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Mike Stoker Joins the Race for 35th District Assembly Seat
Former Santa Barbara County Supervisor Mike Stoker announced Friday that he’s entering the race for the 35th Assembly District seat.
In front of about 150 supporters at the Courthouse Sunken Garden, the Republican said he’s been urged by local and statewide leaders to seek the Assembly post.
“Had you asked me a year ago what chance there would be in me running, I would have told you slim to none,” he said. “But a year ago, California was not at the crossroads we see today.”
Stoker said he made his decision to run after learning the results of the May 19 special election.
“The message the voters sent loud and clear was that it’s time for a reality check,” he said. “Clearly, the path we’ve taken hasn’t worked.”
With Friday’s announcement, Stoker joins the race with two Democrats, activist and environmentalist Susan Jordan and Santa Barbara City Councilman Das Williams, whom Stoker said “stand for more of the same and business as usual.” Jordan is the wife of current Assemblyman Pedro Nava, D-Santa Barbara, who is barred by term limits from seeking re-election to the seat and is running for state attorney general.
Stoker served on the Board of Supervisors from 1986-94, when he said he was instrumental in turning a $20 million deficit into a $10 million surplus, through cost-cutting measures such as laying off nonessential employees.
But keeping public safety such as fire and police employed was critical he said.
“We don’t need to cut their jobs to balance our budget,” he said.
Stoker also has served as chairman of the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, the Santa Barbara County Water Agency and the Flood Control District board, and has been involved in politics for about 30 years.
Much of Stoker’s talk Friday emphasized trimming government fat, and he called for Sacramento to live within its means and make “cuts like the rest of us.”
As a former supervisor, Stoker was predictably against borrowing from local governments.
“Cities and counties should not be in this equation, end of story,” he said.
Invoking the spirit of former Govs. Pat Brown and Ronald Reagan, Stoker emphasized the importance of creating jobs and keeping them in California.
Also present at Friday’s announcement was state Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Moorpark, who endorsed Stoker and talked about California’s tax structure, which he said costs businesses 20 percent more to operate here than in neighboring states.
“This last election proved that we need to stop treating California citizens like an ATM machine,” Strickland said. “The only way out of this budget mess is by creating jobs.”
After the announcement, Stoker said California had a spending problem, and not one of revenue. To enforce his point, he told reporters that when Gov. Gray Davis left office, California had a $73 billion budget, and today, that budget is about $133 billion. Stoker said much of the money that has contributed to the current deficit was related to over-hiring in government.
“We’re going to have to go through, at the state level, and eliminate some of those jobs, just like we did at the county level,” he said.
Stoker said he wanted to streamline many government departments, cutting back on positions, but making the remaining workforce more efficient so services would not be sacrificed.
“That’s what you do in bad times,” he said.
When Stoker was asked about his alignment with Greka Energy Co., which has made headlines in the past from uncontained oil spills, Stoker made no apologies. He said Greka’s ownership brought him in, along with a new president, when the company decided it wanted to be a “responsible corporate citizen.”
Stoker said he’s expecting his opponents to bring up the issue, but said Greka has made huge improvements since he began working with the company as a consultant.
“We haven’t had one spill out of containment since January of 2008,” he said. “I’m proud of that.”
Stoker said he also supported PXP, and he welcomes discourse about environmental issues.
California’s lagging educational system also was addressed. Growing up in California schools in the 1960s, 2 percent to 3 percent of the education budget went toward administration, he said, with some school districts in the state now at 25 percent. Stoker said administrative costs should be capped at 5 percent, and money should be kept with teachers and in classrooms.
— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Comments
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» on 05.30.09 @ 02:14 AM
Mike is a proven leader and has the skills and experience we need to get California back on track. He did a great job as a County Supervisor and will do a great job in Sacramento.
Go get’em Mike!
