It's widely believed that Jerome Stocks has always aspired to higher office. It's a standard path to power: get on a podunk city council, schmooze with the county party establishment, and then cruise to a life of power and perks as representative of a safe district in Sacramento.
But as Stocks stumbled in recent years, that possibility seemed less and less likely. Always opposed by the greenie-preservationists of Leucadia and Cardiff for his pro-developer policies, he made new enemies among conservatives with his shocking vote for a 35% pension increase for city employees who can now retire very comfortably at 55 while the people paying the bills are forced to work into their 70s. That is certainly not going to play well in a Republican district in an era when pensions breaking municipal budgets across the state and nation are making headlines every day.
I thought Stocks' political career had peaked here, until I saw this. The government unions are planning to achieve total supremacy over California government by electing pro-union Republicans in a few Republican districts. Already having all of the Democratic districts on their side, they would only need to plant union stooges in two Republican seats in each house to have the supermajority required to raise taxes to fund whatever union benefits they want. And who better to be one of those union stooges than someone who is already on record as a union stooge for a 35% pension increase? The unions can easily dump some of their considerable war chest into Stocks' campaign in the new open primaries. Against a Democrat and one or more true fiscal conservative Republicans, Stocks would easily come in the top two with heavy advertising support, qualifying him for the general election where the Republican always wins.
Unfortunately for Stocks, much of the Republican establishment, including Stocks allies Jim Bond and Kristen Gaspar, have already endorsed Sherry Hodges for the Assembly seat.
All of which is interesting prelude to today's Logan Jenkins column. Jenkins is known to be close to Stocks, and offers up this story of an unnamed politician:
I was talking with a North County pol, a Republican councilman contemplating an Assembly run, who was grousing that the San Diego [mayor's] race is going to suck up all the mother’s milk, leaving candidates like him begging for baby sips.
It’s not just money that’s going to be vacuumed up, he grumbled. Printer’s (and online) ink. Air time. Oxygen.
Sound like anyone you know?
Stocks needs to politically move on fairly soon - he is gaining notoriety for his special interest allegiances as a city councilman and is being exposed constantly by citizen activists for his fiscal ineptitude. The Madonna episode has broght him more unfavorable publicity than he wishes to bask in, but could probably still survive locally with the developers' money input. But Assembly is a perfect refuge for such a blood sucker - the public doesn't know who you are or what you do and you can coast on the public dime for a lifetime. I am hoping that the Madonna ends his local career this term and that he has to return to the daily hustle of whatever stik he did before without the springboard to higher office.
ReplyDeleteJenkins went soft on Dalager too, until the floor dropped out - then he backed off his support. Hard to condone or minimize bribes and kickbacks.
ReplyDeleteStocks is a smug, despicable cur. He's in the game for himself and his cronies. Voters should end his political career at the next election.
ReplyDeleteStocks (and the rest of the Council) can do irreparable harm to the city if a majority vote yes on tomorrow's agenda item #14 to change the purchasing and contracts procedures.
ReplyDeleteElucidate the issue on #14.
ReplyDeletestocks and bonds-----the brain dead wall street boys
ReplyDeleteAt the meeting last night JS promised to respond to Ed Wagoner's piece about City finances found on the Encinitas Patch. He talked about how wrong the piece was and he announced that he was going write a rebuttal.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, JS showered praise on Jay Lemback for his great work, so as to avoid Jay having to explain himself or demonstrate his skills as a financial expert. Jerome moved to accept the report without explination, so that Jay would not have to do something beyond his level like adding percentages.
Jerome also complimented Jay at the April 27 meeting, when Jay could not add rounded numbers. It is interesting to watch this April 27 tape of Jay’s Caltis presentation since he opens with a request to have the council accept his report with no presentation. Well, JS did that for our financial expert last night. If JS says that our financial expert deserves praise when he can’t add rounded numbers in his prepared presentation, who are we to question?
When Jay was asked in April about outsourcing services, he defended himself by explaining that oursourcing would be more expensive for us than to pay someone like him a six-figure salary.
$tock$ is indifferent to the critics, as his developer buddies will throw in the cash to get him reelected. The average voter in this city is apparently completely unaware of the ineptitude and special interest orientation of $tock$, as he gets back into office every time. Hopefully this time the Madonna finishes his corrupt career!
ReplyDelete