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Stone

Each of four San Lorenzo Valley precincts and one in unincorporated Santa Cruz gave less than 50 percent of the vote to Stone, a Scotts Valley resident, with challengers David Smith of Mount Hermon and Gordon Stewart of Boulder Creek splitting the majority of votes cast.

Overall, with a handful of ballots still uncounted, Stone won re-election with 6,493 votes (57.9 percent) to Smith’s 1,995 and Stewart’s 1,513.

But in precinct 5051, which encompasses a remote mountainous area between Summit and East Zayante roads, Stone won 70 votes of the 173 cast, with Smith getting 49 and Stewart 28.

Precinct 5025, which lies just west of 5051 and flanks East Zayante Road, Stone garnered six of the 22 votes cast, with Smith landing nine and Stewart three.

At precinct 5015, centered near East Zayante and Lompico roads, Stone got just eight of the 24 votes cast, with Smith nabbing 11 and Stewart three.
Precinct 5029 along Alba Road in Ben Lomond gave Stone no votes. Smith got four and Stewart one of the five-vote total.

Near the southern tip of the 5th supervisorial district, precinct 5053 in the Woods Cove subdivision and along Ocean Street Extension had 23 voters. Stone got seven votes, Smith six and Stewart three.

All of the dissenting precincts lie in regions where property rights and county planning regulations have been long-standing concerns.

Both Smith and Stewart campaigned as property rights champions and agents of change in the planning department. Stone stood primarily on his five-year record of environmental sensitivity and responsiveness to constituents.

Smith and Stewart also came out strongly against a proposed affordable-housing project in Felton, the most controversial issue in San Lorenzo Valley. But voters in precincts in the vicinity of the Felton Faire site favored Stone.

Of the district’s 31,629 registered voters, 11,214 (35.5 percent) cast ballots. For Stone to lose, it would have required there to be only one challenger and another 857 votes — 7.6 percent of registered voters — cast against him.

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Comments (13)

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written by Lisa A, June 13, 2008

The voters in the Felton Faire precincts may have voted for Stone, but by and large they oppose the housing development as numerous canvasses of those neighborhoods have shown.

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What Canvas? Keep blowing smoke....
written by Dr.Darrell D., June 13, 2008

No one has canvassed my Felton Neighborhood. My neighbors and I talk all the time about issues...No one has asked us what we think. We are in south Felton, we are located on Valley, Laurel, Ada, Russle, and Myself on Plateau. There has been no canvassing like you speak of. Making such statements just makes you look foolish. We all are on the same page as Mark. Wait to see the EIR before we say yes or no. This is part of why I voted for Mark. I know myself and most of my neighbors are glad he won! Go Mark! I hope that EIR shows that the lot is able to be built on (I'm sure it will) let’s get it built! More homes for our locals, more tax dollars, and get rid of that weed infested transient camp that is just a fire hazard. I look forward to someone really doing a canvassing not your make believe one.

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Wow, dude, calm down
written by Mya, June 13, 2008

My neighborhood has been canvassed and I am on Valley. Maybe they know which Mark Stone cronies to avoid. So much hostility. It just makes you look foolish. We already know you are for the development no matter what the environmental constraints on the site. So, chill dude.

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Of course they would avoid you....
written by Ben, June 13, 2008

The overwhelming majority of the town and surrounding communities vehemently opposed the Felton Faire housing project...and for good reason.

For starters read this:

http://www.register-pajaronian.com/fe_view_article_window.php?story_id=2807&page_id=72&heading=0

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It shows Stone is vulnerable.
written by Bob, June 13, 2008

Stone has a 64% approval rating and 2/3 of the voters stayed home. Thats not good for an incumbent. The Felton voters may be relying on the "wait and see" ruse where he avoids opposing the project until the last minute when it is to late, then casts his vote against it when it loses 4-1.

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written by Beth, June 13, 2008

Or maybe people really believe Mark when he says that "there's no room for redevelopment high-density housing in the San Lorenzo Valley"....or that "the site shows challenges" is a sign that he is skeptical. He seems to be a smart guy and having 3500 of his constituents opposed to the project should be enough to have him stop it....if he values democracy.

