District 1BOS race candidate support
We would like to share our thoughts about the upcoming March 5 primary election for the office of District 1 County Supervisor.
As former District 1 Supervisors ourselves, it is gratifying to see the strong public interest in this race and we applaud the five candidates who have thrown their hats into the ring.
That said, although we do not always see eye to eye, for us John Hess has emerged as the standout candidate for the South County seat. We believe that John’s policymaking background, his experience as a small business owner, his eight years of service as a County Planning Commissioner, and his ability to listen to and connect with people transcends any political differences we may have.
John’s work on the Planning Commission has earned him a reputation as a stickler for detail, an open-minded problem solver, and a thoughtful leader determined to protect the community and its resources while making wise decisions about growth. These are exactly the qualities we need in our next District 1 Supervisor
We will be enthusiastically casting our votes for John Hess for Supervisor on March 5.
—Jim Comstock and Ed Robey
Set the record straight
Sometimes a letter to the editor is written and one wonders why it was sent. Was the writer trying to share information, or simply stating an opinion?
Kevin Mc Connell’s letter to the editor regarding our Congressman, Mike Thompson, is one of those peculiar letters. My response will clearly state information to the reader about several items which McConnell misrepresented.
The Congress of the United States has no term limits. This is evidenced by the long tenures of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) 43+ years, and Congressman Hal Rogers (R-KY- 05) 41 years, to name two.
Vacancies in the House of Representatives are required by law to be filled by special elections. This is evidenced by the current special election being held in New York Third Congressional District to replace expelled George Santos.
Here are the “new members recently elected” numbers from the last three Congressional elections: 2018 : 102 including 9 Senators and 93 US Representatives. 2020: 71 with 9 Senators and 62 to the House. 2022: 84 to the 118th Congress including 7 Senators and 77 US Representatives to the House.
The House of Representatives of the 118th Congress held 724 votes in 2023. Congressman Thompson missed 3 of those due to travel delays back to Washington DC from CA or isolating during a illness. From those 724 votes, only 27 laws were enacted with the 2023 majority party guidance.
These are the facts, easily confirmed by the reader’s favorite reliable sources.
Many thanks to Editor Carmona for the opportunity to set the record straight.
—Kate Schmidt-Hopper. District 1 voter
