May 22, 2010

Dear Friend:

Election Day is just around the corner, and most absentee voters have received their ballots in the mail. It’s a long ballot! Whom should you vote for? I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but people keep asking, so this newsletter lists my election picks for some of the races and issues.

By the way, if you have questions about how and where to vote, whether your absentee ballot was counted, etc., please see “Voter Q&A” on my website, which was recently updated by the San Mateo County Elections Office.

Two Special Candidates

I am strongly supporting two candidates in this election. One is Sandie Arnott, candidate for Treasurer-Tax Collector. As deputy treasurer, she has been doing the work for 20 years. She is endorsed by the current Treasurer-Tax Collector, Lee Buffington, who has worked side by side with her for two decades. As Lee points out, “Elect Sandie and the office will run effectively and efficiently. Elect someone else and she’ll be training him for the next six months.”

Naturally, the other candidates are blaming Sandie for the Lehman Bros. meltdown. Keep in mind that there were no advance cues that Lehman was in trouble, and a Congressional investigation showed Lehman management used accounting tricks to falsify its financial condition. The county Treasurer's Office was audited twice by very reputable firms and passed with flying colors. Despite Lehman, the county pool has sustained an average earnings rate of 3.47 percent over the past 10 years, outperforming its benchmark competition, California's Local Area Investment Fund (LAIF), by 50 cents on every dollar as of the quarter ending 12/31/09.

Lee Buffington explains it well here: http://www.sandiearnott2010.com/Lee_letterMay3.shtml

The other candidate I am supporting is Rich Gordon, who is running for State Assembly in the 21st District, which serves southern San Mateo County and northern Santa Clara County. I urge you to encourage your friends who live in that district to support him.

Rich has, by far, the most experience. For the past 17 years he has served as a member of the San Mateo County Board of Education and as a San Mateo County Supervisor. He is a rare politician with a strong moral compass. He was trained in the ministry and served as a minister before his career in public service. He asks tough questions and holds out for what is right.

I have worked with Rich on several projects and have found him to be open to new ideas, a collaborator and a fierce defender of the public's interest. He has served in statewide leadership positions in which he's made valuable connections. Plus, he "gets" and uses technology. He helped me offer and promote a social networking seminar at no charge to all elected leaders in our county. He knows the levers to push and pull to get things done. And he's done a great deal, bringing outcome-based budgeting to our county, initiating efforts to promote low-income housing and open space, and promoting children's health, libraries and education.

Here are my other election picks:

STATE OFFICES

I’m sure you’ve already made up your mind about governor. In the other races, on the Democratic ballot, I’m supporting:

On the Republican ballot, I don’t know many candidates, but I do favor:

SAN MATEO COUNTY OFFICES

STATE MEASURES

Proposition 13 – Seismic retrofitting – YES

This measure would allow owners of older brick buildings to make seismic upgrades without triggering a reassessment that results in high property taxes. There is no organized opposition.

Proposition 14 – Open primary for state offices – NO

If approved, this measure would create an “open” or “top two” primary election that would make it easier for third-party candidates to get elected. In this system, all candidates would be lumped together for the primary vote, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election. The problem is that Prop 14 would put greater emphasis on name recognition and early fundraising, and would omit choices other than the top two from the general election ballot. Both Louisiana and Washington have found that “top two” primary elections have merely protected incumbents.

Proposition 15 – California Fair Elections Act – YES

This measure would make voluntary public financing available to the Secretary of State candidates in 2014 and 2018, a first step toward limiting the influence of special-interest funders on candidates. Funding would come from increasing the registration fee for Sacramento lobbyists.

Proposition 16 – Two-thirds vote for local public electricity providers – NO

Pacific Gas & Electric has spent more than $35 million on this measure, which would effectively squelch any alternative energy companies from challenging its monopoly.

Proposition 17 – Auto insurance coverage – NO

Mercury Insurance has poured more than $10 million into this measure, which would allow it to raise rates on those least able to pay, such as people who miss a payment or drivers buying auto insurance for the first time.

COUNTY MEASURE

Measure G – San Mateo County Community College District – YES

Community colleges don’t have PTAs and alumni groups to raise dollars for them. This measure would allow local community colleges to shore up programs in jeopardy due to state budget cuts. It would cost each property owner just $34 a year. It requires a two-thirds vote and has a senior exemption.

Don’t forget to vote!

Terry Nagel