This was written September 1, but embargoed until November 5.
Well, that wasn't much of a surprise.
- Prop F (medical marijuana dispensaries) went down to a landslide defeat. While everybody wants the sick to have access to the medicine they need, nobody wants dispensaries and the perceived associated unsavory characters in our own neighborhood. How about next time, Encinitas gets to vote on whether to put dispensaries in San Marcos?
- Gaspar won in a landslide, demonstrating the lasting damage that the Barth / Shaffer / Kranz gang have done to the Cardiff/Leucadia green coalition with their disastrous War on Prop A (and Desert Rose, and their failure to follow through on campaign promises about open government and fiscal responsibility). Kranz struggled to even match his vote count from his losing 2010 council campaign.
- Blakespear won the council seat, having raised far more money and run a more professional campaign than Graboi. The county GOP should be embarrassed that they couldn't find a more serious candidate than Bryan Ziegler to capitalize on the schism between the Barthists and the "community character" grassroots.
- Rep. Issa cruised comfortably to victory despite predictions from the left that he would be vulnerable.
UPDATE 11/5: So the only real surprise relative to that September 1 look was the lower turnout which made Kranz's vote total incomparable to the 2010 elections. Yes, he got fewer votes than in 2010, but Gaspar also got fewer votes this time than Kranz 2010. A better way to look at it would be by percentage, adjusted for the number of seats/votes per ballot. Kranz pulled 23% in 2010, which adjusted for the 2-seat / 2-vote election, is equivalent to 46%. His 32% this year is less than the seat-adjusted totals not only for his 2010 and 2012 results, but also for Jerome Stocks' and Dan Dalager's losing results.
The last-minute thwacking of Bryan Ziegler for Alan Lerchbacker was a complete waste of time, energy, and money.
Gaspar 48.04%
ReplyDeleteKranz + Cameron 45.34%
Please no carping that Cameron's entry in the race split the vote and caused Kranz to lose. It's true that Gaspar didn't win a majority of the votes (50% + 1). What the city needs is a runoff of the two highest vote getters to get a truer gauge of public sentiment.
He would have lost anyway, but it would have been close. Two incumbents with known voting blocs. Where are all the big Sheila talkers this morning?
DeleteCameron and Kranz are has beens and bad for Encinitas. Gaspar has always been bad for Encinitas. Next election the campaign is NO on all incumbents. I hope we get 4 highly qualified candidates.
ReplyDeleteThen you better start woodshedding and promoting someone. Because is someone wants to run, Jan 1. 2016 or earlier is when you need to start.
DeleteEncinitas can adopt the Charger's slogan - wait until next season. Dismal....
ReplyDeleteEncinitas is a great place. We are blessed with great weather, a cool downtown, wonderful beaches and parks. Some change and growth is inevitable, and so far the changes approved by our leaders have not ruined the town.
ReplyDeleteIn short, life is good, and people are happy with our town.
That's the message the electorate sent yesterday. Most voters don't know, and don't care about the details of what goes on at City Hall. They are preoccupied with kids activities, jobs, friends, hobbies, errands, health and family. The average voter looks at local government through their daily life. When they go to a soccer game, is the park clean? When they drive their kid to school, are there potholes? When they go to the grocery store, is the shopping center clean and modern? On the drive to work, are the streets full of liter?
If the voters detect decline through the windshield, they will vote for a change. If they don't, they will vote for the status quo.
This is a vote for the status quo.
Life is good.
Expanding on the thought . . .
DeleteI know this to be true, because for my first ten years, this was my level of engagement. I was very engaged in national political issues. Local issues seemed too small to matter. Lifeguard tower? Build it, don't build it--who cares? Won't affect my life either way.
Council elections were nothing but a "right track" vs."wrong track" choice. I couldn't name a single council member, much less how they voted on any particular issue. As long as the windshield assessment of Encinitas was okay, I was willing to vote for the incumbents on the assumption that they must be doing something right. I actually cast votes for Bond and Stocks, which would shock you if you knew me personally. At the time, it wasn't about their policies, because I didn't know and didn't care.
The "Dump Stocks" bumper sticker campaign caught my attention, and I became curious about what caused a group to become so upset that they would organize such a campaign. I wanted to know if their ire was justified, so I started tuning in to council meetings. Since then, I understand the individuals and the issues much better, but I have not forgotten that many of the electorate are just like I was.
If you want a realigning election at the local level, there has to be a tangible and visible "wrong track" issue that affects the daily lives of people who do not follow local politics.
This was a "right track" election. Keep calm, and carry on. That's the message of the electorate.
When your head is buried in the sand.
DeleteCarry on - into the hole deeper (or over the cliff)..
DeleteLemmings syndrome.
7:25,
DeleteNever blame the electorate. If you wanted change, then you need to do a better job of picking and promoting a simple and clear "wrong-track" issue that affects people's daily lives.
Before you can sell a new direction, there must be a consensus that the current direction isn't working.
That consensus never developed in this cycle.
Good post 7:23. You have summed up most people's take on local politics. In an off year election, it's very hard to motivate people to even vote at all. 13k votes is an all-time low locally.
DeleteWe have big issues in this town, community character is huge, and now we have two years to motivate people who will already be coming out because of the presidential election.
The message of the electorate was "I don't care"...
This is the time, folks. We need new blood out there in two years....
Much of this analysis is predicated on the idea that the views expressed on this blog are representative of the Encinitas electorate at large. If only they knew what we know. Maybe they know more than you give them credit for and just don't agree with you.
DeleteIf nothing else, the election demonstrated that, at least for now, this blog is very unrepresentative of the majority of Encinitas stakeholders (voters, business, property owners). So when commenters make claims that their views represent their fellow citizens they are only partially right and certainly not in the majority.
I say this not to gloat as I sometimes agree with positions here and sometimes disagree. The same goes for the current and new council. It is what it is.
Actually, it doesn't prove that. What it proves is no one voted. You can only begin to know people's thoughts if they vote. Let's dig a little deeper mentally next time...
Delete7:31 AM
DeleteIf anything, it actually reinforces the limited representation of this blog. If I calculated the the percentage right from the Registrar's unofficial canvas results, turnout was only 37% which is quite a contrast with 2010 where turnout was over 60% for a similar non presidential election. Since the people on this blog should have been highly motivated to vote, the poor showing of Graboi and Cameron is quite telling. Only Kranz had respectable results and there were many negative comments about him on this blog. There was support for Blakespear here but I didn't get a sense that she had that much support.
I'd say this blog is pretty much talking to yourselves with a limited following.
