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Wes Chesbro
There are four North Coast legislative seats at stake in the Nov. 2 election:
– In the 2nd Senate District, two candidates are vying for an empty seat: Democrat Noreen Evans and Republican Lawrence Wiesner.
– In the 1st Assembly District, Republican Karen Brooks is challenging incumbent Wes Chesbro, a Democrat.
– In the 6th Assembly District, Republican Bob Stephens is challenging incumbent Jared Huffman, a Democrat.
– In the 7th Assembly District, three candidates are vying for an empty seat: Democrat Michael Allen, Republican Doris Gentry and Libertarian Kathryn Moore.
The Press Democrat Editorial Board endorsed Chesbro and Huffman on Oct. 28. It declined to back any of the candidates in the 2nd Senate District and 7th Assembly District races.
Jared Huffman
A copy of the editorial is attached below. Did the PD Editorial Board make the right decision? Disagree with the choices? Post a comment to share your thoughts with other members of the community.
Want to know more about each candidate?
PD Editorial: State seats
Our recommendations on local state Assembly, Senate races
Assemblywoman Noreen Evans makes a fair argument about a letter to the editor we published Tuesday. The writer criticized Evans, a candidate for state Senate, for “recently” giving pay raises of 10 percent to her staff. In fact, according to Evans, the last person on her personal staff to receive a raise was in February 2008.
The writer was most likely referring to a story about raises approved two years ago for the Budget Committee staff at the time Evans became chairwoman of that committee. An Associated Press investigation showed more than two dozen legislators, Democrats and Republicans including local legislators Jared Huffman and Wes Chesbro, granted increases for 2009 totaling more than $400,000 a year.
Overall, these raises were small potatoes when confronting budget deficits in the billions. Nevertheless, the letter captures some of the public’s — and our — frustrations with how the Legislature has conducted itself in midst of this fiscal crisis. Legislative staffers work hard and are deserving of regular pay hikes. But by the end of 2008, it was pretty evident where the economy and the state budget were headed. It was no time to be giving out raises as the state was issuing IOUs and doling out furloughs and companies in the private sector were slashing jobs and cutting salaries.
This disconnect between state legislators and real world, middle-class troubles is one reason that approval ratings of state legislators are at an all-time low.
As we noted prior to the primary, we feel Evans has squandered opportunities, first as Budget Committee chair and now as majority whip, to be a leader in this troubling time and move the state in a better direction. Evans has persisted in blaming others, particularly the governor, for the dysfunction in Sacramento. Most of all, we’re troubled by her unwillingness to take seriously a far more significant fiscal problem for the state — a projected $500 billion shortfall in the funds set aside to cover retirement benefits for public employees. Evans seems to have shown more of an interest in protecting the benefits and interests of the public employee unions that support her.
This was shown in her backing of such legislation as AB 155, an outrageous bill that would have prohibited cities and counties from seeking relief in bankruptcy court — thus voiding generous public employee contracts — without first getting state approval.
Evans is now seeking to succeed state Sen. Pat Wiggins who is stepping down from the 2nd District seat for health reasons. Voters are presented with a difficult choice. Her opponent is Santa Rosa accountant Lawrence Wiesner, a Republican, who speaks well about the financial challenges facing the state. But his conservative priorities in other areas — overturning health care reform, opening up the coast to offshore drilling, etc. — are a poor match for the district.
As we noted in June, there is no question that Evans will win this seat. She has the money, the name recognition and the support of Democratic leaders in a heavily Democratic district. But she has not earned our endorsement. In the race for state Senate in the 2nd District, we recommend none of the above.
Unfortunately, we come to the same conclusion in the race for Evans’ successor in the state Assembly, 7th District seat. This race pits Democrat Michael Allen, a Santa Rosa resident and former Wiggins staff member, against Republican Doris Gentry of Napa. Allen has a good reputation for working with divergent interests in resolving conflicts and building coalitions. And if he wins this seat, as we expect, we’re hopeful that he will use those skills in addressing some of the paralysis in Sacramento. But given his strong labor backing and background — including as president of the North Bay Labor Council and former executive director of SEIU Local 707 — we don’t believe he is the best person to represent taxpayer interests.
Gentry, the head of a tool manufacturing business, speaks passionately about lowering taxes and creating jobs. But she has no experience in elected office and has failed to persuade us that she has the background and skills to make a difference in Sacramento and represent this far-reaching, diverse district.
The race for the 6th Assembly District, which covers Marin County and southern Sonoma County, features incumbent Jared Huffman, a Democrat, and Republican Bob Stephens of San Rafael.
