The Swiss Family Robinson, Dr. Dan and the Gaviota Coast
You might remember my call to Dr. Dan in mid-September to show some transparency in that he promised to post his donors on the web (perhaps at the still empty SB Transparent Campaigns Blog). The financial statements just released tell us a little more as to why Dr. Dan did not want this information made public.
It seems that Dr. Dan is taking money from coastal developer companies and their agents who petition the Coastal Commission. Even more interesting is that the amount he is accepting from the agents is just low enough that he does not have to recuse himself when voting. Campaign law says that a Coastal Commissioner must recuse themselves from voting when they have received contributions of more than $250 from an interested party (read agents). The developers behind the agents, however, can give larger contributions and have.
John Vallance of MAZ Properties gave $4,000 and Tim Doheny of Las Veras Ranch gave $1,000. They both have active projects on the Gaviota Coast.
MAZ Properties runs Rancho Tajiguas which is the largest parcel on the Gaviota Coast. The "Bean Blossom" project is being sought by a 10-member Swiss family living in Eurupe who are seeking 11,000 square foot homes.
The under $250 rule is further seen in a donation from Andi Culbertson who is a planning agent. One of her clients was the Dos Pueblos Associates who was trying to develop an 18-hole course along the Gaviota Coast. Another planning agent is Dave Neish who donated $225. He represented Robert and Laurie Warmington for a project which included a 10,244 square foot home and 721 square foot garage (I guess they have a car collection -- a 721 sq foot garage? I could live there).
These $250 donations are not large but as we dig deeper into the filings we have to wonder what larger donations may be connected to these agents.....hmmmm.
It seems that Dr. Dan is taking money from coastal developer companies and their agents who petition the Coastal Commission. Even more interesting is that the amount he is accepting from the agents is just low enough that he does not have to recuse himself when voting. Campaign law says that a Coastal Commissioner must recuse themselves from voting when they have received contributions of more than $250 from an interested party (read agents). The developers behind the agents, however, can give larger contributions and have.
John Vallance of MAZ Properties gave $4,000 and Tim Doheny of Las Veras Ranch gave $1,000. They both have active projects on the Gaviota Coast.
MAZ Properties runs Rancho Tajiguas which is the largest parcel on the Gaviota Coast. The "Bean Blossom" project is being sought by a 10-member Swiss family living in Eurupe who are seeking 11,000 square foot homes.
The under $250 rule is further seen in a donation from Andi Culbertson who is a planning agent. One of her clients was the Dos Pueblos Associates who was trying to develop an 18-hole course along the Gaviota Coast. Another planning agent is Dave Neish who donated $225. He represented Robert and Laurie Warmington for a project which included a 10,244 square foot home and 721 square foot garage (I guess they have a car collection -- a 721 sq foot garage? I could live there).
These $250 donations are not large but as we dig deeper into the filings we have to wonder what larger donations may be connected to these agents.....hmmmm.
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 10/07/2006 11:21:00 PM
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72 Comments:
The only thing surprising about Secord accepting BIG DEVELOPER money is that anyone is surprised.
Just google the names of some of his donors--- MAZ Properties, DB Neish aka Dave Neish, Andi Culbertson along with the words "coastal commission" or Gaviota---and you will find the pending or approved massive homes and developments these "friends and neighbors" [as Secord lists Neish on his campaign website] want to build. Neish and Culbertson are Orange County developers who've had many projects before the Coatal Commission during Secord's term--- Neish has a website- www.dbnplanning.com = promoting himself as "Coastal Development".....
The curious $249 donation from Culbertson, and the $225 donation from Neish are thinly veiled attempts to circumvent the Coastal Commision's own rule---any donation of $250 or higher from an applicant or agent to a Coastal Commissioner must be disclosed, and the Commissioner must recuse himself. and what fun would THAT be.