Obviously this blog has some of the more politically informed citizens contributing. I think the fact is that most voters are clueless about the goings on at City Hall, not that they are so politically different. Excessive wages and pensions, lack of prioritization for projects, misinformation from city administrators, traffic problems and high density development - I'd say a majority don't approve of those.
DeleteThe slick, vacuous mailers did the trick - Mom, the flag and apple pie prevailed. The people get the government that they deserve.
So here's the math. Tony's 4212 + Sheila's 1708 still Loses to Gaspar's 6272 but it's close.
ReplyDeleteThere's no question there's a vote split there with Sheila, although obviously most of Sheila's old supporters went to Tony. We don't need an instant runoff, the election was held, everyone had their chance, and these were the results. There is no whining, no 2nd chances. Both Gaspar and Kranz remain on the council, and Blakespeare is added.
In Two years, Muir, Kranz and Shaffer's seats will be up. You can vote them back in or out. The big question will be can the prop. A. people get back together with the Cameron and Kranz backers and boot Muir out of office, or will the council go back to Jerome and David Meyer?
Trends have shown you have to get out early in a campaign, have a war chest, a website, email blasts and guidance from those in the know. Starting late, not having much money and relying on candidates from the past won't fly....
This is the "I Told you so post". Sheila got used in this election by Pam Slater. She never should have run. Julie came in a distant 3rd to Lerch's big money...
Watch and the bully at city hall will self destruct, just a matter of time. The best candidates didn't get in, but the circus will keep entertaining.
DeleteIf Tony is smart, he saw the writing
ReplyDeleteOn the wall, and chose not to spend all the money on this election. Will there be post election financial reporting that shows if he is rolling a war chest into the next cycle?
He didn't raise that much. See the filings on the city web site.
DeleteYeah, you're giving Tony too much credit that he was building a big war chest. When Sheila enters this race, Tony's chances evaporated. But he ran from a safe seat, so there you go. Blakespeare is your new council member, and we go on.
DeletePam Slater-Price has been dealt a double-whammy she may not survive politically.
ReplyDeleteInside Baseball: By demanding fealty from Kranz and Blakespear, mandating that they agree to never approve the Housing Element legally required by the State: this resulted in a schism on the left and then by vindictively promoting Graboi to replace Blakespear: and incredibly and desperately answering Cameron's most fervent prayers by bringing her 'career' back to life: here on November 5th, 2014 Pam (and Bruce/Bonde) are finally bereft of allies on the city council: only Muir is still on speaking terms with Slater-Price.
But, we said 'Double'; the deal Pam made with Supervisor Dave Roberts 2 years ago, to bankroll his election into the Supe's seat, in exchange for keeping her staff intact (And still answering to her, even in retirement) has begun to crumble before her eyes. Her longtime Chief of Staff, who'd been promised Robert's job long ago only to be betrayed by Pam is now gone as is Slater's respected land-use specialist.
Added to that is the political betrayal of Pam by prisoner-in-disguise Supe Roberts who signaled his full approval of the @Home in Encinitas program in his own newsletter last week.
Finally, there are more than a couple of ways to skin a cat, No one has mentioned that by electing Catherine, a candidate like Muir and Gaspar who has consistently been opposed to Prop A, the initiative may be coming up for reconsideration either in closed sessions or on a future ballot.
The council's post-election flip-flop on Density Bonus/Lawsuit cannot be far off and recognizing the limits of their power, the council may congeal into a more moderate entity.
In the end, Cameron got one last heyday, without much, if any, of her dirty laundry being exposed to the voters: now she can adopt Alex Fidel and Pam/Bruce/Bob will have to start over again, with a new group of proxies.
Why does Slater want to have her hand in Encinitas so badly? She doesn't live her, she lives in Del Mar where she and her husband work on big issues like paying for the Quiet Zone near their house and calling NCTD when it needs to be "adjusted".
DeleteSheila didn't even get a heyday out of this, her career ended in 2000. Fidel didn't get even 400 votes, but he got a lot of play on this blog for some reason (Libertarian views).
Prop. A will be batted about some more, we won't be done with that issue until all the big, available lots in town are gone and Doug Harwood, David Meyer in the gang go back to RSF for good...
"Fidel didn't get even 400 votes, but he got a lot of play on this blog for some reason"
DeleteWell, what could I possibly have said about Bawany? Fidel at least entertained us!
And entertainment is what this blog is all about.
DeleteI thought it trivialized the election. Alex seems like a good kid, but take the theatrics elsewhere....
DeleteWC, good wrap up. Plainly put, the split is between the Prop. A folks and the old school Sheila/Tony/Lisa non-Rotarian non-New Encinitas folks. The irony is, the community character issue is why we started and got out and supported people like Sheila way back in the 90's.
ReplyDeleteThe question for the next two years is can everyone who doesn't support big outside money and heavy developer influence get back together and support a new slate of candidates.
I voted for Julie, but that wasn't much of a campaign. Sheila's campaign was non-existent and Tony isn't known for a huge effort either. The turnout was ultra low...
-MGJ
What I find most amazing is there are 387 pot smoking Muslims living in their mothers basements here in Encinitas. Who knew???
ReplyDeleteExcept for the Muslim thing, that pretty much sums up Tony and Lisa's base also....
DeleteWhile we are stereotyping...isn't a good proportion of the Leucadia demographic comprised of (adult) kids who simply inherited their parent's home and never really had a job of their own. Tony?
DeleteNo, I'm a renter and I didn't inherit a house. Neither did any of my neighbors, with the exception of one guy who sold out a year ago. The new demographic is people with a million dollars to buy a house. We're like any other encinitan, including Tony, who has worked hard like the rest of us. WE're lucky to have Tony working for us on Leucadia issues.
DeleteWhat has Tony done for Leucadia?? He can't get the city to water the medians.....
DeleteHe works with NCTD, Nimrod, unlike Stocks who did everything he could to screw us in Leucadia. Trust me, he's a plus!
Delete9:38 AM
DeleteTut, tut. We can do without the "Nimrod" shots especially in caps. The person just may not be aware of Kranz's contributions and you've provide some enlightenment.
The NCTD is an appointed position that comes from being a council member.
DeleteWasn't he a "print salesperson" before joining the government cabal? Doesn't he live in his mother-in-law's house?
Who's the nimrod?
Sure, trot out all the personal stuff because you can't stick to the topic. Where do you live, in your mommy's basement?
DeleteAll I will say about Alex is if you don't run a real campaign, you don't get 1000 votes.
ReplyDeleteAll I will say about Alex is that if you walk like a duck and quack like a duck, you are a duck. If you are a pot smoking nuttjob, advocate nuttjob policies you are a nuttjob. BUUUUTTTTT a good representative of Encinitas.
