Letter: Candidate dwells too little on local qualifications

EDITOR,
Will the Sentinel give fair and balanced coverage of the 5th District supervisorial contest? That’s what I’m wondering, since it did not print the following letter that I submitted twice. The coming months may prove just how loyal the Sentinel is to its former publisher, Bruce McPherson.
To the (Santa Cruz Sentinel) editor — Arguably the most important part of a county supervisor’s job is local representation at the county level and responding to constituent concerns. However, Bruce McPherson (whose Pasatiempo area was recently added to the 5th Supervisorial District) touted only his state-level experience in his statement to the Santa Cruz Sentinel newspaper. He did not mention local issues and has not been active in the San Lorenzo Valley, where more than half the population of the 5th District resides.
Unlike Scotts Valley, the San Lorenzo Valley does not have an incorporated city with a city council. There is only one elected representative on a local level — the 5th District County Supervisor. That supervisor needs to be quite knowledgeable about and responsive to the SLV community.
If Bruce McPherson were to be elected supervisor, we are concerned that the people of the valley may be left without committed, effective representation for local issues.
Michele Mosher, Felton