But MAZ Properties, INC donations are most disturbing--- they are among the ten biggest landowners on the Gaviota Coast and want to turn the coast into a playground for the wealthy--- just like the developments on the Orange County coast that Dan has supported. By accepting their money, Secord has revealed his own "vision statement" about development on our Coast---- a vision we should all be very, very afraid of.
Joe Guzzardi--- is this the kind of "slow growth" you had in mind?
Sara, did they list their occupations on the 460's as developer related? dd
Sara---I visited the link to Andi Culbertson's Orange County development firm website---- and found this chilling statement [quoted below] about what they've been able to do to the Orange County Coast. And this is who Secord sides w/ on the Coastal Commission, and takes $249.00 donations from [to skirt the disclosure rule of $250]:
"Land Use Regulations and Entitlements
More than twenty five years ago, the principals of CAA developed a new zoning philosophy and format which has since been applied to nearly every major landholding in South Orange County.
Prior to the new philosophy, nearly all zoning regulations allowed only a narrow range of uses on a piece of property. All others were prohibited. Recognizing the negative side of these rigid regulations, C. David Culbertson developed a more builder/developer friendly zoning format and philosophy that was adopted by the County of Orange.
One of the major benefits of this new zoning philosophy is the ability to respond to market forces without the need for unnecessary, time consuming and costly zone changes and amendments.
Most major landowners in south Orange County have adopted Culbertson, Adams & Associates' land use regulation concept because it saves money and time, while offering a better tool for reviewing project proposals."
xxx
Does Secord really believe the voters of the Second District will fall for this Orange County-ification of our Coast!!!???
Joe, Travis---how does this sit with your anti-development sensibilities?
Sounds like Developer Dan really is "Ready to Deliver from Day One".
Problem is he wants to deliver development on the Gaviota Coast.
He has already decided that there are "300 approvable projects" on the Coast, according to his statement at the League of Women Voters Forum, which will be repeated over and over again on tv for those of you who think I am joking.
Also intereting is that Developer Dan is trying to paint himself as the defender of neighborhoods, even criticising Wolf for being endorsed by the Homebuilders Association.
Funny thing about that is that Dan has a whole bunch of money on his filing from homebuilders and developers. Lack Construction, the Blakenships, Towbes, Beaver, and many business associates of Bill Levy.
Levy of course is responsible for the big HOLE IN THE GROUND along the Waterfront that has fallen through due to a lack of financing.
Considering his claims to be so fiscally minded you think Dan would have been able to see the Levy was playing a shell game with investors!
Why the concern over building here? There's nothing here, just empty land. Better than further congesting downtown.
This bait and switch routine worked for Firestone who assured the voters that he was a moderate when it came to approving growth on the Board. I'll agree that he's no Joe Centano, but he's not the centrist on development issues that he advertised to get elected.
Let's face facts. You are not going to get elected here by claiming that you are pro-growth. Secord is not going to admit that, but his record, his campaign donations, and his Republican-ness all point in the same direction.
I realize that some people want to allow more liberal growth policies, while some of us do not. I'm willing to be outvoted, but I hate to think that my side lost because people like Secord and Firestone intentionally fooled enough voters to get elected.
jsr, every day I see Storke Ranch and Camino Real Marketplace, and I think `Bill Wallace approved these'.
The housing north of the 101 just before Winchester Canyon? Bill Wallace.
Strange how Bill Wallace fooled us too, without being a Republican.
Very amusing how these issues for 2nd District Supervisor are parallel with the national Republican party implosion with Foley and his Pages, with House Speaker Hastert dragged into it.
Juat like Hastert and pals tried to blame everyone else but themselves when they were in charge, now the local anonymous spinner is trying to blame Bill Wallace for something not irrelevant as a lame distraction that Secord just got exposed for accepting big donations by Gaviota Coast mega-mansion developers who are skirting the disclosure rules.
Will these developer contributions do to Secord what the Pages email did to Foley from Florida?
yawn...
A few $249 donations?
