In 1972, Pat Liteky ran against 5th District Supervisor Hoot Cress. Forty years later, the issues are the same: roads, emergency services, clean water, the environment. Hoot, from Scotts Valley, and Liteky, from Brookdale, engaged in a vigorous campaign, which Liteky won, about who best understood our mountain community.
This year’s election is about whether the San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley will be represented by a citizen of the 5th District, who understands our needs, or a candidate from Santa Cruz, a beneficiary of gerrymandered redistricting.
Bruce McPherson’s focus is Santa Cruz, in business and politics. Residing in the Santa Cruz enclave of Pasatiempo, his ties to the 5th District are minimal. Less than 3 percent of the $85,000 McPherson has raised is from our community. To discover the truth in politics, all you need to do is follow the money. McPherson would be a third supervisor from Santa Cruz with an unknown Santa Cruz agenda, shared by moneyed interests without a 5th District connection. He would tilt the board to the south, while north county and the 5th District would lose influence. The political calculation is about money and power, not the needs of the 5th District.
Eric Hammer has lived his entire life in the 5th District. He has worked tirelessly in the community and knows it from the inside out. His and the community’s needs dovetail in a shared perspective. Hammer will represent SLV and Scotts Valley proactively, from within our community.
Michael Burns, Felton
Running as the Valley Women’s Club candidate with a platform of build, build, build combined with an ignorance of the concerns of working families in rural San Lorenzo Valley will likely be his political downfall.
Step 1 mend all those broken relationships. All the people he’s yelled at, intimidated or marginalized all these years. They are stakeholders. They talk and they vote. Nobody wants a loose cannon representing the 5th District. We’re constantly battling our reputation, the least we will do is elect someone with a modicum of self-control.
Step 2 distance himself from the Valley Women’s Club. Nobody is buying that Hammer saved the watershed because he’s Mary Hammer’s son. Heck. Nobody believes the VWC saved any steelhead either. They’ve exhibited too many hypocritical steps - support of the idiotic Felton high density housing project, attempted boycotts of small valley businesses, and their general smear campaign tactic anytime any opposition to their candidate, initiative or tax measure pops up. Besides he should be looking like he can stand on his own 2 feet. Rather than propped up by a passel of people with their hands caught in the county coffer cookie jar.
Step 3 get some real work done. Simply sitting in on some meetings for events like Beautify SLV, Bike Paths to School, or Save the Band Winged Fruitfly, and then taking credit, without really furthering those concepts is shallow. That all looks like it was done just to prop up a vapid resume. Please. People aren’t stupid. If you’re the environmental candidate, then you’re not going to advocate for 20,000 square foot “community centers” in each of the towns of the SLV. And if you’re an intelligent candidate you are not ever going to advocate for eminent domain for a path for kids project that is really more about People Power cyclists in corporate logo spandex with than it is for valley kids.
Finally, back up all that fancy jargon with some real substance. Like I’ve said before, I’d rather vote for a candidate who knew what renewable resources were before his campaign committee taught him that phrase.
I respect Mr McPherson for all that he has done for the Santa Cruz Community. I cannot understand why he is running but I do not believe it is so he can represent the people who live in SLV.
I would urge people to watch and listen to the various forums that have been televised (there are two on the Press-Banner website) and more at
http://www.communitytv.org/
Mr McPherson offers his "experience, knowledge and contacts" as the answer to almost every question.
His greatest "experience" seems to be running for office, this is his 13th campaign. (He lost his attempts at Lt Governor and Secretary of State.)
His "knowledge" seems to be where to go to finance his campaigns. Since 1993 he's been the beneficiary of close to $7 million in contributions. He says people give him money because they have "confidence" in him. Since most of his money for this race is coming from outside of SLV Who are they confident he will represent?
The third leg of his stool? His connections? Does he realize that most of connections are retired? Or that the state and federal government are now in the hands of the other party?
I'm confident Mr McPherson will find ways to continue to contribute to the community but I don't have confidence that he can represent the interests of me or my SLV neighbors on the Board of Supervisors.
If you're unaware of Bruce's contributions to this community you're missing a lot.
