County Board of Supervisors District 2: Dianne Jacob Era Ends
The 2nd Supervisorial District covering 2,000 square miles encompassing the eastern two-thirds of the county used to be hard core Republican Country.
Now, although it still leans to the right, voter registration is evening out with 35% of registered voters in the district calling themselves Republican, 33.5% Democrats, and 33.5% saying none of the above.
After twenty seven years in office, term limits have finally kicked in for Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who leaves some big shoes to fill. In 2016, she defeated her opponent by a three to one margin.
As Jerry Butkiewicz, then-secretary-treasurer of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, told Voice of San Diego in 2006, “Asking you to run against [East County Supervisor] Dianne Jacob is like asking you to jam bamboo shoots under your fingernails. You’ll have to dedicate the next year and have to raise a ton of money, and for what? You’re still going to lose.”
The outgoing Supervisor’s legacy includes supporting the creation of many parks, open spaces, trails and libraries, an Alzheimer’s project, and a push to create a County Fire Authority. She’s widely admired for standing up against industrial-scale energy projects, supporting the initial steps toward a community choice energy option, and being a vocal critic of SDG&E.
Jacob would like to see Steve Vaus succeed her, having endorsed the Poway Mayor the day he announced his candidacy. She has more than $500,000 in leftover campaign funds to support or oppose a candidate.
Given the large amounts of money connected to the Republican candidates in this race, the likelihood is that the underfunded Democrat won’t make it past the primary. We’ll just have to see how many blue voters look down the ballot past the presidential candidates.
The Union-Tribune has done an admirable public service in publishing interviews with candidates for all the major offices in San Diego, giving readers the opportunity to see where those seeking to serve the public stand on a variety of issues. The transcripts include “uhs and ums” so there would be no misunderstanding about context. Unlike the Union-Tribune, I’ve done my best to include all the candidates, drawing from other sources to illustrate the character of the people on the ballot.
(The term “money quote” in my listings of candidates means I’ve picked something out from the UT interviews that seemed to characterize the candidate.)
***
The endorsed candidate of the San Diego County Republican Party is former State Assemblymember and State Senator Joel Anderson. He’s a perfect example of the kind of amoral, shifty characters the party has come to be identified with.
There’s the history of campaign finance violations and creative loopholes; the “honor” of being ALEC’s Legislator of the Year; the hypocrisy of advocating the expulsion of indicted Democratic State Senators and supporting then-indicted Rep. Duncan Hunter "100 percent" in 2019; and of being reprimanded for saying he wanted to 'bitch slap' a lobbyist in a bar.
I suppose the County GOP has to stick with him, given that he accepted a $200,000 donation* to run for this seat in 2016 (and then changed his mind, but kept the money) just one day before a county mandated cap of $25,000 (it’s $27,500 this year) donations from political parties went into effect.
Oh, and lest we forget, there was Anderson’s stunning loss in 2018 for a seat on the State Board of Equalization. As the UT editor said, “80 year old disgraced former politician, called one of the worst slumlords in Southern California, twice disbarred.”
Why he’s running
As your Supervisor, I will continue to support policies that promote local career opportunities and support local businesses. Young families shouldn't have to move away because we didn't support local career opportunities for them..
Link to Union-Tribune Interview
Money Quote
You couldn’t be more approachable than what I attempted because at the end of the day, by the way, you can see my open houses and stuff, they’re on the web.
We videotaped a lot of it and we videotaped all my community coffees because if somebody had a question about a specific issue that was impacting everybody, I wanted people to have access to it. And in fact, Indivisible protested me in Escondido. And, uh, I always would start off by saying, “Hey, we’re going to Facebook Live this so it’s going to be on the web forever. So if your phone dies, go to the web, no problem.”
So if you go to their... I don’t know if they still do it, but for six months after the event, they had mean things to say about me. And then the videos say, “courtesy of Sen. Anderson.” It was my video. And I think one of the complaints was I wasn’t transparent yet they’re using my video. So, you know, look, uh, people are allowed to have opinions.
Organization Endorsements: San Diego County Republican Party, San Diego County Gun Owners, San Diego Off Road Coalition, San Diego County Medical Society, National Electrical Contractors Association, San Diego Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors
Funds raised thru 12/31/19: $149,108.82*
*There is a big difference between his fundraising and cash on hand numbers...Just over $200,000.
***
Brian Sesko says he’s “Approachable - Honest - Real Cowboy.” He’s currently chairman of the Lakeside Community Planning Group. Sesko is, however, not the only cowboy in this contest.
Why he’s running
After building homes and working in real estate for over 30 years, I have learned a great deal about business, families, San Diego, and working with the government. I know that electing another career politician is not in the best interest of our community. By electing me as Supervisor for District 2 you will get the approachable, common sense hardworking individual not beholden to special interest groups.
Link to Union-Tribune Interview – Not interviewed
Money Quote – Do-list, from his website:
* Require the Board of Supervisors to hold meetings at night in their district to cover controversial issues.
