Elections

Bee Endorses Krovoza and Swanson for Davis City Council

Bee Endorses Krovoza and Swanson for Davis City Council

By David GreenwaldMay 12, 201015 comments
rochelle-swansonThe Bee in the first major endorsement in the Davis City Council race has opted to endorse Joe Krovoza and Rochelle Swanson.  Do endorsements really matter some may ask?  Probably not.  Two years ago, the Bee ended up endorsing Don Saylor, Sue Greenwald, and Cecilia Escamilla-Greenwald over incumbent Stephen Souza and Souza still finished second in the race.  Nevertheless, it may or may not be meaningful that the Bee chose Ms. Swanson over Sydney Vergis.  Time will tell.

Usually these editorials are seen as reason to tell Davis that it needs to have faster growth.  However, while Measure R (the renewal of Measure J) has been present in this campaign, growth has not been a huge issue.  In part this is due to the economy and the real estate market.  In part it is due to the dominance of the budget and fiscal issues.

League Candidates Forum Puts Campaign into Home Stretch

League Candidates Forum Puts Campaign into Home Stretch

By David GreenwaldMay 8, 20101 comments

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Friday marked the last of the major candidate’s forums.  This one was the League of Women Voters’ forum.  In addition to a City Council Candidate’s debate, they also hosted the debate over Measure Q (sales tax) and Measure R (renewal of Measure J).  Tomorrow we will cover the ballot measures.  For today we focus on the candidate’s debate most specifically the two league questions and several audience questions.

While this debate may have lacked the fireworks of previous debates, it generates its own headline news.  Today we will bury the lead and simply report on the answers given.  In the future, we will discuss some of the ramifications of today debate more fully.

Council Candidates Talk About the Downtown At the DDBA Forum – PART ONE

Council Candidates Talk About the Downtown At the DDBA Forum – PART ONE

By David GreenwaldMay 7, 20101 comments

DDBA-Candidates-Forum

On Thursday night, the five Davis City Council candidates were at it again, this time meeting at a forum with the Davis Downtown Business Association (DDBA).  The theme this evening was business, the economy, and the Davis downtown.  It gave the candidates and the membership of the DDBA a chance to hear another very different set of issues from the previous forums.

The format here was the first question asking about small business experience was asked to all five, and then the remaining were asked two at a time.  For the sake of keeping this somewhat less brief, I have skipped the first question and proceeding to subsequent questions that are more policy oriented.

Are Campaign Ads Effective in Davis City Council Campaigns?

Are Campaign Ads Effective in Davis City Council Campaigns?

By David GreenwaldMay 6, 201040 comments
Sydney-VergisThe other day, I stumbled across Sydney Vergis’ campaign ad.  It’s a pretty basic 30 second ad, basically a name recognition piece.  Given Davis’ position in the market, one has to rely on doing cable ads on Comcast to reach Davis vmioters.  Buying into the Sacramento market is hugely expensive.

So that leaves cable which while cost effective, I just wonder how effective the ads really are.  More on that in a moment.

Davis City Council Candidates Discuss Bikes and Transportation Issues

Davis City Council Candidates Discuss Bikes and Transportation Issues

By David GreenwaldMay 4, 20106 comments

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It was a different setting on Monday night in Davis, as the City Council candidates gathered outside of Bike Forth to discuss bikes and transportation issues sponsored by Davis Bicycles and the Davis Bike Collective.

The format for this one was a bit different, each candidate gave a five minute prepared statement and were asked two questions from the the sponsors and then they opened it up to audience questions.  For the purposes of this story, I will discuss their opening statement, the answers to the two questions from the sponsors, and then the answers to a question on Fifth Street and Green waste containerization.