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Numbers...
written by Ben, June 14, 2008

Numbers are a funny thing. And it's interesting to watch how the biased media spins it. 80% of registered voters chose not to vote in this election. In other words, only 13% of registered voters voted for Mark. Hardly a ringing endorsement.

And that the opponents garnered 35% without cronies, money, signs...paints an even clearer picture. That is, that a STRONG opponent who values the residents of the valleys... could win big. Very, very big.

Time to start the search for that candidate.

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Big canvas
written by Ben, June 14, 2008

By the way, I live on Redwood, my friends live on Valley, Plateau, Ada, Russell, Hwy 9, Fall Creek, etc, etc, etc and YES we were canvassed. And YES we signed the petition.

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written by Beth, June 14, 2008

Don't forget all the major newspapers also endorsed Stone. As we know, the public relies heavily on newspapers for their voting prompts. I would imagine only those politically active in our community did their homework and voted according to their own belief systems.

Dr. Gary Griggs from UCSC gave a great talk yesterday on housing and environment. He said that low-income single families don't boost our tax base, but rather exhaust our tax base by their social needs and inability to pay into the system in profitable amounts. Fred Keeley also echoes that our social services (like redevelopment projects such as the Felton Fair meadow) are funded by the upper salary earners of our county. Our politicians want this project through to meet the Housing Element demand and therefore get money from the State. I question whether the money given outweighs the money spent and the money that will be spent on a failed project.

With the millions of dollars our county brings in in tourism and property taxes a year, why are we in debt? Too many non-profits and inflated government salaries? Too many redevelopment disasters like they face in Watsonville now, where they can't even sell the low-income homes, they're out of water, and they have the highest unemployment in the county? Read the Sentinel. It's almost daily news.

Yes, Felton residents are looking at the "experiment" of socially designed/engineered neighborhoods in Watsonville and seeing a disaster. We want to be fiscally and environmentally smart here.

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I signed the petition too!!!!
written by Lianne, June 14, 2008

I'm just off Zayante - I and my neighbors were "canvassed" and we all signed the petition. NOBODY wants this project. And the more the Valley Women's Club, Mark Stone and their very small group of henchman pretend that this project is a good idea, the more I think they should be exposed for the hypocrites they are.

AND if any one of them attempts to boycott or whisper campaign MY business, I will report it here and in the Sentinel and initiate legal action. We have had enough of this spurious group of twits.

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Hypocrites
written by Big Sister, June 14, 2008

You know the worst part. It's hearing these fake progressives claim they are for "social justice", then in the next breath they condemn the homeless. Isn't there something very wrong with that picture?

And the fact that the site is now a fire hazard is because South County Housing Corporation has not maintained the property. Because they don't care about Felton or Felton residents.

And if you really think that housing is going to be for locals....then you are a sad commentary on the intellectual level of those characters supporting Mark Stone and SCH.

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Votes: +4

Mark Stone is in trouble
written by DorothyJersin, June 15, 2008

Ben says it all. Mark Stone and those who benefit from him in office might have fooled more then half of the few voters who cast ballots, this time...however as the County's ongoing budget problems further reduce services and increase fees and fires continue to destroy forests that Stone's policies made into fire hazards the public will wise up and vote to remove him and kind from office.

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Mark W. Stone the lame duck...
written by Alfredo Vargas, June 17, 2008

This will be Mark Stone's last term in this office, or any office. He is a weak sister, a poor excuse for a politician. He does not seem to see the big picture, he just waits for processes to play out, then he will look for political cover.

When he is unable to get re-elected next time, and since NO ONE sees him as a future assemblyman or state senator, he will be going to Sacramento begging for a judgeship or appointment to some state board or another. Perhaps he can serve on the State Board of Cosmetology, since that is not too challenging.

The SLV and SV both deserve better than Mark Stone; it is too bad he did not face stronger candidates. Next time will be different. Of course, the local political machine could act to replace him as well.

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