* Push back on County plans to flood East County with high density projects to meet State guidelines for housing.
* Concern for the size of the growing departments at the County level that seem to be less efficient. A desire to reduce the size of County Government and regulations.
* Need an explanation from the County Officials on how they plan on funding the several billion dollars of unfunded liabilities in the County Pension plan.
* Explore the possibilities of getting more sheriff presence in our schools. County Sheriff needs to cooperate with ICE.
* Explore eliminating the planning commission and transferring their decision making authority to local planning groups.
* A need for the Board of Supervisors to take a stronger stance against the Sanctuary status coming down from Sacramento.
* Change the rules so that the Board of Supervisors no longer can vote on their own pay raises. Eliminate the pension for Board of Supervisors. Roll back the last year's pay increase for the Board voted by the Board members themselves.
Organization Endorsements: None
Funds raised: $0
Website | Facebook | Twitter
***
Democrat Kenya Taylor is a marriage and family therapist, San Diego NAACP Executive Committee member, and long time progressive activist on education and health issues.
She’s also membership Chair of the Black Women's Institute for Leadership.
I worked with Kenya a decade ago with Educate for the Future back when we were fighting budget cuts in local public schools, so I’m inclined to like her. #RealDeal Unfortunately, I don’t live in this district, so I can’t vote for her.
Why she’s running:
Having a strong background in behavioral health and community activism, I’m passionate about the health and wellbeing of my community. My work allows me to travel all around east San Diego County, and I want to make sure the residents in my district can live happy and healthy lives.
I am a firm believer in maximizing community collaboration and focusing on evidence-based solutions. During my career, I have devoted myself on the needs of families, aging population as well as homeless individuals. I have facilitated individual and family therapy services to clients facing school challenges, promoted intergenerational programs for older adults and elementary school students, and helped homeless library patrons access child care and other services. While working in our rural communities, I have worked in schools, primary care, and with seniors addressing mental health issues, substance abuse, homelessness, and pain management.
Link to Union-Tribune Interview
Money Quote
We need more prevention programs to deal with these high gusts of wind that are happening in District 2 but also health or mental health issues. I’m the only one with the background with the competence to address mental health. That’s my training and I’m saying that because I’m the only one that studied this.
I’ve been working on this issue for decades now and unfortunately I’m not seeing long-term solutions and it worries me tremendously when we keep spending billions and billions and billions of dollars on these situations and the streets are the worst I’ve seen in my lifetime.
I’m a native of San Diego. I don’t recall seeing rows of tents, rows of shopping carts or even strollers lined up on our streets.
Organizational Endorsements: San Diego Democratic Party + 10 Democratic Clubs, Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, Local 221 SEIU + 2 other union locals, League of Conservation Voters, Engage San Diego, Run Women Run.
Funds Raised as of 6/30/19: $12,386.51
***
Republican Steve Vaus is Mayor of Poway and the endorsed choice of a majority of the current Board of Supervisors. Your kids might know of him as award-winning recording artist Buck Howdy. In any case, he’s well known for the cowboy hat he wears most of the time.
Lately his role as chair of the SANDAG (regional government transportation & planning agency) has been in the news as he’s pushed back against changing the focus from cars to transit. Vaus was praised for his response to the 2019 shooting at Poway synagogue, and drawn scorn by some for response to Poway boil water advisory.
Why he’s running
“My priorities as East County’s Supervisor will be the same as my priorities as Mayor: Keeping us safe from crime and fire, maintaining infrastructure, protecting and expanding open space, encouraging development of new housing, and being accessible.”
Link to Union-Tribune Interview
Money Quote
If I were to die once I’m a supervisor, my wife would not run for my seat. I can guarantee you that. Number two supervisors is, my last stop, uh, I have no desire to go anywhere else. I’ve had a lot of people say, Hey, why don’t you run for Congress? Why don’t you do this? No thanks. I love the constituent focus of being supervisor. It’s like being a super mayor or, or being the mayor of East County. I love that because I want to solve problems for people. I want them to know they can walk up to me in the grocery store or call me 24/7.
The weirdest thing happened since I put out my phone number. People call me, I’ll answer the phone, there’ll be a long pause. Finally they’ll say, I didn’t think I’d really reach you. That’s a sad thing. We should be reachable particularly in these local things. So no supervisor is my ideal job. It’s a perfect way to take what I’ve learned, uh, the, the blueprint from Poway and apply it to the rest of the county and I can’t wait to get to work.
Organizational Endorsements: Deputy Sheriffs’ Association of SD County, El Cajon Police Officers’ Association, Fraternal Order of Police SD, SD County Probation Officers Association, SD Against Crime, SD Deputy District Attorneys Association, Associated General Contractors, Associated Builders & Contractors, SD Lincoln Club
Funds raised as of 12/31/19: $399,852.00
Hey folks! Be sure to like/follow Words & Deeds on Facebook. If you’d like to have each post emailed to you check out the simple subscription form on the right side of the front page.
Email me at WritetoDougPorter@Gmail.com