As with Gentry, Stephens is personable and speaks well about the spending problems of Sacramento. But he lacks any direct governmental experience and his proposed solutions for Sacramento’s troubles that are oversimplified.
We’ve had our disagreements with Huffman, including his votes on raises. But we believe he has shown a rare independence among Sacramento lawmakers and willingness to work across the aisle to get things done. In particular, he has emerged as a respected leader on the environmental front, playing a key role in the development of a package of water reform measures to provide much-needed help for the Sacramento Delta.
The race for the 1st District Assembly seat features incumbent Wes Chesbro, D-Arcata, against Republican newcomer Karen Brooks. Chesbro, a former state senator and one of the most experienced legislators in Sacramento, also has shown an ability to work in a bipartisan way. This was demonstrated in his recent work with Republican Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries, R-Lake Elsinore, to resolve a problem rural firefighters were having with the state in getting the licences they needed to operate heavy machinery. Chesbro has been a faithful advocate for protecting the interests of rural residents, those with mental illness and other groups that don’t have much of a voice in Sacramento.
Brooks, a 30-year resident of Bayside, makes a good case for why the state needs a two-year budget. But as a former spokeswoman for the Humboldt County Tea Party Patriots who debunks global warming and wants to overturn AB 32 and health care reform, her ambitions are far too conservative for our tastes and, we believe, those of the district.
In the Assembly, we recommend Wes Chesbro for the 1st District and Jared Huffman in the 6th District.
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@KT
I won’t reward bad behavior by saying your name, but I’m curious…are your bags packed?
I have heard Karen Brooks speak and was favorably impressed by her candor and intellegence.
Wes Chesbro is a longtime career politician.Thirty six years in political office is long enough.
We have seen the results of allowing the same failed policies from rubber stamp politicans that have run our state into near bankruptcy.It isn’t working!
Karen Brooks will bring a fresh perspective to our district.
Let’s try something new instead of the same tired political incumbents.
VOTE FOR KAREN BROOKS!
Journalist Tom Wayne Cramer wrote a very revealing article for the Ukiah Daily Journal, October 12, about incumbent democrat Assemblyman Wes Chesbro, who has held political office since 1974 and is running for reelection in the first district. Cramer not only called Chesbro a “counterfeit representative, but added that he is “below substandard, invisible, artificial, a low–functioning mediocrity, a professional puppet who does nothing for voters because nothing is exactly what voters have come to expect.”
The remarkable thing about this article is that Cramer is a fellow democrat. It shows the high degree of dissatisfaction that even democrats are having with their incumbent representatives.
No wonder so many people are wanting a clean slate, a new crop of elected officials who have never held office before, who have never been on the political dole, or feeding at the political trough, but are running because of the simple desire to serve their country and state and to get us out of the terrible financial mess we are now in.
Karen Brooks, who is running against Chesbro, is just such a person. I know her personally and am impressed with her passion for her country, her hard work ethics, her desire to get to know, understand and serve her constituents, her common sense ideas and belief in frugality rather than overspending to help save our state. Check her out at http://www.karenbrooks2010.com.
Looks like the Press Democrat really has it in for Michael Allen.
No mention of winning the Democratic primary. No mention of decades in the service of others. His bio always being boiled down to “former Wiggins staff member…” as if he is an intern just out of school.
When I read “strong labor backing and background”, least they are finally acknowledging why they are opposing him.
This is a throwback to a time when Finley’s far right wing Press Democrat (in actuality the “Press Dixiecrat”) dominated Sonoma County politics.
Every cloud has a silver lining. Maybe this transparent bias will magically bring back the GOOD Santa Rosa institutions… like Townsends Candy Shop, Pepper the “Town Marshal”, the Terrace Plunge, Skippy’s Ice Rink, The Cal Theater and so on.
We can skip Finley’s lawn jockey
I love it when the Michael Allen lovers say my name. Then I can correct the record they are trying to distort. You started it, Poly Sci. I’m not running for anything except maybe for my life if Michael Allen gets elected. A vote for Allen is a vote for union strong arming, green energy mandates and community benefits agreements where cash goes to community groups like the ADC. God help us.
It’s funny that the people supporting Michael Allen never deny his wrongdoing. He didn’t even deny it. All they ever do is attack the person that reported him. Compared to what Michael Allen did, the transgressions of other candidates look like jaywalking. Don’t reward bad behavior, vote for Doris gentry. We do have a choice.
I was very impressed with Doris Gentry when we spoke. She’s an honest, smart, salt-of-the-earth, hardworking business person and has never been the subject of any investigations. I think this is the norm for people seeking the public’s trust.
