Campaign Update

Last week, the most noticeable election activity was the ongoing battle of campaign signs. A large-scale sign removal effort heightened speculation the city hired contractors to take signs from along streets, regardless of who owns the property. Removal of signs from private property – especially when the sign was placed with the owner’s permission – is clearly illegal.

In both the Feb. 2 recall election of ex-councilman Lance MacLean and the June 8 Primary Election, hundreds of signs would disappear in a matter of hours. In the current campaign, several similar “sweeps” took place in September, and the one on Oct. 2 removed many of the signs in the north half of the city. Also on Oct. 2, the incumbent slate candidates (Trish Kelley, Dave Leckness and Richard Sandzimier) stood on a corner of La Paz and Marguerite, holding their signs and banners. Those driving by said the trio had the advantage of no competitors’ signs in the vicinity.

In past elections, Back-To-School Nights have been busy for candidates running for school board and council seats. Very few council candidates are distributing their campaign flyers to parents at the school events this year. The incumbent slate candidates aren’t participating, either because they lack adequate volunteers to cover the events or because they will instead focus on stuffing mail boxes with slick brochures and slate mailers. The incumbent slate can well afford mailers, funded by city vendors and special interest.

A series of conflicts occurred at Capo High School’s Back-To-School Night on Sept. 30 when union members aggressively distributed flyers for Measure H and the recall of two Capo school board members. Measure H is the union-backed ballot measure that would change the method of electing school trustees. Union members campaigned on school property – which is usually quickly curtailed by school staff members – and insisted that parents take their flyers.

Another confrontation occurred on Sept. 30 at Montevideo Elementary School when two young men in their mid-20s harassed and bullied two teenagers. All four were distributing flyers for city council candidates. Parents attending the event said the two men in their 20s made a bad impression for their candidate.

The aggression of the teachers union in trying to take over the CUSD school board is exceeding the usual contention of the city council race. Some neighborhoods near schools have been covered with flyers at every door. One pro-union flyer was written in such a way that it looked like it was coming from the school.

t week, Capo parents received calls from teachers, asking for support of the union-backed recall and Measure H. One person receiving a call complained that the union was using confidential student records to get phone numbers, which were otherwise unlisted or unavailable except in official school records. The recipient of the call said she remembered a time when teachers were professionals rather than acting like blue-collar workers striking in front of their workplace.