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» on 05.30.09 @ 03:31 AM
Gotta cap administrative mandates, not just costs folks. That means repealing some laws. Turns out CA’s got an ed code that is 10 times the size of other states. Take away the requirement, take away the cost. This is true in many other areas where CA just adds layer and layer on top of the laws - e.g OSHA (federal) and CALOSHA (state). We kill jobs that way folks, and that destroys the tax base. If all we do is cut headcount what we’ll get is slow and unresponsive government - we have to remove the reason to hire the government employee in the first place. That said, we need some pol who’ll stand up for the citizens and not the government unions. I’ll take Mike over the challengers easy.
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» on 05.30.09 @ 04:38 AM
Good grief! Stoker was elected ONCE by North County conservatives, took credit for things he had nothing to do with, irritated other local leaders with his shoot-from-the-hip-and-lip approach to life, and has been looking for “higher” office since then. He’s become the Harold Stassen of SB County politics, hungry, eager to be elected to SOMETHING, please! The idea that he’s only running because people he’s been “urged by local and statewide leaders” is laughable. His “30 year involvement in politics” has been largely parasitic - a small organism attaching itself to the underbelly of larger animals.
For proof, Latino voters, especially, should look at his record as an appointee to the Ag Labor Relations Board and others might examine what he did to earn his keep as the number one aid to Tom McClintock, the most conservative state senator in memory who, as recently as last year in a LA Times article staked out the following positions: “He is staunchly opposed to taxes (he was a leader in abolishing the state’s car tax), claims to be “absolutely opposed” to the $700 billion bailout passed by Congress and is against gay marriage. He is also a vocal critic of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants and favors offshore drilling.” This is the guy Stoker was willing to work for for years, collecting a handsome monthly paycheck—is this the kind of person SB voters want representing them?
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» on 05.30.09 @ 04:49 AM
Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka Stoker Greka
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» on 05.30.09 @ 05:05 AM
thought we got rid of this guy long ago—-like Jason in Friday the 13th, he keeps coming back like a bad nightmare.
He’s almost as bad as Tony Strickland. I’m sure its tough for Tony to see an open seat and not want to run for it. (Everyone says about Tony…Q. “What’s Tony running for?” A. “Whatever’s open.”).
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» on 05.30.09 @ 05:35 AM
What is his position on the corruption in Sacramento? It is a monumental scandal that Indian casino tribes and other special interests can simply pay off politicians under the guise of “campaign contributions” and get immediate favors.
Most recently the Santa Ynez Chumash tribe gave State Senator Florez $15,000 to get him to introduce a bill to change the Williamson Act to allow them to buy land and ignore the agreements with the county to preserve the land in agriculture and control commercial development.
The huge profits from the losses of gamblers at their casino (most of whom, unfortunately for them and their families, cannot afford to lose that money) have enabled this tiny band of fractional Indian descendants to buy up vacant and commercial properties all around the Santa Ynez Valley. (this “tribe” still collects $2,000,000 a year in welfare and grant money from the federal government even though each of the 152 tribal members recieves $45,000 every month in the per capita profit distributions of gambling losses raked in at the casino)
A couple of years ago the Chumash gave Assembleman Coto of San Jose $13,000 to introduce a resolution in the Assembly to rename San Marcos pass road/highway 154 the “Chumash Highway” without even informing the County or the community. This was ostensibly to honor the many villages of real Chumash who once populated this area hundreds of years ago but was in reality only a free advertising campaign for their gambling casino!
This state resolution was passed without notice in Sacramento despite the requirement of the the California Streets and Highway Code that a resolution of the County Board of Supervisors is required for that kind of “renaming” of a highway.
Not suprisingly that resolution sailed through the transportation committee in an unrecorded session without debate. That committee was chaired by our own Assemblyman Pedro Nava who got a $9,500 “contribution” from the Chumash just before that. He is now running for Attorney General, the state office that is supposed to police these unregulated and unpoliced Indian casinos but hasn’t!
The “renaming resolution” was then introduced in the Senate by then state senator Tom McClintock where it sailed through without debate. Senator McClintock got over $50,000 in contributions from the Chumash casino in the past and several hundred thousand from other casino tribes when he sought to be the states governor the year Bustamonte got millions from these casinos too.