Michael Allen’s multiple investigations occurred during his campaign for 7th District State Assembly. You can’t get any more recent than that. Problems began occurring with Michael Allen as soon as Gary Wysocky appointed him to the Santa Rosa Planning Commission in the beginning of 2009, right after he lost his bid to get elected to one of five open positions on the City Council.
On top of the investigations, he founded the group, the Accountable Development Coalition that has also been under fire for their role of trying to insert themselves into the development process and charge money to developers if they want their project approved. He quit that group and quit the Santa Rosa Planning Commission and after all this he still wants people to vote for him.
In my opinion, Michael Allen is the kind of person that sees holding elected office as a way to enrich himself. Michael Allen has not earned my trust.
The FPPC complaint against Michael Allen was filed by a single individual. The facts remain that Michael Allen is currently under investigation by the FPPC for serious conflicts of interest while on the Santa Rosa Planning Commission. Let’s stick to the facts. The evidence is available for anyone to view on the website.
True to form, Kay came to prove my point. I’ll let Doris do the talking for herself, as a very good video of her was posted on another story on this website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi4-zq-BlzE
Her education plan is to let schools fail so “parents passionate about education” can use the empty school buildings to teach.
She states in this video that she doesn’t care how the California education system has deteriorated “let’s just fix it”. How can you honestly expect to fix a problem if you don’t know what caused it?
@Jim: I’m sorry, but I can’t answer your question. From what I’ve heard from the two during speeches. They both acknowledge that California’s failure is not red or blue, it’s a systemic one and the institutions need to change.
I know it’s fashionable this election to shout and scream that the Democrats are doing a terrible job, but I happen to think Evans has done a great job with what she’s had to work with. I will be voting for her on Tuesday as well.
@Political Scientist
Thank you for pointing out the fact that the AD7 opposition; Kay Tokerud’s partner, Rose Koire and Lee Pierce’s campaign manager, Victoria Hogan filed the allegations against Michael Allen. Interesting that Mr. Allen has never had a complaint filed against him until last year.
As far as Kay Tokerud’s recommendation to vote for Doris; after reviewing the Napa Debate I wouldn’t trust Kay’s judgement, or recommendation to vote for Doris. You be the judge, click the link below and watch the debate yourself. WOW.
http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/vmix_30ac4082-5f2a-11df-838f-001cc4c03286.html
@Political Scientist
Curious, how will Allen enact any more change than we have had or not with Evans?
Two good reasons to vote for Doris Gentry, she isn’t being investigated by the Fair Political Practices Commission for serious conflicts of interest and she wasn’t a subject of an investigation by a Grand Jury. And all this was a result of having Michael Allen serve for one year in his appoinment to the Santa Rosa Planning Commission.
To view the evidence regarding the FPPC matter, go to the website.
As if these two investigations weren’t enough to vote for Doris Gentry, then there’s the matter of Michael Allen billing the Sonoma County Water Agency for lobbying Santa Rosa while he was supposed to be working for State Senator Pat Wiggins. This could result in another investigation.
This ‘union boss’ should stick with his union activities and stay out of politics.
Doris Gentry is the only viable candidate for the 7th district assembly.
The 7th Assembly District race will be an interesting experiment in voter apathy. This is a race between Michael Allen and Michael Allen haters. I don’t know anyone who has watched Doris Gentry speak who believes she should represent this district. But We hear a very vocal few people (Kay, Rosa, etc) who will tell you why Michael Allen shouldn’t. Doris is almost a non-equation
Michael Allen should win this race. Not just because he’s in a Democratic district, but because he’s the best candidate. His opponents think he shouldn’t be in office because of an FPPC investigation- one they filed against him. Not because he’s not a (more than) capable leader who will enact positive change in Sacramento.
I’m voting for Michael Allen, along with all of these people: http://allenforassembly.com/endorsements.html
The PD says to not vote for either of the two candidates for 7th district assembly. Neither one has ever served in elected office. However, only one has been the subject of two ethics investigations recently, Michael Allen. Who do you think will act the most ethically if elected? Who would you trust with the car keys?
I love how the PD doesn’t feel Michael Allen is “the best person to represent taxpayer interests” when his opponent openly alienates her own district by saying she doesn’t want American Canyon to become the new Napa (?) and that Roseland (which she couldn’t remember the name of) is “like vallejo” in that she wouldn’t drive through it at night.
How’s that for representation?
I somehow doubt that anyone cares about earning the PD’s endorsement. You claim to care about pensions, but in Santa Rosa you endorsed three candidates who support the continued pension giveaways and opposed the only candidate that voted against the pension extension contract.
No consistency on issues makes the PD endorsement worthless.