And, Jim, by the way, thanks for finally coming out and being honest about your endorsement rather than pretending to be a journalist vetting the candidates. That was lame.
See how it works?
That all kinda changes the message, now doesn't it.
The best argument you have for Hammer is the location of his residence. McPherson has ties to the San Lorenzo Valley going back generations and he lives in the 5th District.
Regarding VWC, yes, the conversation very much should be about self-destructive to our community. Let’s start talking about that now.
Ever heard of a board member using her position to harass facility users to quit their programs at the Rec Hall so her husband could run a for profit teen activity program? All those statements can be documented too.
Which government agency did you get a nuisance settlement from in order to buy a computer and continue your smear campaign from this time?
Show me the documentation. This is slander. Every comment you made is untruthful. Also, please don't be a coward, identify yourself.
Send the documentation to Matthes, PO Box 249, Boulder Creek, CA 95006. Or retract your comment with the editor of the Press Banner.
Get a clue. You are a rabble rouser and if you truly are Denise, you should be ashamed of yourself. We have seen how you've acted both when you were on the board as well as since then and it is reprehensible behavior. stop wasting our taxpayer dollars with your drivel.
Speaking with Bruce McPherson I see that he cares very much for the 5th District. Has long, strong ties here.
You can look Bruce in the eyes and know that he is telling the truth.
But most importantly to me, he has sincere respect for women.
Nepotism abounds. Hiring and purchasing policies are ignored. Bids for services and materials are not solicited. Employee turnover increased, 5 managers quit since Eric arrived. 4 elected board members resigned. One former board member, Thetis Sammons, stated in the Valley Press 2005 that she “felt physically threatened by Eric”. Violence at the parks increased resulting in meetings with disgruntled neighbors and the sheriff.
Eric claims to favor government transparency, yet Boulder Creek Rec has a policy requiring any questions from citizens to be presented under a Freedom of Information Act request form prepared by Boulder Creek Rec.
Favoritism is general practice. Rental fees are charged at the whim of the board ignoring the adopted fee schedule. Unequal treatment is the norm.
Eric led the way spending over $30,000 for a consultant to pursue a $5 million grant to build a Rec Center and destroy an historic neighborhood in the process against the will of the people. He kept secret a survey done by the Boulder Creek Rec District because 80% of those surveyed did not favor a new facility.
Boulder Creek Bulletin 3/12 - 4/16 2012 Eric noted that “the department had previously spent $35,000 to have plans drawn up to rebuild the dam, these plans were never used and the parks sit quietly”. Eric continued, “the park is not safe the way it is now, someone is going to get hurt”. Eric ignored a secured grant in 2005 of $25,000 which would have enabled Boulder Creek Rec to install the dam. But he let it expire.
All statements are documented.
Is this what we want at the county supervisor level?
Eric was a student in the SLVUSD when you arrived. Even then he was active in saving the river and watershed. You need to speak with people who have seen plenty of Eric over his 40 years in SLV.
You can prefer Mr McPherson but if you're unaware of Eric's contributions to this community you're missing a lot.
Mr. H.
Mr Hammer has the experience and the huevos to make things happen, he cares about this community and wants to help. He's not a rich guy and isn't influenced by special interests like the career politician Mcpherson.
as for this baloney from J Clark, blaming Eric for all this is just plain nonsense. You should note that the board members that left did so for other reason not having ANYTHING to do with Eric.
If you knew ANYTHING about the rules of order or the rules that boards such as Park and Rec are required to conform to. been to a county board meeting lately?
Baloney about fees. Nonsense about the consultant being a waste of time and money. The board (and the manager at the time- thank goodness she's gone) could not and did not have the expertise to write these grants. to state that area is a historic neighborhood is a fantasy at best.
Eric wasn't the only one on the board- check your facts; it was the board indecision that led to that grant for the Dam not being acted upon- and oh by the way we believe that is being worked now...
You need to prove your accusations.
As for "show us" all you are showing us is your ignorance with your statements. "BS of Safe routes" just indicates you have NO CLUE about the project nor do you know how important this is for many parents who want this project. Obviously you are NOT a parent.