Candidates need to respect the voters
Let’s hope that this year’s crop of candidates seeking nine seats on local governing boards treat the voters with respect and not view them as easy-to-manipulate constituents susceptible to brazenly false claims in a multitude of campaign mailers.
Filing opens July 17 and closes Aug. 11 for two City Council, three water board and four school trustee positions on the Nov. 7 ballot. If an incumbent doesn’t seek re-election, challengers can file through Aug. 16.
The school board seats include two in the Placentia-Yorba Linda district, now held by Karin Freeman and Jan Wagner, and two representing Yorba Linda in the North Orange County Community College District, now held by Jeff Brown and Mike Matsuda. All four are expected to file nomination papers.
Generating the most electoral heat will be the council contest, with incumbents and recall targets Ken Ryan and Keri Wilson, who were running mates in 2002, seeking re-election.
Some warmth may spill over into the Yorba Linda Water District, with director seats currently held by Paul Armstrong, Bill Mills and John Summerfield set for balloting.
Lately, a few well-funded council candidates have hired political consultants. For example, campaign veteran Dennis DeSnoo worked for Ryan and Jim Winder in 2000, Ryan and Wilson in 2002 and Allen Castellano and Mike Duvall in 2004. DeSnoo’s last local gig was with former downtown developer Michael Dieden in 2005 and 2006.
Of course, consultants earn their keep by winning elections. Those who too often find themselves on the losing side soon fade from the scene and their very lucrative careers.
As a result, sometimes the advice consultants give their clients is good for winning, but bad for the community. They gain votes by pouring large sums of money into a barrage of frequently misleading mailers, recorded telephone calls and cable TV advertising.
One favorite tactic is to buy endorsements on so-called “voter guides” or “slate mailers” from groups that sell an association with an impressive-sounding name--such as Parents Ballot Guide, COPS or Citizens for Good Government--to the first or highest bidder.
Such strategies show the consultants--and the candidates who are paying them--have little respect for the intelligence of the voters they’re desperately trying to influence.
Perhaps this year Yorba Lindans will pay close attention to how much money is spent to win these positions, where the money comes from and the tactics used to win their votes.
A FINAL NOTE
City Council recently reduced the amount of time citizens are allowed to speak during oral communications from five to three minutes. That’s certainly acceptable when many residents want to address council members on an especially busy evening.
But they’ve got to get a grip on fairness. At the June 20 meeting an arts supporter was given all the time she needed for a presentation, but council critics were held to a strict 180-second limit.
Also, speakers have been allowed to praise some council members by name, while critics are reminded they must address the entire council and not single out specific individuals.
It’s been suggested that oral communications be moved to the tail end of the meeting. However, listening to the public--even those who are critical of the governing body--should remain the council’s first order of business.
Filing opens July 17 and closes Aug. 11 for two City Council, three water board and four school trustee positions on the Nov. 7 ballot. If an incumbent doesn’t seek re-election, challengers can file through Aug. 16.
The school board seats include two in the Placentia-Yorba Linda district, now held by Karin Freeman and Jan Wagner, and two representing Yorba Linda in the North Orange County Community College District, now held by Jeff Brown and Mike Matsuda. All four are expected to file nomination papers.
Generating the most electoral heat will be the council contest, with incumbents and recall targets Ken Ryan and Keri Wilson, who were running mates in 2002, seeking re-election.
Some warmth may spill over into the Yorba Linda Water District, with director seats currently held by Paul Armstrong, Bill Mills and John Summerfield set for balloting.
Lately, a few well-funded council candidates have hired political consultants. For example, campaign veteran Dennis DeSnoo worked for Ryan and Jim Winder in 2000, Ryan and Wilson in 2002 and Allen Castellano and Mike Duvall in 2004. DeSnoo’s last local gig was with former downtown developer Michael Dieden in 2005 and 2006.
Of course, consultants earn their keep by winning elections. Those who too often find themselves on the losing side soon fade from the scene and their very lucrative careers.
As a result, sometimes the advice consultants give their clients is good for winning, but bad for the community. They gain votes by pouring large sums of money into a barrage of frequently misleading mailers, recorded telephone calls and cable TV advertising.
One favorite tactic is to buy endorsements on so-called “voter guides” or “slate mailers” from groups that sell an association with an impressive-sounding name--such as Parents Ballot Guide, COPS or Citizens for Good Government--to the first or highest bidder.
Such strategies show the consultants--and the candidates who are paying them--have little respect for the intelligence of the voters they’re desperately trying to influence.
Perhaps this year Yorba Lindans will pay close attention to how much money is spent to win these positions, where the money comes from and the tactics used to win their votes.
A FINAL NOTE
City Council recently reduced the amount of time citizens are allowed to speak during oral communications from five to three minutes. That’s certainly acceptable when many residents want to address council members on an especially busy evening.
But they’ve got to get a grip on fairness. At the June 20 meeting an arts supporter was given all the time she needed for a presentation, but council critics were held to a strict 180-second limit.
Also, speakers have been allowed to praise some council members by name, while critics are reminded they must address the entire council and not single out specific individuals.
It’s been suggested that oral communications be moved to the tail end of the meeting. However, listening to the public--even those who are critical of the governing body--should remain the council’s first order of business.
posted by Jim Drummond at 12:00 PM
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