by Jack Lee
It was a happy night for the local Republican party and three conservative council candidates. Andrew Coolidge, Mark Sorensen and Reanette Fillmer were the top vote getters in Chico. The former Mayor, Scott Gruendl, a long time incumbent, would have finished last place if it were not for the politically unknown Rodney Willis who ran an underfunded campaign. This had to be a dismal way to leave office being overwhelming rejected by voters.
Conservatives now firmly control the Chico City Council for the first time in decades. We’re looking forward to their deficit reduction ideas and ways to discourage the bum migration that has plagued the downtown merchants. The bums have run up crime, chased off customers and left behind tons of trash in Bidwell Park. The liberal council’s answer was to build more nice facilities for them. I wonder what the conservatives will have to say?
Measure A, the marijuana initiative backed by law enforcement won easily. This will place strict limits on growing so-called “medical marijuana,” a blow to commercial growers hoping to expand their operation and their exports to other states for a quick buck.
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On the State level, Gov. Jerry Brown was re-elected to an unprecedented 4th term. Given the radicalism of CA democrats, I suppose we could have done worse.
Governor Brown’s ballot measures 1 (the water bond) and 2 (the rainy day fund) passed easily, Propositions 45 and 46 cracking down on insurers and doctors failed by large margins, Proposition 47 to reduce many felonies to misdemeanors sailed to victory, and in a historic turnabout toward Indian casinos California voters walloped Proposition 48 that would have allowed a casino on non-reservation land.
“In a nationally watched race for California Superintendent of Public Instruction that drew over $10 million in outside spending, incumbent Tom Torlakson — holding a seat where the incumbent has long been safe — only narrowly beat school-reformer upstart Marshall Tuck, by 4 percentage points. In another unusual show of voter angst, the nationwide GOP wave nearly reached California as Democrats Alex Padilla and Betty Yee only very narrowly beat moderate Republicans Pete Peterson and Ashley Swearingen for Secretary of State and State Controller.” LAWeekly
Dave Jones-D solidly beat State Senator Ted Gaines-R of Sacramento for Insurance Commissioner.
I’m disappointed, but not surprised that Attorney General Kamala Harris-D was re-elected with 56.3% of the vote, she’s one of the most radical, anti-gun liberals ever to hold high state office.
Assemblyman Dan Logue-R has probably seen his political aspirations come to end between term limits and his defeat by John Garamendi-D in their race for Congress. James Gallagher won his Assembly set for the 3rd district, which Logue currently represents. Gallagher ran an expensive, professional campaign and easily won the race against democrat Jim Reed who has failed in his second run for this office and is likely finished.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa was re-elected to a new term in his republican dominated district. He raised $617,193 compared to democrat challenger Heidi Hall’s meager $217,626. Hall captured 38% of the vote compared to LaMalfa’s 61%, which is surprising since she was an unknown challenging a well known incumbent and was outspent three to one. 43% of CD 1 are registered Republican and 31% of registered Democrat which in theory makes this a safe district for the GOP. However, the total voter turnout was near record low, estimated to be around 50%, which meant if the democrats could have organized behind Hall they stood a pretty good chance of winning in an upset. My estimate is if only 20% more democrats had bothered to vote, they might have won the seat. This is something the LaMalfa campaign should consider in the next election.
We’ll need to see some action in Congress from Doug or he could be at risk. And by action I mean effective legislation that he initiates and not co-sponsor’s someone else’s bill. Merely voting the party line will not be enough for today’s voters. They want action, ideas and aggressive leadership! If he can’t or won’t fill that bill, his future in Congress is limited, even in this so-called safe district. This is just the reality and I wish him well, he’s a nice guy with a great family, but he has to lead and take a stand with his own legislation.
I expected the conservative candidates to get 2 seats and expected Scott Gruendl to get reelected. I was so happy to see the conservatives get all three seats.
There were rumors that the Progressives expected to retain their majority and the next Mayor of Chico was already determined to be Randall Stone. All I can say is Chico dodged a bullet on that one. It’s going to be interesting to see how Stone handles the next 2 years without Gruendl to tell him what to think.
The next Mayor of Chico will probably be (and should be) Mark Sorensen. He more than earned it.