Let's get real and look at who has projects in the second district and where that money is going: it's going to Wolf.
That's why Towbes and Bermant are supporting her (mostly filtered through Capps.)
Sara, where's the balance??
well, Secord won't fool us. We know his donors are major coastal developers, have changed the essence of the Orange County Coast [with Secord's help on the Coastal Commission, approving development of the Bolsa Chica mesa, and much more] and want nothing more than to have in their pocket a SB County Supervisor. Thankfully, we found out before it's too late.
Camino Real Marketplace was approved by Gail Marshall ... and I don't think Winchester Commons received his vote eiter (maybe Willy C?)
You have to build somewhere. Seems like a good place to put in tract homes for the workforce and help bring prices down to where some people can afford them.
9:24 -- two things about this: 1) the post is partially about Secord's promise to post his contributors, 2) Towbes and Bermant are local and don't have votes before either candidate as far as I know.
Anon 8:39:
I'm sure Pearl Chase actually built a house and maybe cut down a tree during her life, but that doesn't mean she was pro-development or anti-environment. No rational people are saying that all development is bad or that no growth can occur. Both are inevitable, but the community can make choices on how the growth is managed.
My points about Secord included the fact that he's a Republican because Republicans generally are pro-development. There are differences between building a housing development in Winchester Canyon and a mega-home on the Gaviota coast. Those are the types of choices that are relevant.
If you want to vote for candidates that favor more liberal growth policies, that's what democracy is all about. If you voted for Bill Wallace, you knew what you'd get because he was clear about his views and proud of them. I don't believe that was the case for Firestone and I don't believe it's the case for Secord. Is it too much to ask for basic honesty from candidates on the major political question in Santa Barbara County?
9:24pm anon [the yawner]:
Stop yawning long enough to realize two things:
The donation from the MAZ, Properties developers was $4,000. and they have current pending projects before the County.
The $249 and $225 donations from Orange County Coastal developers are very significant because they are deliberately "small" in an attempt to skirt the $250 disclosure limit---and Secord is MAKING DECISIONS on the properties represented by these agents.
Like FDS said, the attempts to deflect these legitimate concerns without acknowledging their essence is right out of the current GOP playbook---"look over here"......
Thankfully, voters in Santa Barbara County's 2nd District don't vote by the GOP playbook.
There is nothing even remotely moderate about Dr. Secord. One need not listen but for a very short time to any any official hearing, during which Dr. Secord sits on the dias, to understand that he holds private property rights precedent to environmental protection or the perservation of neighbor character, that he trusts the testimony of developers, COLAB, and the Chamber of Commerce over that of agency staff, and that he would rather our community be built by market forces than land use planning regulations.
Reasonable people may differ on which ideology would result in a better community, but people should know for whom and for what they are voting.
Storke Ranch is a wetland, remember. There are old agreements between the Storke Family, UCSB, and the Airport to keep the dikes and levies up to date to keep the place from flooding.... Wallace most certainly approved that housing development. Noleta is a far, far, less environmentally sensitive are than Storke Ranch was prior to the housing there.
Camino Real Marketplace got in the Goleta Plan under Wallace, although the final votes were under Marshall. They jointly share responsibility. Oddly enough, Chamberlin opposed Camino Real Marketplace, due to it being in the airport flightpath.
I believe Winchester Commons was a Wallace project in the plan.
Gotta build somewhere? Noleta is way better... the ag that people try to save is unnatural and decimates the environment.
But developer money is everywhere, everywhere. Guzzardi would eventually be soiled with it if he one a write-in vote. He'd start thinking about that second house in Mammoth or Tahoe and the dirty deed would be done.
I forgot to answer DD's question -- the MAZ properties one says "Agriculture" of all things and the others for agents say "Planner".
A few $4,000 donations from Gaviota Coast developers..yawn.
Oh wait, that is actually VERY SIGNIFICANT. This is a guy who says there are "300 Approvable projects" on the Gaviota Coast.
