels of government levels are working against each other.  There is a use for it, but how to make it work for all levels of law enforcement?  It has to start from the top on down.  We don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on something we are going to lose.
Hammer:  We need to impose the same regulations on it as we do for any other thing, such as erosion control.  It is a huge part of this community.  We need to impose environmental protection and code enforcers and give them the resources.
Question #11: What is the most pressing issue and what would you do about it?
Smallman:  Create a Board of Economic Development.  Secondly, road maintenance
Mc Pherson: Provide more law enforcement safety.  Be more accommodating to our local business community to attract and retain businesses.
Hammer: Better law enforcement and fire protection.  Build a satellite police station in Ben Lomond.
Question #12: Women are underrepresented in the County. How would you change this?
Hammer:  Support the Woman’s Commission adopted worldwide with the sole exception of the United States.  We need to empower women in the community, motivate women leaders and make them feel safe.
Smallman: We don’t want to go backwards and be male dominated; we need to move forward.
Mc Pherson:  We need to listen up, men.  Listen to what the women have to say.
Question #13: What is your major point of difference from the other two candidates?
Mc Pherson: I have a proven track record of getting things done, experience that the other two don’t have.  Experience, knowledge and personal contacts.
Hammer:  My biggest strength is local knowledge of what works right here and right now.  I am able to form partnerships.  I am a multi-tasking project manager.  I can listen, I am approachable and I always follow up on what I say I am going to do.
Smallman:  Job development is the answer, the only realistic plan.  I don’t want to make it confusing.  I am here to work hard.  I am not going on endorsements, I am going on message.  

Taking The Fifth:  Candidates To Finally Face Off in Race to Represent SLV

All politics are local and it doesn’t get any more local for San Lorenzo Valley voters than the Performing Arts Center at the High School this Wednesday April 11th between 7 and 9pm.  The event is free and all voters are encouraged to attend and submit questions they would like addressed by the candidates for the 5th District seat on the County Board of Supervisor.

The three remaining active candidates, Brookdale’s Eric Hammer, Lompico’s Bill Smallman and Pasatiempo’s Bruce McPherson; will have the opportunity make their case why we should elect them to serve as our representative for the next four years.  

The three will have an opportunity to distinguish and differentiate themselves as the format requires each candidate to address every issue in turn.  Questions will be solicited from all those present and will be submitted to the candidates by a representative of the League of Women Voter, who along with the Valley Women’s Club has conducted 29 previous forums for local candidates.  Community Television of Santa Cruz will record the event and students from the High School will provide logistical assistance.

While all three gentlemen have been busy walking precincts and meeting voters at coffee houses and private residences; this event will mark the first time they will all be together on a local stage  to address issues posed by local voters.  

Not surprisingly all three have been stressing the need to protect the environment, improve the roads and provide for economic development.  Hopefully this forum will give voters an insight on how they intend to deliver on these priorities if elected and what other views they hold that are important to the residents of the San Lorenzo Valley.

Small Skirmish in War on Women At County Board of Supes Meeting

The "war on women" came to Santa Cruz yesterday in advance of International Women’s Day.  A small skirmish broke out in the County Board of Supervisors chamber over a motion made by the lone women on the Board, Ellen Pririe.

Despite twice having voted unanimously to endorse the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1995 and again in 2005 the Board could not get unanimous support for a rather harmless motion intended to remove obstacles that may exist for women and girls in accessing county services.  

Pririe’s motion was to direct various County departments to work with the County Women’s Commission to develop a survey to identify gaps in data collection and other practices that could lead to gender inequities in County services and funding decisions and to develop training for department heads to help them better understand how the choices they make may influence gender inequities.

The Board’s consideration of the proposal stems from a recent report by  the County Women’s Commission on the Status of Women and Girls in Santa Cruz County (SOWAG) that found that a failure to gather and disaggregate data by gender has an adverse affect on addressing gender  inequities which were identified in a number of areas.

Supervisor Greg Caput, who represents south county, opposed the motion on the grounds that CEDAW was mentioned in the letter presented to the Board by members John Leopold and Mark Stone in support of the proposed action.  Caput claimed that his objection was to using an international treaty as a “template” for the study.  

Women’s Commissioner from the 5th District, Sheila De Lany, a Boulder Creek jeweler, spoke in favor of the motion and was asked by Caput why the U.S. Senate has yet to ratify the treaty signed by President Carter.  After providing a short lesson in Senate rules De Lany pointed out that the U.S was among seven countries including of Iran, Somalia, and Sudan who have not yet ratified the treaty.

Supervisors Pririe, Stone and Leopold all took their turns trying to assure Supervisor Caput that the County was not entering into any foreign treaties to no avail.  Ultimately the Board voted 4-1 to approve the motion.

After casting the lone vote against the motion, Caput told Sentinel reporter Jason Hoppins that  as a pro-life Catholic he objects to language in the treaty supporting womens' access to abortions.  Apparently Caput objects to Article 12 which reads: “States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of health care in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, access to health care services, including those related to family planning.”

The fact that the County will proceed with steps intended to eliminate discrimination against women in their practices and funding decisions is to be commended, however, the fact that in 2012, in Santa Cruz County, there is one member of the Board who opposes such efforts should be a wake up call, particularly as we contemplate who will be on the Board in 2013.