Delete9:42 At least Alex had the guts to run knowing he would more than likely be criticized. As for you and your comments, I am betting you look like a duck. Take a look in the mirror.
DeleteThe election's over, no more talk about people who didn't win. He was never a serious candidate, so let's let it drop. I wish him the best.
Delete10:56- quack quack.
DeleteWhat have we learned from this election? Very little in my view.
ReplyDeleteFor any Political Science grad students looking for a dissertation here's one on the cheap. Start with some of the issues that are decided by the city council -- pensions, purchases of property for a use that is largely precluded by various zoning laws, adopting and use of Peak Democracy, density bonus decisions, and staff salary and benefits; and here's one just for this city, the change in authority of the elected mayor..
Then do random interviews of voters, asking how they voted in this election first and then their knowledge of these issues.. I would guess that the lack of understanding would be stunning. One of the reasons I decided that involvement for me was hopeless is that I visualized an issue based campaign, but I realized that it didn't matter, that the public really doesn't have an interest, anymore than when I voted for members of my water board.
What is most most disturbing for the tone of Encinitas is we are going to go through this vote for a Mayor every two years, a position that the public thinks means the CEO of the city. This will place the council in permanent campaign mode, with courageous votes becoming rarer.
A city should either be a strong mayor charter one, or a city council with a City Manager who is the CEO. That's what we have but refuse to acknowledge. With Peak Democracy in use, the City Manager will provide only the information that he chooses in the form of carefully crafted questionnaires. To "get involved" the resident must join the Peak Democracy club, something that is insidious, and probably in violation of the Brown Act.
The effort to challenge this in court is too much for one person to take on. .
Please explain how using Peak Democracy is in violation of the Brown Act. Since you were on a commission you should be familiar with the act. Don't just throw around accusations like 'To "get involved" the resident must join the Peak Democracy club, something that is insidious, and probably in violation of the Brown Act' without providing some substance. Surely, that isn't 'too much for one person to take on'.
DeleteYou could ask most people how they voted, because they didn't vote. We had about 13k of about 75k vote. Apathy and dissinterest and anger are the two emotions you see.
DeletePeople in local elections vote on who they know, who their neighbors know. Even with a big turnout, those rules apply.
-MGJ
you "couldn't ask" who they voted for. The only story of this election is the small turnout. What that was based on will be hard to say...
DeleteMCJ, the latest Census estimate is that total population in Encinitas is now just over 60,000. How can you possibly leap to the incorrect conclusion that we only had 13K of about 75K vote? I thought the total of registered voters in Encinitas is between 30 and 37K?
Delete39K as of Prop A.
DeleteAccording to the San Diego Registrar of Voters as of October 25 Encinitas has 38,810 registered voters.
DeleteKnee jerk electorate. Gaspar's campaign employed slick mailers with the family (core values issue), cops and firemen (heroes to save us) and generic, non-specific statements (fiscal responsibility). Like rats running thru the maze, this is the scent of cheese. For the minority that control the throttle, it is full speed ahead on their personal agendas.
ReplyDeleteSo you're saying that you choose to live in a city of morons? Sweet.
DeleteApparently you like to substitute allegory nouns.
DeleteThe big winner from last night is Gus"get me to my pension "Vina. He and Sabine have an easy ride for 4+ years .
ReplyDeleteVina is ecstatic about the results." Easy ride" assured now!
Deletethey've had an easy ride for many years, under many different councils.
DeleteNow that Gaspar and Blakespear are in you can count on high density chickens,
ReplyDeleteThis election proves that while there are many educated people in Encinitas, it does not mean they are smart. Only a minority of people understands the real issues. The rest vote by number of signs they saw, name recognition, and glossy fliers.
ReplyDeleteHow true - unfortunately. "Those that don't learn from their mistakes are bound to repeat them"......fits here.
DeleteMy, aren't we arrogant. If only they understood.
DeleteMaybe they do understand and just don't agree with you.
No, you have it wrong, what this election proved is people didn't vote. Normal off year tallies are between 30-35k. This one was 13k....
DeleteWe still don't know what the mail-in count will be as the SD Registrar's website says those are yet to be counted. When I voted yesterday, most of the names listed on the page with mine identified mail-in ballots. So any official turnout count will have to wait.
DeleteThe election is over, none of the races here are close enough for the mail in count to change anything. There will be some more votes trickling in during the next few weeks, but it was still a very low turnout....
DeleteBig loser last night- The Leucadia Streetscape. The KLCC crowd seen doing cartwheels through the weeds and dirt this am.
ReplyDeleteWhen do they decorate one of the dead oleanders for Christmas ??
I'm not sure how you figure that the Leucadia Streetscape was a big loser last night. Please explain.
DeleteBarnyards & Bulldozers means no loot for Leucadia?
Delete9:45- if you tell me how the streetscape was a winner last night, i'd like to know.
DeleteMuch of the funding for the Streetscape is coming from TransNet funds. "Barnyards & Bulldozers" is catchy but hardly applies here. EU, you do keep digging.
Delete10:22, Easy. The only two opponents of Streetscape lost.
DeleteSheila was opposed to the Streetscape, so that would be a win...
Delete12:09- anyone that wants to maintain community character is opposed to the street scape. That would be Blakespear as well. Same tiger different, younger, stripes. It does not bode well for Leucadia.
DeleteMaintaining community character does bode well for Leucadia.
Delete1:19-spoken like a card carrying member of the KLCC. Good for you, now go and decorate a dead oleander for Christmas.
DeleteMy new band is the dead Oleanders. Thurs. at Fatty McWeirdos on the beach...
DeleteWhat's your stellar plan for a new canopy, better infrastructure and landscaping, 12:59? Bitching does not a tree plant. Seriously, what's your plan?
Delete6:10- plant a tree??? Lololllloooolll. You can't get anyone to plant a flower let alone a canopy!!!!
Delete9:45, Au contraire. Not everyone wants to KLC. Just yer lil' old club.
DeleteTHere's been plenty of trees planted over the years, ask Fred Caldwell. The canopy will never be like it used to....
Delete3:28, nothing will ever be like it used to. But we can plan to make things better than they used to be. Thats why the street scape removes tons of asphalt for another mile of landscaped median and continues planting trees for one day a full 2 mile canopy. Why? Because that's what the residents want. Sorry that pisses a few people off, but tuff titty said the kitty.
DeleteThe real winners last night.... The city staff. Contract negociations coming up and the real losers-the taxpayers of the city have no advocate on the council to tell the staff there are NO pay raises nor pension increases.