Hello urban sprawl! Can't wait for the mega mansions to go up and the hue and cry from them as they demand WalMart, TGI Fridays, and Applebees be delivers to the South Coast.
558am----LOLOLOL if you [or Secord] think 10,000sf+ megamansions are "tract homes"---- if you're in favor of sprawl just say that---but don't compare apples and oranges by even trying to imply that the homes being built and proposed by MAZ Properties, or Neish planning are somehow addressing the shortage of workforce housing for Santa Barbarans--- these proposed "homes" are wealthy, out of town [or country] gazillionaires third and fourth homes.
Secord takes contributions from Orange County Developers who have projects currently under review by the County and up for approval by the Board of Supervisors.
It is not about Wallace, Marshall, Towbes, Bermant, Wolf, or Capps.
Ready To Deliver for whom?
Gaviota seems like a nice place to build. The views are great, and it could be a nice community.
I could see a City of Gaviota.
Both candidates are taking developer money. If this place is so impartial, why isnt sarah mentioning Janets donations and endorsements from developers too?
Dr. Secord just mentioned at the League of women voters forum that he aims to protect the gaviota goast and that he believes that it is a "treasure to preserve."
The point of the post wasn't about that -- it's about out-of-town developers affecting the Gaviota Coast and Dr. Dan's failed promise of transparency....there's still plenty of time for other posts about that.
So if Dan Secord is so pro growth why did the home developers association endorse and donate to Janet Wolf?
The "home developers association"?
Just making up stuff, eh?
"City of Gaviota"?
During the forum held on October 5th, Secord said that Gaviota Coast area had "300 approvable projects".
And that quote is not fabricated.
Seems like Secord already decided what already should be approved even before an application is in. And, he already is taking money from developers who want to build them.
anon 1:37--great question!!! the answer is: MAJOR COASTAL DEVELOPERS like MAZ, Properties, DBN Planning, Culbertson--all donors to Dan----are based in Orange County and L.A.--and local 'Home builders' associations--are small potatoes for them. They bypass the local networks and just give straight to the Elected Officials--in this case Secord---who they know will greenlight their projects.....Now, if there was a "Mansion Builder Association"....maybe they would endorse Secord...kind of hard to call the monstrosities proposed by MAZ, Properties for the Gaviota Coast 'homes'.....
I glad Dan sees the need for these projects. It takes guts to be a leader, and Dan has them.
What would be best would be if someone could refer all of us to a straight web posting of the donation reports, or, post them here. For both Secord and Wolf. With all of our experience and eyeballs, connections that any one of us miss might be brought to light.
I'm glad Dan is doing something to bring more housing to the south coast. We need it! He's got my vote.
1:37pm anon,
What is the "Home Developers Association"? The Home Builders(i.e. laborers who built the dwelling unit you live in) endorsed Wolf. But alas they did not donate any money.
Maybe they supported her because they know she is going to win?
Dan can't even get the support of the city council people he worked with for 8 years, many of whom have a track record of endorsing moderate republicans like Scott Burns and Rusty Fairly.
Developer Dan has truly earned his nickname given his contributors and record.
Secord undoubtedly is thinking of new and more creative ways to smear Janet Wolf now. Maybe he can create a front organization to run an attack campaign? How about Swift Boat Home Developers for Truth? Except instead of attacking Wolf they can support her in a backhanded way to cost her votes.....anyone?
The problem with Developer Dan is that he has such extreme views on housing.
Clearly there is a need for some housing for the people who clean our water, fight fires, prevent crime and prosecute criminals.
But the kind of housing that Dan supports - mega mansions on our last environmentally sensitive coastal areas - is too extreme. We need to protect what makes Santa Barbara what it is.
That is why Dan Secord's record and donations are so troubling.
Dan Secord - Delivering for Developers since Day One.
