Comments on: Endorsement Watch: Legislative races

By: Phillip

Phillip — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 14:12:29 +0000

@KT

I won’t reward bad behavior by saying your name, but I’m curious…are your bags packed?

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By: WESTERN CLUEBIRD

WESTERN CLUEBIRD — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 03:32:27 +0000

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!

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By: Orlean Koehle

Orlean Koehle — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 23:52:21 +0000

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.

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By: Luke

Luke — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 17:09:01 +0000

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

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By: Kay Tokerud

Kay Tokerud — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 20:29:20 +0000

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.

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By: Voice of Reason

Voice of Reason — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 20:22:49 +0000

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.

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By: Jason Valez

Jason Valez — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:28:31 +0000

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.

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By: Kay Tokerud

Kay Tokerud — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 17:58:16 +0000

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.

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By: Political Scientist

Political Scientist — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 17:49:40 +0000

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.

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By: Phillip

Phillip — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 17:39:44 +0000

@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

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By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 15:14:58 +0000

@Political Scientist

Curious, how will Allen enact any more change than we have had or not with Evans?

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By: Kay Tokerud

Kay Tokerud — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:13:01 +0000

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.

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By: Political Scientist

Political Scientist — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 02:39:03 +0000

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

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By: Jason Valez

Jason Valez — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 00:55:39 +0000

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?

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By: Anti-Doris

Anti-Doris — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 00:04:10 +0000

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?

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By: Who Cares

Who Cares — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 19:10:05 +0000

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.

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