During the many years of Progressive control the position of Mayor was essentially honorary and not a position of leadership and responsibility. Every Progressive had their chance to be Mayor (except Tom Nickel, for obvious reasons). There didn’t seem to be any concern for who would be the best person to take that role. Mr. Gruendl did take responsibility for the financial problems that took place during his tenure. But, this is only part of the responsibility that is a basic part of the role of Mayor. There is also the responsibility to make sure that such things don’t occur or are stopped the moment there is an indication that they are occurring. Gruendl did take the blame but he also implied that it wasn’t his blame to take. He was only taking the blame because he was Mayor. In contrast, it was Sorensen that was doing the real job of Mayor by getting right in the middle of the situation, investigating what was happening and taking a leadership role in resolving the problems. As a result he saved the City from bankruptcy. That Scott Gruendl was made Mayor when Mary Goloff resigned instead of Sorensen was another indication of how little the Progressives understand the position of Mayor (and was rather insulting to Sorensen).
With Sorensen as Mayor I believe we will see much stronger leadership from the Mayors office and a dedication to that position than we haven’t seen in many years.
Congratulations to Coolidge and Fillmer and special congratulations and a big “Thank you” to (Mayor) Mark Sorensen.
Well said CS. This has to be a stunning upset, the liberals were totally blindsided. Now it’s up to council to live up to their promises.
As “The Obama” said, “It was a good night for the GOP”, what he should have said was that there is hope that America is waking up and if his party turns a deaf ear to the conservative voices and their world of Liberal ideology,(as shown by the last terms of Liberal rule)then their votes be heard.
Chico has it problems with Liberal rule as well,
Fiscal conservatism seemed totally absent from their Liberal decisions, while they wastefully spent and covered up Chico’s current deficit.
And what did we residents get out of all their gamesmanship?
Under Liberals they have provided us with bums, yet banished plastic bags. Why, Bags were not as big a problem as the bums, not nearly as destructive, and bags served a purpose in their secondary job as well
They overspent millions on a downtown park,(bums central) yet let Chico citizens suffer the lack of adequate police to protect our park and City.
Bought land at a premium, just to let it lay waste and add to our debt, all the while they overspent on their projects, and cooked the books that put our city deep in debt. (And voted not to sell off a small portion to recover the cost)
None of that represented sound leadership, just lots of political emotional and feel good self serving interests.
And I agree with the prior PS post, the new council of conservatives would do well to put the needs of the entire city ahead of their personal goals. And given the selection of people I am hopeful they will.
Actually I think Stone is the most fiscally responsible member of the current Chico City council. He is also the only current member who isn’t a government employee and who has shown that he is willing to stand up to the police & fire unions. Collidge will join him as the only other private sector business person since Reanette Fillmer’s background is mostly in government.
I agree with Jim. Randall Stone has a history of feathering his own nest and that of his out-of-town relatives with taxpayer dollars but when it comes to someone else getting some squeeze he is sometimes reticent.
Open Question: I thought the mayoral-ship was on a rotating basis and that it was not necessarily a political competition inside the council.
Uh … Pie … you did not agree with Jim.
I have a theory, have had it for some time, that Pie is merely Jack … off his meds.
Or maybe it’s just Pie … off his meds.
Pie,
The mayoral-ship has definitely been treated as an honorary position under the Progressive majority. However, I don’t believe that is how it is intended. Granted the Mayor has no more voting power than any of the other Council member, but the position does have some leadership and responsibility requirements. And, as stated in my previous post, the responsibility requirement is not just taking the blame when things go bad. The Mayor has the responsibility of leading the Council to do what is best for the City. As such, the Council should elect the Council member most suited for the role, not the one that hasn’t done it yet.
Re The Libbaiter in #6: Uh … Libbaiter … you figured that out all by yourself or did you have help? Dang, you always crack me up. Libbaiter, the quintessential unintentional comedian.
Thanks More Common Sense, but that was not my question. Of course who ever is mayor must lead and take responsibility (except for Scott Greundl and libs who run from both).
The question was that I thought, incorrectly, the mayoral-ship was a rotating position regardless of council politics. I don’t know where I got that impression. Obviously I have not been paying enough attention. A quick trip to the City Of Chico website gave me my answer — “The Council selects a mayor and vice mayor from among its members to serve two-year terms.”
http://www.chico.ca.us/city_council/home_page.asp
Oh, just so there is no confusion in my #8 post induced in what little mind the Libbaiter has, I was addresing this statement from the unintentional commedian, “Uh … Pie … you did not agree with Jim”.
The rest of her idiotic post isn’t worth responding to.
Do you know Chico is the 8th most likely city in the state to go bankrupt? Thanks, Grundler.
No that adults (hopefully) are in charge is it possible to get that idiotic bag ban lifted?