Gaviota isn't Santa Barbara. It's empty land that could provide needed housing for our workforce, like the Cottage Nurses, the PD, the Fire Department, Teachers, etc.
Dan Secord is just responding to the reality of the California economy---- people with lots of money want to move and invest here---and they need houses big enough to meet their needs----that's what's being proposed for the Gaviota Coast and Dan is the man to bring that money and those people here. He knows the builders and investors in luxury homes so of course they support him. So what---you people have something against rich people? Of course, that will bring jobs too for all the service workers the people in the big homes will need. Maybe they can build smaller homes on those big parcels to house the workers too.
Wow - sounds from these posts like the Wolf camp is in total panic mode.
I'd be in panic mode, too, because most voters are rightly non-plussed by contributions. Developers contribute to every candidate.
What's truly arresting is that Wolf is trying to hide those contributions by filtering them through Lois Capps, and that Secord has the endorsement of neighborhood advocates while Wolf has the endorsement of the homebuilders.
Neither the histrionics on this blog nor any run-of-the-mill campaign contribution to Secord can change the fact that the voters have taken notice of these indelible facts and Wolf will pay the price.
Janet Wolf
The Choice of Home Builders of Santa Barbara County
Towbes
Bermant
Centex
CPH
Watt
you name it - they are a member
They pick Wolf.
859 anon--- sorry, you must be new to the South Coast---
there is nothing "run of the mill" about a Second District candidate getting big money from one of the biggest developers of the Gaviota Coast---
nothing run of the mill about 12,000+ Squar Foot mansions placed on coastal bluffs.
nothing "run of the mill" about a candidate accepting donations being made by developers in an amount to circumvent disclosure before the Coastal Commission
Your "yawning" feigned indifference won't dim the blatant disgust many in the Second District feel by these revelations of the pattern of Secord's acceptance of money from developers who have major projects before the Coastal Commission, and others who have filed suits against the County for denial of their megamansions.
Go ahead, make yourself dizzy spinning away----just like the GOP calling something "healthy forests" when it involves clearcutting trees, your spin will not resonate in Santa Barbara. This is NOT Orange County nor will we allow it to become that.
Dear 8:59 and 9:54pm anons,
You detail the inherent contradictions of the Secord Campaign. You try to be the neighborhood guy but you just can't help but be in favor of property rights-the excuse always give to develop away our neighborhoods.
last time I checked Joe Guzzardi was a Santa Barbara guy and I can't think of any neighborhood support Dan has from Goleta Valley residents.
Various anons,
Didn't see any evidence of this group that Developer Dan is talking about.
Sounds like somebody is pulling a Swift Boat style attack on Janet Wolf. That John Davies isn't called the Karl Rove of California for nothing!
I did however find this partial list of actual homebuilders who have given thousands to Developer Dan.
Towbes
Levy
Blakenships
Lack Construction
Romasanta
Beaver
MAZ Properties(Gaviota Coast Developer)
Las Veras Ranch(Gaviota again...)
Plus thousands of dollars from architects, coastal development lobbyists and developers who pave ag land to grow houses.
Are these not homebulders? Does Developer Dan mind giving back their thousands if he thinks homebuilding is bad?
If you go to the website for the Homebuilders Website at https://www.hbacc.org/bf/website/memberServices.jsp
you will not see the endorsement of any candidate in any of their posted newsletters.
You do however see these links to very conservative and republican type websites.
Policy Institute Links
# American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)
# California Public Policy Foundation
# Capital Resource Institute
# Citizens Against Government Waste
# Claremont Institute
# Heritage Foundation
# Institute for Contemporary Studies
# Pacific Legal Foundation
# Pacific Research Institue for Public Policy
# Reason Foundation
# Town Hall: Conservative News & Information
Considering Wolf's more mainstream personna, it is hard to imagine this group would choose her over Developer Dan unless there were some John Davies style shenanigans going on.
