Where was the Republican forum?
On Sunday, rexroad.com wrote this: Candidate Forums - "This week we have a couple forums for city council candidates. I think this is a great way to learn more about the candidates and what they are made of."
I knew of one, which I reported, presented by the Latino Community Council.
The other, I had no idea, and there's no mention of it on their Web site (click the title of this story to access yologop.org). Apparently the Republican Party forum was announced at rexroad.com on the day of the event, but went unannounced to at least one city council candidate, Bobby Harris.
rexroad.com: "It appears that Fred Lopez, Art Pimentel, and Martie Dote were the only ones to show up. Jeff Monroe was not able to make the City Council meeting or the forum due to a family emergency. Frank Sieferman was a no show and Bobby Harris did not attend. I think it is great the the Republican Club put this on and invited everyone."
Here is Bobby Harris' comment on rexroad.com:
For your information, I received no invitation or notice of this Republican Party sponsored event. I believe that lapse was likely intentional, and I certainly would have attended if I was aware of it. So why do you think this oversight occurred?
I did attend the Latino Community Council's event last evening, where only I, Art and Martie showed up (though Jeff was excused by a family emergency).
Art said he was "offended" by my statements that he and Martie weren't visionary or creative enough to adequately resolve Woodland's need for affordable home ownership and affordable housing in general.
I pointed out that city dependence on housing developers in the Southeast Area Plan to provide some reasonable amount of affordable home ownership -- totally failed, resulting in zero (0) affordable housing. City staff refers to the "checkered history" of the city in these matters.
And Martie's talking about how we "couldn't afford" to build senior oriented, affordable housing. It looked bad. They both really helped me prove my point.
Art will likely saturate this city with some version of political rhetoric with all of the thousands of dollars in his campaign coffers, not necessarily a good sign for Woodland.
Without vigorous citizen involvement, based on sufficient information / education, Woodland's future will often be decided by those special interests with the most resources and the most to gain personally and financially from any given decision.
Art's splendid war chest, for such a local election, says a lot about such circumstances. You may make fun of Art, Matt, but I imagine you wield a lot of influence over him - just your nature in this situation.
My commitment is to open the process to greater citizen participation, especially from the folks in our community who can't afford to each pony-uip a hundred dollars to make $10.000.
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17 comments:
Bobby Harris has lived in Woodland for nearly as many years as Art has been alive.
He was run out of town by some very nasty people years ago.
What you percieve as "dope laws", others see as a natural medication. This viable medication was approved by a majority vote in a democratic process many years ago. Why can't you move beyond this issue?
Bobby was extremely politically active in Arcata. He was very well recieved up there. He did not "have to leave town". Bobby has moved back home to Woodland to be closer to the State Capitol, that much is true. He has many good ideas for helping people in general. After returning to Woodland to find not much has changed, he could not resist trying to help out here as well.
Betsy
I deleted the comment to which Betsy responded.
I heard is was a democrat crap shoot. Supposed to be bipartisan but the repubs ambushed the dems.
Betsy:
I've been around Woodland and known Bobby for longer than you. I applaud your faith in him but you are hopelessly naive. I have spoken to people in Arcata who were familiar with Bobby. He is not lionized up there. Nor was he driven out of Woodland by "some very nasty people." He drove himself out by making a series of very foolish choices. You really need to sit down and talk to someone about his "real" history someday.
The story here isn't Bobby Harris, it's Rexroad and the Repubs and how they staged a candidate forum without inviting the candidates they don't support. Rexroad needs to go. He's bad for Woodland.
Rexroad likes to make fun of Art. His brand of humor is just a way to conceal his contempt for Art. haha, just kidding.
We need elected officials that rise above sixth grade maturity levels.
Excuse me 9:19 but Bobby is allowed to make a rambling statement here criticizing the other candidates who are given no chance to respond and he isn't the issue here?
Sorry but you missed it. No one cares what the local group of Republicans do when they do what Republicans always do which is to behave poorly, crassly and crudely.
Bobby entered this race on his own. He remains the side show that he is.
Rexroad was not even at the candidate forum nor is he running for office.
Why is he getting blamed for this?
When in doubt, blame Matt. That is the general rule on this blog.
Mat is to blame for most bad things that happen in this city. Good point.
The story stated that Matt had two announcements about the forum on his blog - but the notices didn't say when or where. Obviously, it was the job of the forum sponsor, the Woodland Republican Club, to notify all of the candidates. As far as I know, they don't have a Web site, but their contact info is on yologop.org - the link was provided in the story:
Woodland Republican Club
P.O. Box 580
Woodland, CA 95776
530-666-3669
Doug Young, Club President
dwyassociates@sbcglobal.net
According to the Daily Donkey, Young said Harris was "unreachable." Also according to the Donkey, the club has endorsed Lopez and the LCC has endorsed Dote and Pimentel.
Here's the article:
http://www.dailydemocrat.com//ci_8972536
Unreachable? Didn't Doug try "smoke" signals?
If Doug Young, Club President, is who I think he is....then I would believe that he tried to reach all candidates if he said he tried. The Doug Young that I know is a very honorable man and would do his absolute best to do the job correctly and fairly.
signed,
Madame ABC
First off, why did the LCC even have a forum? Art is buddy buddy with all of the LCC people, Jesse Ortiz and Art, they work together and have a strong relationship that goes way back, duh, no brainer there.
Man you guys bash Matt alot on here and you should, he is the highest local republican elected official in Woodland, he spewes out that he is far right and supports Art who is hanging out so far left he is standing next to Barrack Hussien Obama. Matt, you can't have it both ways! You either are a RIGHT WINGER of your party or your NOT.
MATT has broken rankes with his own party and is now supporting a democrat. I think its time that the Yolo County Republican Party cuts its ties with the so called Republican who represents the 3rd district of Yolo County. I hear Davis needs a city councilman, Matt would fit right in over there.
My final word, JEFF MONROE FOR SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 3, YOLO COUNTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
City Council and Board of Supervisors are non-partisan races. Let's keep it that way. We don't need partisan garbage in our local elected offices.
I can't believe that after owning the white house and Congress and the royal mess that Republicans have made of it, anyone wants to step forward and be known as one. The fact that you're not embarrassed speaks volumes.
Who ever said I was a rebublican? wow, your way off base as usual and if you don't think that partisan politics have hand in politics locally, you are even more blind than I thought. Wake up, do you see a Democratic organizations like LCC, Mecha, the concilio and others supporting a rebulican, City council or not? The answer is a big NO. Do you see you the NRA supporting a democratic for county supervisor in local race? NO. Before you say they have never done that, they have.
So, don't sit there in your high horse and think that local politics are non partisan, they are.
As far as the mess we are in, actually wre are doing very well, considering the numbers, but thats for another post!
Oh believe me, young one, I know far more about it than you do. That doesn't make the practice any less deplorable or repugnant. Don't try and lecture the Yoda, grasshopper.
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