ReplyDeleteWe have a council of weenies and advocates of big govt and big spending.
Muir and Gaspar could help to stop pay raises and pension increases. That's how they voted during the last negotiations.
DeleteNo change on council. Blakespear just replaced the presence of Barth. She has the same views and ideas and will vote along with Shaffer and Kranz.
ReplyDeleteGaspar and Muir will still be sitting there wondering what the hell happened.
Only difference will be Muir will be looking up at the ceiling now more than ever. I want to know who is up there. Maybe one day he will tell us.
Give Blakespear a chance. She has a real possibility of being more congenial with colleagues, less ideologically-driven, and more open to public input than Barth was.
DeleteYou never know what a candidate will do until they're in office. I think she'll be a good addition. Teresa is a good person, but she took so much crap from Stocks, she lost some of her flexibility and open-mindedness....
Delete11:05 I think we all are willing to give her a chance, but the real test will be if she goes against her buddies Shaffer and Kranz. Highly unlikely IMHO.
DeleteAgree with EU. Blakespear is far, far more open and has more understanding than Barth.
DeleteOverall this was probably the right result. The election replaced an ineffectual councilmember with an attorney who probably understands the world of contracts better than any current councilmember. For all you folks who want a tighter leash on Vina/Sabine, this is your best hope. While I didn’t really see much difference between Graboi and Blakespear, I went with Graboi to reward her for the work she has already done. But it’s not a terrible thing for her to go back and continue with that work. Now that she has some campaign experience under her belt, and if she so chooses, she will be a much better candidate in 2016. Blakespear plays well with others, so I don’t see her ruffling any feathers or getting shut out. If anything, I see her as being nuanced enough to overcome Shaffer’s perceived “arrogance and elitism” (I don’t buy that she is…but her nuanced view of the world certainly contributes to the perception). Gaspar doesn’t help or hurt the council. If anything, she will act as a brake on spending. If nothing else, she’ll ask the questions, she’ll put it out there. I really don’t care why she’s asking them, but it keeps the discussion going, keeps debate alive. Kranz now knows who his base really is, and they’re loyal – real loyal. It’s small, but he could build on it if he wants to make another run in 2016. He has plans and ambitions. It will be interesting to see what he does with it. So now it’s time to get back to work and get things done. I feel better about this council than I do the previous one. I like ideological tension as long as all are committed to getting things done. Groupthink on a council leads to horrible outcomes. This council just may do it!
ReplyDelete- The Sculpin
I think tony and Sheila were the only two candidates to ever get in on the 2nd try, And Tony rode in on Lisa's coattails. So Julie's chances aren't good. She would need a much better campaign than this one to get in.
DeleteAs far as Tony, I can't say all the Sheila voters would've have gone his way, but if you add those totals together, he loses to Gaspar by about 300 votes. Tony has a solid backing, like him or not.
I like the addition of Blakespeare, we'll see how she does.
-MGJ
Tony has backing due to human nature: people will defend their friends to the end, right or wrong. Don't mistake that for support of his ethics or votes that went hard against his base before he sent many of them packing. People feel obligated to vote for someone because they've known them forever. Tony will be out in two years. He will not be able to keep from continuing his bonehead votes that belie his newfound loyalty to the developer community. He just won't. We'll see how well that plays to those left who support him after his next two years. He's wearing it out.
DeleteJulie Graboi has a great chance in 2016, since there will be three council seats and the mayor's seat up for election. This is especially true if Lisa Shaffer keeps her word and doesn't run again.
DeleteI think Julie would have a shot, but she needs to start in the April before the election and get some big backers lined up. She started way to late this time. She got completely lapped by Lerch, who did nothing but run ads, put up big signs etc...
DeleteI would support her again.
-MGJ
Do you think that Dara Welty voted along party lines this election?
ReplyDeleteNice, I don't know, ask her mother :)
DeleteLet that go, the election's over. That's the kind of useless garbage that gives this blog a bad name.
DeleteHappy (political) New Years. What's your resolution?
ReplyDeleteMy day job has me working with sales teams competing for large multi-year contracts. Over the years I've noticed that the story of each deal is told in a self-serving way. When we win, it was because we are awesome, smart, and hard working. When we lose, it's because the client was stupid, corrupt, or biased toward a competitor. The trouble with this storytelling is that it absolves us of any responsibility to learn, adapt, and improve.
I always insist on a loss review. One of the ground rules is that we assume that the client is rational, and that any one of us would have made the same decision if we had been presented with the same information. This forces us to ask difficult questions: "what information did we fail to offer or make clear?" "Was there something important in the client evaluation process that we misunderstood?" "With the benefit of hindsight, what would we have done differently?"
The last part of the exercise is called New Years Day. We put the past behind us, and make a list of resolutions that will prevent us from rehashing the same issues in the next loss review.
The same mental exercise works for political defeats.
If your candidate didn't win, assume the voters made the best choice with the information they had. What information didn't make it to the voters, and what should a future candidate do differently to avoid the same fate?
It's New Years Day. what's your resolution?
I think it has more to do with Demographics. This lays it out pretty well:
Delete"Because the voting preferences of older and younger Americans diverge much more than they used to, and Democrats rely more heavily on the young, the country now has two very different electorates. One shows up during midterms and the other — younger, less white, less conservative and bigger — turns out in presidential years."
http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-election-analysis-20141105-story.html#page=1
There will be a better turnout next time, I suspect this was the worst turnout ever. The Gaspar gang will always win an election like this, especially when the other side is splitting the vote.
DeleteMy vow is to try and build the consensus again for our side, the side that values community character and includes Prop. A. people and non-prop A people. Enough with the past, let' s move forward.
3:38 what a bunch of bullshit- brought to you by the LA RAZA times
Deletestates had record mid-term turn-outs, did the LA RAZA times report that Oregon turned downh drivers licenses for illegals by almost 70%> In ORegon they put it on the ballot, in California Gov Brown, he refers to white people as Gringos- passed it without voter consent
Your argument and the argument of the LA RAZA times lacks validity, too many states had record turn outs for mid terms elections
Next thing you know you will be playing the race card over housing densities - oh wait, somebody already has
5:24, look out, your racism is showing. I wasn't talking about other states, who may have been voting on big issues like Legalization or fill in the blank. Let's see your stats on turnout for the states, with a listing of states and links. It's people like you with their ad hominem attacks that ruin this blog. You're attacking me for a simple quote from a site. Try and pull your head out for just one 2nd and put your personal bitterness aside.
DeleteAll I know is in Encinitas, the conservative, Republican leaning Gaspar/Stocks/Bond voters come out in bigger numbers in non-presidential years.