JSR... Bill Wallace was *not* a what you see, you get kind a guy, neither was Gail Marshall.
Both of them sold Isla Vista down the river on numerous occasions... Wallace on the Camino Pescadero bike mall... the most dangerous street for bikes in IV still, place of many accidents... Marshall on inclusion in the City of Goleta, where she stated from the dais that she could not `waste her vote' on Isla Vista. Those are two examples out of many.
Wallace did abstain on the original Measure D, which totally screwed Isla Vista, as will the new one. So he was 1% better than usual on that.
Wallace = Marshall = Firestone = Wolf = Secord. They're all bums.
All the gotcha with Secord here is one team phonies trying to pin a monkey on the back of another phoney. No-one is simply posting the list of *all* the donations so we can all have a look.
Which means that this thread consists of Wolf supporters trying to swift-boat Secord.
Yesterday I saw on TV news channel 3 Secord saying he was "a south coast environmentalist" in response to the endorsement by all of the Santa Barbara City Council Members.
Is he? Discuss.
What's to discuss, FDS---why give such a patently ridiculous statement any more air than it deserves.....
how callous for Secord to make such a claim in the face of the actions he has taken on the Coastal Commission , City Council and donations from mega-mansion builders who want to transform the Gaviota Coast into a playground for rich jet-setters.
Gaviota Coast is overrated. It ain't Yosemite. Why the fuss about building here? It's a great location for some nice homes or a little town. Kinda like Malibu or something. There are lots of nice coastal towns in California, why not another one?
12:39 interesting.
I have no idea who is with or against the developers.
It is clear to me that Secord has supported development.
And it is clear that they have supported him.
But I visited the County elections and Mrs. Wolf has received more developer money.
Then I called Towbes and asked about the Home Developers endorsement and they said - they did endorse Wolf because Secord wants a Planning Commission for my neighborhood.
I asked the Towbes people if they gave Wolf money and they sad yes.
I then looked up on the News Press web site and found a story that Wolf and Towbes tried to hide his money and got caught.
Then I went on Open Secrets .org and found all of Lois Capps money from Relators and developers.
So it seems to me this argument is a joke.
What everyone has told me is Secord is homest - Wolf is a liar like Rose.
Had to find out for myself - now I know. Wolf is a liar and this blog is her stooge.
Wake up and tell the truth.
This from the much more fun blog - The Goleta Valley Observer:
Anonymous said...
Hold on - more breaking news - flash - flash.
The Home Builders Association endorse Janet Wolf because she is ANTI - growth.
The Home Builders do not want to build more homes.
Mike Towbes wants no growth so he pushes Home Builders to Janet Wolf.
Bermant says he has made enough - time for no growth - Home Builders must support Wolf.
Home Builders don't want to build?
I guess that would mean teachers don't want to teach. Makes sense.
Anon. 8:22 PM, was that post sarcasm or are you serious? If serious, why do people have their greedy little eyes on every remaining piece of open space in Southern California? Enough already! There are plenty of places in Montana, Wyoming, and Utah that could accomodate growth while at the same time preserving abundant open space. In fact there are already built towns in the prairie states that are losing population; stores, houses, farmland are just waiting for folks to move in. If you like Malibu so much Anon. 8:22 PM, why don't you live there? Maybe you do and are jealous that we do not yet have the LA madness up here.
That post about Wolf getting caught trying to hide money is really funny. She got money from Towbes and reported it. Even Travis Armstrong commended Wolf for her honesty on his radio show.
Secord may be honest but his minions on this blog are not.
Oh, and Secord has A LOT more developer money, and from developers that want to pave over the Gaviota Coast, creating a need for more housing in our neighborhoods to serve the needs of the billionaires that will live there.
Just what we need....
Secord took $2500 from developer John Blankenship.
Secord took $4000 from corporate developers, MAZ Properties. He has money from Towbes(as reported in the Independent) and has taken money from Levy, Bermant,etc all through his career.
