Our District One County Supe, Dave Pine, has just instituted an email newsletter to inform district residents of what's up in Redwood City at the County government level. If you didn't get it today, ping Dave at dave.pine@comcast.net and I am sure he can add you to his list.
One of the e-newsletter's items is this announcement
Measure A will provide approximately $60 million a year for the next ten years for a range of services.
To gather input for the use of this new revenue the Board of Supervisors will begin holding public hearings in January to help set funding priorities. The hearings will focus on community needs in such areas as: (1) health and human services including the possible funding of seismic improvements at Seton Medical Center, (2) parks, (3) public works and capital projects, and (4) housing and transportation.
If I might, can I add option (5)? Pay down the debt, fund the unfunded pension liabilities and look for ways to spend less? Just because a new source of funds is starting that doesn't mean we need to find new things to spend it on.
One of the other things Dave noted in his e-newsletter was San Mateo County's switch to district-only elections. He notes:
Measure B will change the way county supervisors are elected from an at-large or countywide system to a district based system.
Of the 58 counties in California, San Mateo County was the only county to elect its Board of Supervisors in countywide elections. I believe district elections will result in more candidates, more accountability, and more citizen involvement. By passing this critical measure, San Mateo County voters have gained a stronger voice in their government.
Then I read the Mercury News Internal Affairs column this morning and learned that in Santa Clara County where the District 2 supervisor is under all sorts of pressure, the district approach can have some interesting side effects. One Teresa Alvarado who lost in their District 1 in the past is "starting early, moving from a home near Hayes Mansion that she shares with her husband Jess Morales to rent a loft in District 2's Japantown". That doesn't at all fit the spirit of district-based elections, so we will be on the lookout for those kinds of shenanigans in SM County.
Posted by: Joe | December 23, 2012 at 02:35 PM
In San Mateo County a candidate has always had to live in the district they represented even before the recent change. When Supervisor Pine was elected one of his opponents actually "lived" in a Burlingame hotel for several months so he would be considered a resident of District 1. Those kinds of shenanigans are nothing new to SM County.
Posted by: Jeff | December 27, 2012 at 09:20 AM
Did Nagel's family kick her out during the election? Or was Gina Papan trying to find herself again? Spell it out for me Jeff.
Posted by: dtn | January 03, 2013 at 09:38 PM
Good one. Gina is still finding herself since Daddy can't help as much as she thought and neither can the unions.
Posted by: Upthecamino | January 04, 2013 at 08:18 PM