The fact is the handful of tiny “Indian” tribes (with a collective “tribal” membership of less than 2,500 people) running lucrative gambling casinos in this state often with outside investor/partners like Las Vegas gambling corporations, have become THE biggest funnel of money to Sacramento politicians in the history of this state!
So is Stoker going to wave a broom like Schwarzenegger did and promise to clean up the corruption in Sacramento. Then, not only do nothing about it, but join in the handouts or even agree to expand unregulated Indian gambling without collecting a dime for the state as Schwarzenegger has done? Or is Stoker going to do something about the special interest pay-offs to politicians and rampant corruption in Sactramento that keeps getting worse every year?
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» on 05.30.09 @ 07:41 AM
Goooooooo Mike!
The only way to fix CA is to BRING BACK BUSINESS AND BRING BACK JOBS!!!
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» on 05.30.09 @ 07:49 AM
Mike is a wonderful man.
He will make a much better representative than that socialist Das Williams.
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» on 05.30.09 @ 08:04 AM
Stocker was part of the North County dominated Board Of Supervisors who thought it would be good to make the Sheriff also the County Fire Chief. Save money they thought. It was a disaster to say the least. [Editor’s note: Comment removed for vulgarity.]
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» on 05.30.09 @ 08:31 AM
I think the people of California need smart leaders and common sense. Mike Stoker is that person.
Kevin O’Connor
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» on 05.30.09 @ 08:50 AM
What a treat. Someone with experience in balancing budgets in tough times! Someone with real SOLUTIONS to Save our State!
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» on 05.30.09 @ 08:52 AM
Good grief he crawled back out from under his rock! Some politicians never go away no matter how much we pray! The Friday the 13th analogy was too accurate!
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» on 05.30.09 @ 09:53 AM
Stoker & Williams both support PXP
Supporting PXP = supporting new off-shore oil drilling
Not what we want or need representing us.
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» on 05.30.09 @ 09:55 AM
I for one, welcome Mr. Stoker to do his best to help turn California around and back to a good state to live in, like when I was a kid. I grew up in a neighborhood where I felt safe, had lots of good friends, and my family had good food to eat and Dad had a good job, and didn’t have to give half his pay to the gov’t.
As a latina, I think I know a lot about some of the problems in Ca. that we have and I like what I see and hear from Mike Stoker. I am tired of the way things are going, and as a 3rd generation Californian, my vote goes to Mike Stoker!
Join me in bringing back lower taxes, more money to feed our families, and a person we can believe in and trust to make life better for us in California NOW!!!
Come on my latino friends, VOTE for MIKE!!
GO MIKE!!!
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» on 05.30.09 @ 10:13 AM
Hard to miss ya if you don’t go away.
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» on 05.30.09 @ 10:37 AM
[Editor’s note: Comment removed for vulgarity.]
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» on 05.30.09 @ 11:16 AM
My thoughts when I read the headline have been echoed by several posters, i.e., Mike Stoker? Not again, please! Stoker one time defied The Peter Principle and rose above his level of incompetence. The same kind of North County voters who gave us GWB for 8 years voted for MS before that. Since then Stoker has been drifting lower and lower in public office (I think always since as an appointee, not an electee). Here’s a cheer:
Oh, Mike, No!
No, Mike, No!
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» on 05.30.09 @ 11:56 AM
OH MY! For purposes of this subject, I am a career woman, business owner, married, family, etc.
Mike Stoker running for office again is a huge dilemma for me. I know/knew and worked in the private sector with Mike in our ‘yute.’ He was a perfect candidate for any office in California politics. A brilliant man. Really nice family. Scandal-Free. Not rich. A grass roots guy! California would have been much better having him work for the people here. He can and will do anything to help the people. That said:
I do not know what happened - truly. Who does, once someone has a ‘taste’ such as he did as Supervisor. And Mike did work in Sacramento, too, keeping his fingers in the political world trying to hopefully be able to help the State some day. I tend to believe he listened to the wrong people advisors, handlers, etc. Even a campaign manager.