Here's another one for you, rockstar...
Deletehttp://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/where-are-millennials-midterm-voters-skew-old-n241216
wisconsin, North Carolina, New Hampshire record turnout to name a few
DeleteHard to compare New Hampshire and California demographically. Each state is different, I think that's obvious.
DeleteHere's why the big turnout in Wisconsin. Walker was up for re-election. Here Jerry Brown is a shoe-in. Back there it's a huge fight between labor and Walker..Hence the big turnout...
Deletehttp://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/election-results-governor-s-race-voter-turnout-by-county/html_97e36db8-5956-11e4-abad-23b8bc04af7a.html
8:52 the LA times wants us to believe turn out is low - it wasn't, the LA times wants us to believe it is because of Race - so they tell an untruth, and then rely on another untruth to support it
DeleteStop reading the LA Times
It's analysis, not a news story. My point isn't to support or not support the LA Times, I'm using that to illustrate the point. The point is how low turnout can be in a non-presidential year election. Wisconsin and NH voters were motivated, they had big senate and governor's races. Here there was obviously little to motivate voters. This is political science, not whether you like Moonbeam or Latinos. Oregon has very few Latinos compared to California, it's a different dynamic....
DeleteIf the new council wants to show a new attitude, they can reverse all the public controlling policies put in place by Shaffer, Barth, and Kranz. Take down and destroy those mega size prints over the speaker slips. Remove the "how the public should respect us" list on the back of every speaker slip and oral communications slip.
ReplyDeleteReverse the new requirement of commissioners serving for three years instead of two.
The council can begin with --
showing some consideration and respect for the last remaining open space and coastal sage scrub by using the 5% take requirement.
read the city's constitution - the General Plan - until each and every councilperson can recite it by memory.
Most of the above is just whining. If you don't like it, ignore it. Other than the commissioners rule, which I have no problem with.
Deletethey should know the general plan already...
You forgot to add "quit lying" in their so-called newsletters.
DeleteDon't read the newsletter if you don't like, that's the best advice. You'll be a lot happier.
DeleteWhat I would like to see in future elections in our city is to have one candidate representing their respective area of residence. In other words, I would love to have a council rep. from Leucadia, Cardiff, New Encinitas, Old Encinitas, and Olivenhain.
DeleteI think this would be a fair representation of all of the citizens living here and make them feel like they were being listened to and their council rep. is looking out for not only the best interests of the entire city, but their area as well.
I'm sure others may have better ideas. It might be worth considering and thinking about for future elections.
2:02 I think you make a good point. I do believe that as adults we know how to act and respect one another. From what I have seen from past council members, they were the ones needing a lesson on how to treat and respect others.
DeleteThe signs definitely should come down.
6:29, that's district only elections. Not sure we're big enough to have a need for that, but it would be nice in some aspects....
DeleteDistricts would be good,
DeleteBut the mayor would have to be an at large seat, which would make six, an even number. So you'd have to add a second at large seat to avoid a lot of tie votes.
As I see it Teresa and Lisa' hand picked candidate won handily.That says to me there base is a live and well.Pam,Herschel,Kevin,Bruce and all of you EU blogers canidates lost there ass and that tells this BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH
ReplyDeleteYOU HAVE NO BASE 25 lonely blogers in cyber space .WC time to get a real job
6:31 Their hand picked candidate had the money. As you know, money buys you a seat. The voters may as well stay home because you can't compete against the money.
DeleteThis blog will continue I am certain and it will continue to influence and make a difference.
I have learned a lot on this blog that I would not necessarily have known about, so I am thankful for WC for taking his time in doing this thankless job.
Their hand picked candidate for mayor got his ass kicked by a 105lb winner . Neither Barth nor Shaffer are winners.
Delete6:31, We're too old to get real jobs.
DeleteShe also ran a good campaign, got out early, built a site etc. Buying an election was Lerch's attempt, mostly with one month left or less...
Delete5:55, I can read the newsletter and see the lies; it's those not as close to city politics who will believe them and about whom I'm concerned. Not reading the newsletter is not going to help others become more well-informed.
ReplyDeleteWould be nice if Barth/Shaffer would quit slinging mud while advising others to keep it clean, but honesty is apparently not in their "toolkit."
Barth is out, so that's one. I would actually agree on Shaffer's newsletter, it's a little bit two snarky for a council person's newsletter. Maybe she'll clue in the next 2 years...
DeleteHer mean spirited behavior helped Gaspar get elected. She will probably melt now.
DeleteHorse pucky. Gaspar has plenty of backers, as team Stocks/Meyer/Bond always does.
DeleteLa Mesa mayor Art Madri lost this time and La Mesa also added term limits. I wonder if Sabine, who is the contract attorney for La Mesa, will be sacked as well. Should be interesting.
ReplyDeleteA small ray of hope in a sky full of black clouds.
DeleteNow we're talking...
DeleteSo did God help Tony Kranz get more votes?
ReplyDeleteRegistrar of voters:
ReplyDelete"There are APPROXIMATELY 180000 Mail / Provisional ballots still to be counted."
That's countywide. There's no way to know how many of those are from Encinitas. The registrar will probably post the final tally tomorrow.
So far for Encinitas:
Of 38,810 registered voters, 13,055 voted in the mayoral race, and 11,960 voted in the council race. That's 33.6% and 30.9% respectively.
Gaspar got 48% of the votes for mayor. Blakespear got 38.3% or the votes for council member.
Kranz and Cameron's votes combined is 5,920, which is 352 short of Gaspar's 6,272.
This blog simply supported mediocre candidates blaming your loss on Teresa and Lisa only means there base is still strong and yours is not and the unintended consequences are Sheila Cameron help elected a pro development mayor great job prop A people.
ReplyDeleteLet's leave out all the blame, the election's over. The real question will be is everyone going to get back together and win it the next time, or are we going to allow team Stocks to get one more vote and take over?
Delete7:13,
DeleteI think that's going to take some substantial movement by the "progressive" council members and candidates.
During the past term, there was very little differentiation between Kranz and Gaspar's voting records (Lew Edwards, Pacific View, and Leichtag being the three exceptions, not all of which are necessarily in Kranz's favor). Then Kranz came asking the Prop A folks for their support, which went over like a lead balloon.
The burden of "getting back together" is not on the voters. It's on the leaders who have to earn the voters' trust.
So who do we vote for next time, WC, I'm not voting for Gaspar? The choice boils down to the same thing, will more people get active and run, or do we choose between Gaspar and Kranz?
DeleteHave to wait and see what this council does in the next two years and whether any credible alternative candidates come out.