Why does Dan suddenly like to disparage the people who bought and paid his way to become the career politician that he is today?
Maybe it is because he is Desperate Dan as well as Developer Dan? Dan is losing even with his slick Orange County tv spots that cost tens of thousands of dollars to produce!
Montana, Wyoming, and Utah don't have ocean views. I do live in Malibu and love it, but I'd also like a place on the central coast and Gaviota looks like it would make a nice community.
I love it 6:30 as you personally have been begging me and other developers to give Janet Wolf money.
And I have t tell ya - your tv for Wolf sucks - oh Lois - oh oh Das now loves Janet - and oh oh I may pass out Marty Blum now likes Janet after ripping her,
Can Janet say anything except - " I understand the importance of police and fire because my house burnt down." So that means everyone who lost a home in a fire is qualified for office.
She has proven to be a true puppet that can say nothing without Rose moving her mouth.
What's up with the Home Builders picking her as their choice - ahhh - I got it -- because she lives in a home that was built she understands the importance of home builders. Or maybe she things they are a union.
1155: bitterness and sexism permeate your words. You have no idea what you are talking about--if you did, you'd know that Janet's 11 year record as an elected official demonstrated her willingness and ability to use her voice and advocate for neighborhoods, equal rights and environmental priorities.
You are curiously fixated on an obscure [and as yet unpublished] Home Builders endorsement---- I have seen their endorsement of Dan in the primary, in one of their newsletters.
If you're truly so concerned about "home building" why are you not OUTRAGED at the COASTAL DEVELOPERS tripping over themselves to give Dan money---even people whose projects are pending with the County, and whose projects he supported on the Coastal Commission, especially ORANGE COUNTY.
I'll give money to whoever gets some building done around here. We need it!
NO COMMENT...
From Indy today:
Campaign financial statements released last Thursday showed Janet Wolf ahead of her rival Dan Secord in fundraising for the 2nd District supervisorial race. He reported $330,306 in contributions and loans; she reported $347,465. Wolf’s campaign accused Secord of accepting Gaviota Coast developer money. The largest such contribution was $4,000 from John Vallance of MAZ Properties, a Los Angeles-based firm that owns more than 3,600 acres on the Gaviota Coast. Timothy Doheny, an owner of Las Veras Ranch, which is in the process of estate planning and possible development, contributed $1,000. Secord declined to comment.
What's your point no comment? Let me get this straight, folks that own property can't do anything with it?
This is all political hogwash. Everything is a game. The INDY does not support Secord, so why should they play fair... You really think he had a fair shot to comment? You guys believe everything that you read.
You know how nasty politics are. What makes you think that this race isnt nasty... who is the underdog here?
The empty suit with the local majority and endorsements to back it up? Or the Minority guy with an partisan uphill battle?
You know... she was hand selected, she is the best they could come up with. She's in too deep now. I wonder if she even wants the job. She is way out of her league.
YES COMMENT
Yes, folks that [sic] own property can do something with it, but not anything.
Secord declined to comment. That means he knows he is wrong and cannot even spin his way out of it.
It is the same as a criminal prosecutor getting the defendant to Plead The Fifth and refuse to Take The Stand. That may be legal not to testify in a trial intended to prosecute oneself, but it tells the jury, or voters, he knows he is guilty.
There is no "spin" involved in factually reporting a disturbing pattern of donations from large coastal developers with projects before the Coastal Commision and County of SB. Secord could have responded and perhaps explained why he thought such donations were acceptable. He chose not to.
The real point is: those people in the Second District still under the illusion that Dan Secord "wouldn't be that bad" need only drive past the Gaviota Coast and imagine MAZ, Properties or Culbertson planning megamansions for that last bit of treasure on the Coast. THAT would be the legacy a vote for Secord would leave behind.
Lies. So many lies. I wish I could press a button and bump off the candidates minions from this site. This is getting BORING.
Last bit of treasure? There's nothing there!