I decided to help Mike try to ‘86’ Lois Capps in 2000. That race was so close and being on the ‘inside’ at the time, I learned it was not that people voted AGAINST Mike, it was all the alleged Republican women who were swayed to ‘The Nice Lady’ as being ‘harmless.’ The Republican women did not want to listen to Mike and had no reason when asked ‘why not?’ Just indifference. The
93108 women in particular were just plain deaf and refused to vote wisely for our Congressional District. There are many closet Dems registered as Republicans in 93108.
(Think I’m crazy? Just volunteer to help out on any campaign at any time here and see the lists for yourselves. You hear filth on the other end of the line. Both parties. I did both to prove it to myself.)
This awakening had me eliminate a lot of alleged friends from my life over the stubborn refusal to pay attention to a good candidate who could and would have done more for SB than Lois and her ‘tattoo removal’ of $50K.
That is Lois’s Legacy. Tattoo removal!
I really had to find out for myself WHY Mike lost and on a personal level I learned that Mike ‘does not listen’ to all of the people. Honestly, he does not. Meaning, when he was begged by the people (voters) to go after Lois on her lack of leadership and to stop thinking of her as a ‘woman,’ (i.e. Hillary v Vic Lazio in that Senate race,) he would not do so. THIS, I and others know is what cost him that election. Afraid of ‘the girl.’ His interpretation is, naturally, different.
(Same thing happened that year in CA Senate race… Campbell would not take on the female Senator when he had tons of ammunition to remove her. Yes, I stupidly worked on that campaign too and I told him the same as I did Mike as did many other voters during his campaign.)
To my horror, I learned from Mike’s own mouth during campaigning for 2008 elections that Mike had become another ‘politician’ and I could not get through to him. We actually screamed at each other on the telephone while my end of conversation was witnessed by a physician where I happened to be when Mike returned my call. I was LIVID. Once again, he was not listening. FYI… at that time it was Guiliani as candidate in primaries for president,etc.
So, knowing what Mike CAN do, (and believe me, he is really good, truthful and genuine) and given the chance to do what he does best, he can help change Sacramento based on his career works, experiences and extraordinary abilities.
However,I worry about the ‘political machine’ and wonder if Mike will have to succumb to the quid quo pro and THAT is a huge concern. It happens to all politicians but I worry about Mike as he really is NOT one of them deep down. I often hear this statement from voter:
“Say anything, get elected, and do what you want when you get there.” Well, that is why we are in the mess we have now. Nationally, all the way down to dog catcher. Look at Jr.Bush/IRAQ. Who did NOT know that was his intent when he was running for Prez? I scream at people who will not admit to knowing he was going to ‘avenge his Daddy’ for Hussein’s attempt on Bush 41’s life.
So, will I vote for Mike or abstain? I won’t vote for the other side as this State needs to change the legislature, period. That change is what is so very important. However, I can’t vote a for a SEAT as so many dumb people did with HUFFINGTON and that is how we ended up with Lois Capps. (you need to research this yourselves as it makes me sick to recall the loss of long time Congressman Lagomarsino to the money of Mike Huffington who left Congress immediately to run for Senate ... and THAT gave us Lois Capps (only because her husband died during his brief time in Congress. And yes, she is just ‘harmless’ and the people rubber stamp their check mark on the ballot.)
Politics are so bad here on both sides, I don’t even want to vote. And that, my friends, is the ultimate problem with this State. Stubborn and uninformed voters!
Amen!
Mike/No Mike/Mike/No Mike/Mike???????????? Bleahhhh!
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» on 05.30.09 @ 11:59 AM
A good laugh heading into the weekend is tonic for the June-gloomed soul. So, Mike
Stoker is running for public office ... again. What a surprise. Sure beats working.
Isn’t it wonderful how self-styled fiscal conservatives like Stoker and his bosses, Tom McClintock and Tony Strickland, spend years publicly railing against the evil of too much government, yet have each spent almost their entire adult lives happily grazing hungrily at ... the public trough?