DeleteThe amount of registered voters is way off. In 2008, almost 67,000 votes were cast in Encinitas. So the percentage of people who voted is even lower.
ReplyDeleteIn 2006 38,000 people voted when Gaspar first got in.
Ay ay ay...
DeleteFirst, I think you're double- and triple-counting from elections when two or three seats were up so people cast multiple votes per ballot. Lisa Shaffer made the same mistake in her last newsletter.
Second, Gaspar didn't first get in in 2006...
Dara Welty?
DeleteSorry, I meant 2010.
Delete"In 2008, almost 67,000 votes were cast . . . "
DeleteThat would be astonishing, if true. I believe that number is greater than the actual population, which includes non-citizens children, and people who have not registered to vote.
It appears that Teresa and Lisa have the support of the electorate there hand picked candidate won and tony thump shiela the voters have spoken it's you few malcontents who need to get there shit together or all is lost.This was a horrible lose for prop A folks crawl on your hands and knees a big forgiveness
ReplyDeleteNow that's how to extend an olive branch and rebuild trust and goodwill!
Delete7:45 how was it horrible for Prop A supporters? Kranz the lliar lost, Gaspar is up for re-election in two years not four, and Blakespear is no different than Barth, and might turn out to be better.
DeleteAs for Lisa Liar having a mandate give me a break- more and more people are commenting how obnoxious her arrogant newsletter is- the people in the middle went to Gaspar, not KRanz, in large part because of the Shaffer tax hike, the Shaffer PV purchase and the Shaffer weekly Socialist TImes
Enough with the b.s. attacks. Here's my point, the Prop A. folks, the Non Prop A. folks, Tony and Lisa supporters, I would hope were on the same team. It used to be we were all battling for our communities and their character. Fighting density bonus etc.
DeleteThe other side, ie, Gaspar, Muir, Stocks, Bond etc had the backing of the big developers. If I correctly read Gaspar's donations on the city website, that pattern of support still holds.
So are we going to spend the next two years with more sniping and then have multiple candidates, or are we going to get our you know what together and rebuild consensus..
-MGJ
Not even close. I support prop A along with most people in Encinitas. But I can't stand Cameron, and tony votes like a communist wanting the government to buy everything and take care of everyones needs Haaa. Whats a fiscally responsible/conservative, socially liberal, quality of life resident supposed to do?
ReplyDeleteI would never support a candidate who was anti prop A.
Yup, that Tony is a real communist. That's why he supports reigning in those evil capitalist bars downtown! You can't have it both ways.
DeleteIf you don't watch out, they're going to come up with another Gaspar, and that person and Muir will win next time, and then all of us will be sitting on the outside looking in as Prop. A is dismantled....
Prop. A requires a public vote to be dismantled. Council can't do it by themselves.
DeleteSo, King Tony is reigning in bars now? Really?
DeleteIf team Stocks gets back in, they will find a way..
DeleteIn 2016 there will be 4 open seats let's begin to look for electable candidates Now our else!.And yes you do owe us an apoigy we The people who voted against Prop A when you call Tony,Lisa and Teresa liars I'm outraged by that as are my friends.I think you WC started that retoric .You have lost a very important election your candidates got spanked look to your own soul our get left out.
ReplyDeleteIf you can explain how their ballot arguments on Prop A were not blatant, unambiguous lies, I would love to hear it.
DeleteHow do you and your outraged friends explain the ballot arguments?
9:09 and WC, let's put the past behind us. Prop. A passed, it is law. What EXACTLY happened at City hall and why Tony, Lisa and Teresa didn't get behind it, I can't tell you. I only was able to talk to Teresa directly about it one time.
DeleteShe will be out shortly, Lisa is supposedly out next time as well. That will leave Tony as the last one standing.
This is the kind of crap that will put Stocks and his gang back in, they will try and dismantle Prop A., I don't know how, I don't know win, but it will happen.
What we need now is to rebuild our old community coalition that fought density bonus, fought for neighborhoods and against overdevelopment.
All this carping on here about KLCC, Tony, drinking, Lisa's arogance, it's like a bunch of whining little babies. Let's try and steer this town in the right direction and quit tearing each other down.
I challenge every single person on this blog to raise their game and try and cut out the personal attacks and other worthless off topic nonsense.
Only the Sculpin and a few others come on here consistently with good takes that raise the dialogue.
Can we do it? You tell me..
=-MGJ
The mix makes it interesting. Maybe you need to take yourself and your smoking jacket to the Friar's Club, where the air is more rarified. Take Sculpin with you.
DeleteMGJ 12:28,
DeleteNobody is saying we can't put the past behind us. But is there any sign Kranz and Shaffer will govern any different in the future?
The Prop A folks voted against Kranz for a reason. Not just Prop A, but Desert Rose, Vina, Sabine, Communications Director, Rutan & Tucker, Lew Edwards, predetermined Housing Element, and on and on. What evidence is there that they will be any different going forward?
I suspect the Prop A folks would forgive the past if they had confidence that the future would be different.
A lot of it boils down to this for me, would you rather have Tony and Lisa or Jerome and Danny D. or James Bond? I take Tony and Lisa. Do you really think any other council person would have had much of a different view on Vina, Sabine, The Comms director and on and on? I think you're living in a fantasy world.
DeleteBond was the only one who would occasionally break ranks. Maggie voted with Jerome and the gang most of the time.
In this instance, I think reaching out to Tony and Lisa would have more effect than just complaining about the past. I may not agree with their votes on Desert Rose and Prop. A, but I can see the rationale.
On Prop. A, I think they went with Teresa. On Desert Rose, it was the lawsuit threat. That Desert Rose thing will be a quagmire, that will be litigated, you can bet on it.
I still think a lot of it boils down to the Prop. A. folks really feel like they didn't get what was owed, which I have never understood. Politics doesn't work that way nowdays.
Simply put, Tony is the best chance we've got, I'd rather back him than watch Muir and Gaspar find one other person and take back over. Then you can watch them gut Prop. A with an elaborate end around.
I've seent that act many times in the laswt 20 years....
-MGJ
MGJ,
DeleteYou're conceding that Kranz's voting record is no better than Gaspar's, and you're not offering any reason to believe he'll be any different going forward. So what's the point of voting for one over the other?
Kranz will have two big opportunities to differentiate himself on the density bonus and on the housing element update. Do you think he'll take a stand?
Tony has two more years to take a swing on those issues, yes. I believe in evaluating after the first term. If I don't like what he does at that point, I go somewhere else. For now the jury is still out for me.