I agree with 10:06. The weak cannot get a job campaign flacks ruin this blog.
What are the facts and what are the issues.
In Goleta talking to former Goleta School execs they say Janet Wolf ranked as one of the weakest board members - not sure what that means. They did say she took money from Unions and then sat at the negoitating table. Seems like a conflict of interest. YES? NO?
The truth about Dan Secord and negotiating.
He took union money and then voted for the BIG UNION PENSIONS that busted the city budget. Turns out he thought the dot com stock market years would go on forever....oops!
The City took it in the shorts thanks in part to his lack of finance expertise and leadership.
Now with Roger Horton in charge of the Finance Committee things are fixed and we have a balanced budget again.
In talking to neighborhood leaders in the Goleta Valley I am hearinga lot of disatisfaction with Dan Secord and his lack of leadership.
He talks a lot about bottom up planning but it turns out he doesn't like to listen to the people at the bottom.
Seems he thinks he is already "fully trained" and doesn't need to listen to what neighbors have to say.
This is consistent with his record of not listening to residents on the city council, as Joe Guzzardi says - Dan has been voting against neighborhoods since he was on the planning commission. Too bad Joe sold his soul to the developer devil because of his petty anger at Janet for being endorsed by the firefighters. Just sad and petty.
On the coastal commission Dan always votes with the developer against the neighborhood. Especially true with agricultural land - seems he never saw a piece of ag that he didn't want to develop.
Goleta is learning the truth about Developer Dan and are moving over to Janet Wolf because she listens and she cares about neighborhoods.
Dan Secord is such a hypocrite! He had no problem taking union money when he came in third place in his weak bid for re-election to the city council.
He was so desperate a union actually had to print YARD SIGNS for him to help him get votes. This is because City residents were mad at him because he was the biggest cheerleader for the financially unstable LA ENTRADA project that his favorite campaign donor Bill Levy developed.
Then he turned around and voted for big raises and pensions that were based on rosy stock market projections that turned out dead wrong.
Dan is so bad at FINANCE that the city had to borrow from emergency disaster reserves for years to make up for his ineptitude.
Dan can't take all the blame for the City's financial problems. He was just one vote. The City has been doing a poor job since Jim Armstrong took the helm. Dan is gone and the City is still having difficulty.
City has a balanced budget. Secord is gone. Coincidence....I think not.
Okay Thats it. This has gone too far.
Sara, please do us a favor, write a blog entry based on the percentage of IP addresses used to make comments on posts such as this one. (not to post them, but to just look at how many comments are from the same people)
My guess is that is consists of between 5-15 people over and over again.
Wolf's people and Dr. Secords People.
I'm sick of it. No matter how many comments rip each person apart here what ultimately matters is who gets the most votes. So I hope that the rabid dogs on this blog chill out sometime soon... with Sara's help perhaps we can discover the frequency of posters and put these harsh comments into perspective. Thank you, Concerned Community Mama
Today at the Gray Panther/Sierra Club Candidate Forum, Secord made a stunning statement about the entire SB City Council endorsing Wolf---Secord blamed the "union bosses" who in his assesment "control" both Wolf and the entire City Council.
Union bosses? Shame, Dr. Dan, shame.....
Concerned Community Mama,
Your point is well taken but I am afraid it isn't possible to figure out exactly who is posting when. The stats available are generalities that wouldn't do you much good -- most IP addresses say Verizon or Cox Cable only and I only have the ability to see them for a day or so. We have something upward of 500 hits a day and whether or not they post can be somewhat extrapolated based on the time of entry but someone could visit and hang out all day and comment much later than when they first came in. I think more than 5 to 15 people post in this discussion but I wouldn't be surprised if the same types reposted throughout the day and successive days.
I'm finding that my least favorite and my favorite time to blog is in this pre-election time period. Favorite when there are interesting things to discuss, least favorite when there is clearly electioneering going on.
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