After twenty-five years mostly on government payrolls, can anyone point to a single
significant thing that Mr. Stoker has accomplished for the public good?
Stoker, McClintock, Strickland each claim to be Gung Ho! for the joys of the private
sector. So, why have they each spent so little time there, and done so poorly during the brief times they tried?
Ask people who’ve known them a long time WHAT it actually was that each did BEFORE going on the public payroll, and you get the blankest stares imaginable.
Stoker’s tried, for brief instants, to be a practicing lawyer, a land developer, a P.R.
guy for Greka. But primarily, he just moves between running for office and settling
in to well paid government sinecures provided through the back door by friendly
Republican pols.
IF Stoker has “the answer” to the State’s budget mess, why has he never articulated
it to any of the last three governors, while he was on the PUBLIC payroll? Where’s his
loyalty to the folks who sign his paychecks? Not to mention his constituents, whose
services are constantly whip-sawed by Sacramento bogus budgeting?
Many suspect that Mike’s “answer” is similar to Nixon’s “secret plan” to end the Viet-Nam War. He’ll make one up, if he gets elected.
Mrs. Stoker seems to be a bright, charming person, IF she could ever get a word in
edge wise. Being married to non-stop human fillibusterer Mike, that happens far too
seldom. Stoker’s latest run for state office seems is a great illustration of the old “Peter Principle” at work.
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» on 05.30.09 @ 04:35 PM
a worthy candidate. He has my vote!
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» on 05.30.09 @ 04:36 PM
You’ve been out-prayed . Thank you God! Thank you God! Lower taxes for businesses and JOB creation instead of continued socialist handouts that have broken the state!
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» on 05.30.09 @ 04:39 PM
Can we drill now for revenue and abolish the misery this economy and the environmentalists and socialist are putting the poor and middle class through?
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» on 05.30.09 @ 04:49 PM
This is going to be good!
Das to voters:
Hey you guys got any more money, I got this great idea…
Mike to voters:
Here’s some money back now let’s see what you can do to with it to create more revenue for the state!
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» on 05.30.09 @ 04:52 PM
There was this great comment on the Sound I hope he doesn’t mind if I copy paste it here because it’s just so true :
Greka’s problems started long before Stoker stepped in to help and they will likely exist long after he’s left…which I think he already did. Blaming Mike for Greka’s record is like blaming Obama for Iraq.
Nice try with the “guilt by association” technique however catching fleas.
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» on 05.30.09 @ 04:55 PM
Let’s see, more of the same Tax and Spending and handouts that got us into this mess, (Das) or job creation by way of tax reduction and government trimming so people can take care of themselves and in the process the government gets more tax revenue because of more jobs (Stoker)!
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» on 05.30.09 @ 10:00 PM
I object to your allowing the comment by Bob 12;04 p.m.
Why did you allow him to call Mike a [Editor’s note: Comment removed for vulgarity.]
I have seen you censor others who tried to say similar things.
what’s up with your ‘selective ’ standards.
Oh, I get it. if you agree then you print it and if you don’t agree then you don’t.
[Editor’s note: Comment removed for vulgarity.]
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» on 05.31.09 @ 05:37 AM
Vote for the guy who focusses on freezing or reducing taxes and bringing jobs into California or the one who focusses on taxing everything in sight and driving jobs out of California? I know it’s a tough decision, but after decades of the latter (Taxin’ Jackson, Capps, Nava, Das Williams), let’s try the former for a change. Interesting that the anti-Stoker comments are generally dripping with nastiness rather than reasoned debate - listen to our new President and show a little class in your postings, people.
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» on 05.31.09 @ 07:21 AM
If there’s a way to tax and spend Das will be in favor of it.
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» on 05.31.09 @ 09:20 AM
Look at the negative replies from the people who do not like Stoker. They obviously like the people who have been running the state and therefore like the condition we are now in. They have a great motto, that they do not tout; if the person is not a democrat, they are not qualified or are biased
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» on 05.31.09 @ 11:33 AM
Stoker is a breath of fresh air!