DeleteAnd I know Tony, so I would go ask him his take on those issues and get some feedback straight from the horses mouth on why he's taking the stand he's taking. It looks a lot easier from our side than it is from his side. I worked for a public agency in this county, and it was next to impossible to get anything done for the people who wanted to make change.
I have history in this town WC, I would never back one of the Gaspar bloc candidates. They have shown time and time again how they are bought and paid for.
I have to be honest with you, if you guys are that down on the current crop, you need to come up with a strong, strong slate next time. I voted for Julie, but the effort was lacking there. If there was such a strong desire for her to win, where was the backing, the foot soliders, the website early on? Blakespeare cleaned her clock, and the big dough from the Republicans and Lerch pretty much bought him 2nd place.
So in the end, who do you have? Am I going to have other options for my vote? Who in the Prop. A crowd is going to get off their ass and throw their hat in the ring, other than Julie?
-MGJ
9:26, Sure they were lies. But intentional? I think they may have either unintentionally believed what they were fed (Rutan / Tucker etc.) or they were actually scared into being against it, being told other lies (lawsuits etc). Sure, that's giving them the big benefit of doubt, but I think its possible. A LOT of people were decieved and the vote was very close.
Delete“Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig likes it.”
ReplyDeleteGeorge Bernard Shaw
Gaspar won because she is nice. Kranz isn't. Sheila & Julie were late to the race and underfunded. Much still needs to change at city hall and their were no big winners this race either way, just business as usual on vulcan for a bit longer.
ReplyDeleteGaspar is nice? Huh?
DeleteThe reality is that this election didn't changed the balance on the council. Kranz lost his bid for mayor, but he stays on the council. Gaspar stays as mayor, but elected by the public this time and must run again in 2016. Barth is leaving and is replaced by Blakespear. The frequent 3 to 2 votes will probably continue.
ReplyDeleteBlakespear will be a swing vote on some issues. She is not a clone of Barth and could turn out to be more independent that most think. She has already spoken out against Planning Director Murphy and City Attorney Sabine. She kept quiet about City Manager Vina. She wasn't involved in hiring him, so it will be easier for her to seek a placement.
10:27 It will take the entire council to replace the city manager and that is not likely to happen. After all, didn't some one say that Gaspar was a nice person? I know a lot of nice people, but we need leaders.
DeleteWave to Vina and Sabine each week.
No, a majority of three can do it. The discussions are always in closed session. If the other two don't make a public stink about it for the sake of "unity," it's a done deal.
DeleteCheck next week's agenda. There is a closed session for performance review of both Sabine and Vina. Curious that this was moved up before the swearing in next month. The six- month review period is January
Is anyone concerned about how well Lerch did? With no activism or "standing" in the community, and a late start, and mostly self funded, but with endorsements from Public Safety, he managed to come in a close-ish 2nd. Next time the pro-development groups could easily run Kristin plus Muir and two more with glossy mailers, following the Lerch strategy. A slate of four - law enforcement's choice, etc.
ReplyDelete11:25 Not concerned at all.
DeleteLerch wanted to adopt the housing element update immediately, bypassing a vote of the people (guaranteed under Prop A). That's just the kind of guy he is. I'm very concerned.
Delete4:05- the sky is falling the sky is falling.
Delete4:52, Au contraire, - the building is rising, the building is rising.
DeleteGood one, 6:13. Sadly.
DeleteAre there voters in Encinitas who don't stand to personally gain by hyper-development and are against Prop A?
ReplyDeleteReading some of the comments on this blog, I would think so.
I really don't think many people in this town care about politics, who runs for office, who is mayor, or what the city does. Most are here to live their own lives and enjoy it.
ReplyDeletePolitics is a ugly "game" and any one that wants to be involved with it is wasting their life when they could be having a good time. Some, however, need to feed their own ego to think they are important, when no one actually cares.
Correction: I meant to say "an ugly game".
Delete12:36 I ponder your sentiments, there is truth to them for sure- but how do you reconcile your setniment that it is a waste when you look at all the residents who have gone to city hall only after learning that votes had negatively impacted them? C'est la vie?
Delete12:36 Totally agree that most people don't care. Those that attend the meetings are usually the same complainers week after week. I sure don't want to spend my time that way. It's all about choices. Each to their own.
DeleteThe only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.
Delete1:55, you benefit because other people have more of a community conscience than you do. They're involved not out of ego or personal gain but because they want what's best for the community. If you don't want to participate, that's your choice. Don't denigrate people who do.
Guess what, 12:36 — that's the way it is statewide and nationally. That's why voter turnout is so low, even in presidential election years. Things are run by the people who show up.
Delete12:36, most folks who live here do enjoy without thought to who's in charge or what the city does. That is, until they apply for a minor building permit. Or wake up to a sidewalk randomly installed next to their house. Or to toxic dirt being so improperly dealt with that they have to move to a hotel until the grading stops.
DeleteOr, or, or. The more the city disrespects it's residents, the more residents will "actually care"...and they should.
Make that "its" residents.
DeleteNo one cares about the dealings at city hall until someone from the city comes to make grief for you. It's happening more & more, encinitas is the epidemy of bloated meddling government, wasting our tax dollars any way they want while ignoring citizens who have been vocal as can be about roads, and bars, shabby development, and a pretty long list of real concerns. Call it whining if you want.
DeleteDepends who you have to deal with, like anything, but yes, I have heard many a horror story. Is it any better in Carlsbad, Oceanside? Does anyone have any insight? My guess is it's not that great anywhere.
DeleteOn the bars, if I was you, I'd go picket the Union and Shelter. Short of the cops sitting a bar like they did back in the day at Sharky's, aka the Full Moon Saloon, none of this activity will settle down anytime soon.
Carlsbad they mourned a council member retiring after 20 some years so I'd say it is quite different.
Delete5:14 If you abide by the codes and rules of the city, you shouldn't have any problem. Sounds like you may have done something that was not right in the eyes of the city, similar to the Marrs perhaps?
DeleteJust do the right thing, and you will have no problems.
The city is working on streamlining building permits, etc. Every thing takes time.
5:14- you are correct. City code enforcement officer harassing restaurants that don't serve alcohol. Harassing them simply because they are open after 8 pm. If a meteorite were to destroy city hall and those that work there it couldn't happen soon enough.
Delete7:00 AM
Delete"City code enforcement officer harassing restaurants that don't serve alcohol. Harassing them simply because they are open after 8 pm."??
You'll have to explain more than that to get any sympathy from me. What was the issue? You make it sound that only restaurants serving alcohol run afoul of city codes.
Sheila and Julie were under fund because people didn't like what they had to say ,were all of tired of anger and rhetoric fear mongering half truths your people lost because they were mediocre .We have more things in commen then separate us and yet you continue to beat on prop A hey guess what it passed got over it move on it is not the purity test for me,if that'll you have your a one trick pony!.
ReplyDeleteEither 1:56 is typing in the dark with his/her thumbs or he/she suffers from English deficit disorder. Maybe both. Please explain your meaning to avoid misinterpretation by your readers.
DeleteI think they're saying quit flogging Prop A. as the great litmus test of candidate worthiness.
DeletePersonally, I say let's rebuild the coalition and run Muir and Gaspar out in two years...
Day of election I found out someone voted for Gaspar when they meant to vote for Graboi. Oh I just knew their name began with G, oh well. A future council member I'm guessing.
ReplyDeleteMust be one of my neighbors. Tells you all you need to know about engagement most years.
ReplyDeleteContinuing to call people LIAR over your victory with Prop A does not bode well for rebuilding the coalition.We all do have a right to our on opinion and mine is different so that make me a liar.At this point the coalition is dead.
ReplyDeleteThe ballot statements in question are not matters of opinion. They are factually untrue.
DeleteCoalition is dead. Cameron is a total idiot and do not include that loser in any future coalition. Same as Pam Slater. Both total losers and bad for Encinitas. Lets get a new coalition with smart energetic positive people who truly want to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Encinitas. Go Prop A!!!
DeleteThis is not a single issue of lying about Prop A. Council members have lied or omitted material facts about many issues related to Pacific View, Lew Edwards consulting fees to raise fees on taxpayers. Lew's email said that it would cost at least $160,000 and Teresa Barth published that it would cost $20,000 the same week.
DeleteThe message to council members is to stop lying, and we will stop pointing out your lies.
Guys, the rhetoric needs to come down. The election for Prop. A was a year and a half ago. To the extent that all ballot arguments try and persuade you to to one way or the other, you could say all the arguments are a lie, based on your point of view.
DeleteThe larger point here is the name calling "progressive", "Tree Hugger" "bluffie" "Round about Lover" "Trust Funder", none of this takes us anywhere. The community character coalition of old had progressives, libertarians, dems, Reps, old, young. That's what we need again. All the name calling is worthless.
Action talks, bullshit walks. Are we going to have action, or a bunch of b.s., because based on Sheila and Julie's showing, it was a bunch of b.s. Come on people, we're better than this, aren't we?
I still call for a big roundup of community people, minus Marco this time, and see what we can come up with, and try and bury the hatchet now.
Otherwise Gaspar, Muir and Son of Stocks will be back on the Dais calling all the shots in two years time.
-MGJ
MGJ Practice what you preach. If you are so hot, put your name in the hopper next time buddy.
DeleteMGJ 11:11,
Delete"To the extent that all ballot arguments try and persuade you to to one way or the other, you could say all the arguments are a lie, based on your point of view."
No. There is a bright line between persuasive opinion and blatantly untrue factual statements. I agree that it's time to stop re-hashing this.
Let's move on to the city's housing update meetings! Real opportunity for community input or just a show before the city does what it was going to do anyway?
I agree with the comment that the council needs to stop lying to us. If they tell us the truth, we may start believing in them. As it stands right now, we have heard too many untruths. I am sure we will hear more untruths about the housing element.
DeleteWe need people that can represent the people who put them in office. So far, we have had poor representation and that includes Wonder Woman Gaspar. She said she never voted to ban anything. Total untruth. That's just the tip of the iceberg.
12:11 PM
DeleteIsn't there a lawsuit filed by the builders association on the recent density bonus changes and the city's lack of a current housing element? How is that going to effect the housing element update?
EU @ 12:11 PM
Delete"Real opportunity for community input or just a show before the city does what it was going to do anyway?"
Since you wrote the lead to this post two months before the election, why not tell us now what the city will be doing regardless of community input on the housing element. Some pieces should be easy because they're mandated by state legislation. Or is your position that the council should just ignore state requirements and risk lawsuits if that is what people say they want?
In your view is it possible for the council to do both and, if so, what suggestions do you have to accomplish that?
1:21,
DeleteMy guess is the city's final upzoning map after gathering lots of "public input" will look remarkably like this map, which city staff made months ago without any public input, and which was used to invite potential upzonees to Mike Andreen's "Encinitas Up-Zoning Can Mean Increased Property Values" party.
1:30 PM
DeleteThat map was made after the GPAC, ERAC, planning commission and public all went through the "dot" exercise. Since the "dot exercise used grids and purposely did not go down to the parcel level, the staff's interpretation of dots to parcel wasn't out of line for a first pass draft. To say "without any public input" is grossly misleading. You may not care for the "dot" exercise methodology (I have problems with it) but the public was involved.
If you look at the original general plan adoption process (meeting minutes) which took many months and many meetings by the council and planning commission, a good percentage of the public speakers talked about specific parcels, mostly their own. I see no reason why this update won't be different except I doubt there will be that many parcels in play.
And now the public will be asked to weigh in on those parcels via Peak Democracy. Of course, many people here just believe that will be a smoke screen with any contrary entries ignored and bogus supporting entries created by the bad guys.
No matter what people think, to meet state requirements there will be some upzoning, whether it's done by public vote or by a court. People like Andreen may try to profit off it but there is no way to exclude or constrain him from trying. Believe me, I'm no fan of Andreen.
Some land use designation changes are going to happen. How, where and at what intensity is still to be determined. If you poison the public about the process, they won't participate. I'm sure not everyone is going to be happy with the results, whatever it is, but it's important that they be involved.
Having said all that, thanks for your estimate.
I agree replace them all.
ReplyDeleteIs fewer than half the votes a landslide? She got a significant plurality in a five-candidate race.
ReplyDeleteI can only think of a few reasons why any and person would want to run for City Council in Encinitas. 1) they want to go higher into the political world, 2) they are being bought and paid for by certain organizations 3) they truly believe that they can make our community an even better place to live, 4) they don't have a job and the money, including pension and healthcare is appealing.
ReplyDeleteLet's face it, anyone who runs has to start in April. They have to ask people for money, beg people to do meet and greets, are subject to their personal lives being attacked, are subject to clowns, have to smile at people they dislike, and have to put up with all the other crap that goes with running. Then, if elected, they find that they cannot do all the things they promised for a variety of reasons that they may have not known before.
I know many people who have thought about running, and would be excellent council members. Many of them who used to post their names on this blog don't even do that anymore for fear of people who have nothing better to do than demean them. And to prove it, I will post my own name and Wc, please don't delete any comments, no matter how nasty. I would love to make the point as to why good people don't run.
How about to increase the population so there will be more people who need physical therapy?
Delete