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» on 05.31.09 @ 03:47 PM
So far I am still abstaining…. But..
Many negative comments are just plain wrong as the people writing do not know the facts which can be seen and found anywhere about Mike’s entire background in education, the work place, his law offices, his experience in real estate; ...No, not sales or developing; rather the very ground we walk on and land use for all purposes. His legal work is outstanding. He is not a trial lawyer, a litigator or the usual drive-by, hit and run lawyers with whom we all joke about regularly. He is simply not one of that ilk.
Again…The negative comments about Mike’s background outside of politics is wrong, period. And, no one knows what has gone on inside but one thing I do know ...
Mike does not feed at the public trough as alleged here in comments. He earns his income honestly as hard working people do; he is not a political welfare recipient. He does a lot of political and legal work for ‘zero dollars.’ Mike’s wife is and always has been a huge supporter to help the public they both care about in this County and this State. And again, as I stated in previous comment, he and his wife are SCANDAL FREE. Take that to the bank and put his ethics up against others mentioned (and some I agree with to a degree) who do feed at the public trough and who do have money of their own to burn. Not Mike. His supporters want him to run and their dollars begin with $5.00 contributions. I know… I saw it.. and I know the grass roots will back him again.
The positive statements here on Noozhawk’s fine coverage are short and to the point. These Commenters know their man and the less they say, the better, as this once again shows just how negative this place will always be as long as we have the current crop of do-nothings in Sacramento; not to mention SB .
The negative comments are now helping me with my dilemma about voting or not voting for Mike because I need to ‘beat that machine’ that continues to move us into a socialist state. Das Williams wrote a horrific email to me in reply to a serious City question and if published, it would be slanderous on his part. He is no saint. Marty Blum did the same thing many times and Helene? I wish I could be mean spirited enough to publish the venom they spout. You can’t seriously consider one of the City clowns in a State position. What, pray tell, credentials do any of them have? Zero! Talk about rack records. You will be upping your own misery index because like it or not, Santa Barbara is in California which you all well know, but cannot admit, is ‘ungovernable’ with the current legislature. It’s like Congress was for 40 years under Democrat rule. The Horror!
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» on 05.31.09 @ 07:19 PM
Tax and spend liberals have destroyed California, and allowed illegal aliens free welfare and social servives—For Americans we allow welfare, social services to do things that families, neighbors, charities, chuches
use to do for free..
Mike is good for all us….Change..
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» on 06.01.09 @ 07:57 AM
Mike is the best.
Please join me and thousands of others in voting for Mike instead of the socialists.
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» on 06.01.09 @ 12:12 PM
Things that “families, neighbors, charities, churches
use to do for free.. Yes! because of taxing the heck out of YOU so that politicians can look like the good guys by stealing from YOU and giving to the needy, YOU can no longer afford to give to the needy. Private non-profits are worse off than ever as the government and welfare increase in size and do it much less efficiently. Ask any non-government subsidized non-profit and they will tell you how donations have dropped. Meanwhile the government goes underground with it’s welfare programs by subsidizing the non-profits and making it appear as though non-profits were handing out the government cheese and the dirty name of “welfare” is avoided. Many of us now are so strapped with mortgages and lower pay and fewer jobs that we can no longer donate to our charities and churches and no longer help our families and friends! We can’t even help ourselves! Just what the government wants - state sponsored dependence which gives them POWER.
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» on 06.02.09 @ 05:46 AM
Stoker is a winner!
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» on 06.02.09 @ 05:48 AM
At least Stoker is not a socialist like Das.
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» on 06.03.09 @ 07:00 AM
Yes, much better to have a capitalist instead of a socialist like Das.
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» on 06.03.09 @ 11:07 AM
His head is too big for his suits already can you imagine the attitude he would take on as assemblymen?
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» on 06.04.09 @ 03:54 AM
Das never saw a tax he didn’t like..
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» on 06.05.09 @ 02:15 AM
Mike’s a good guy. Anybody that knows him says so. Hes got the ‘schmuse’ it takes to work with the Sacramento crowd.
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