Candidates Lay Out Environmental and Land Use Visions in Sierra Club Forum

Candidates Lay Out Environmental and Land Use Visions in Sierra Club Forum

By David GreenwaldApril 30, 201033 comments

 

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The Sierra Club on Thursday night hosted their annual candidates forum, for the first time the candidates had a chance to answer a host of environmentally related questions following the rash of questions about business and the economy at the Chamber forum and the questions pertaining to the next Covell Village project at the CHA candidate’s forum.

The candidates were asked to submit written responses to a number of questions relating to the environment and then respond publicly last night to five of them.  In the second portion, they responded to questions from the public.  A future story will cover a couple of those questions as well.  Daniel Watts was unable to make it last night and his answers are not available, so it is the other four candidates who this article will feature.

CHA Fishes for Support For Covell Village II at Candidates Forum

CHA Fishes for Support For Covell Village II at Candidates Forum

By David GreenwaldApril 29, 201019 comments

Group Gets Harsh Reality Check as Jon Li Steals the Show –

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Wednesday night’s CHA (Choices for Healthy Aging) Candidate’s Forum started out with a bang as Jon Li lit into the sponsor, John Whitcombe, and by implication Councilmember Sue Greenwald.  It seemed like it would be a night of fireworks, however, the end result was a rather dull and uninspired event as the sponsor CHA asked seven questions trying to gather support for their senior housing project and found no takers even from Sydney Vergis.

Jon Li was at least willing to tell the truth when he said, “The problem I have with the series of questions which I think is apparent to all of you is you started with an answer and then you ask us a bunch of questions where the answer that you want to hear is given.”  None of the other council candidates took the bait in support of such a project, although there were some interesting gymnastics involved in dodging the core points at times.

Slow Council Campaign About to Heat Up

Slow Council Campaign About to Heat Up

By David GreenwaldApril 27, 20100 comments

Jon-LiSix Council Candidates Forum in the next ten days –

It has been quiet – too quiet – in the Davis City Council campaign.  Oh we had a little side discussion last week about Picnic Day, we had a very successful Meet the Candidates Night a week ago, and there was an early candidates forum.  But for the most part, most people in this town know about the same amount of information about the candidates as they knew when the campaign began.

The other “big” news has been on the Measure J renewal front.  Developer or Developer’s son Joseph Whitcombe has given us the only drama so far when he challenged the ten-year-old standing title of the growth initiative that gives the public the right to vote on peripheral development and land use designation changes.  But outside of that drama, even that campaign has been relative quiet.

Vanguard Analysis: Candidates Forum Mostly a Lackluster Performance

Vanguard Analysis: Candidates Forum Mostly a Lackluster Performance

By David GreenwaldApril 9, 20106 comments

Format Also Contributed to Lack of Substance on the Part of City Council Candidates –

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The community on Tuesday got their first real exposure to the council candidates as the Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual candidate’s forum.  For the most part, it was a disappointing affair with poor questions, a difficult format, and answers lacking both substance and real understanding for the underlying problems facing Davis.

Part of the problem was coming up with a substantive answer in sixty seconds to often very complex questions.  Another problem was that each candidate did not get to answer every question.  For example, Rochelle Swanson never got any of the fiscal questions that she believes will be the hallmark of her campaign.

 

Sac Bee Gets Into the Act; Sticks Its Nose into Davis Internal Matters

Sac Bee Gets Into the Act; Sticks Its Nose into Davis Internal Matters

By David GreenwaldApril 8, 201098 comments
saylor_webThe Sacramento Bee yesterday ran a story under the headline, “Davis Councilman Won’t Budge, May Force Costly Special Election.”  In it, the Sacramento Bee firmly sticks its nose into an internal Davis political dispute as Don Saylor who ran unopposed in a supervisor’s race this year, has said repeatedly he intends to remain in office in Davis until he takes office as a member of the County Board of Supervisors.

Writes the Bee: “A city councilman’s decision to stay in office could cost Davis taxpayers $100,000 or more – even as the city faces a $1 million budget deficit.  Don Saylor is running unopposed for Yolo County supervisor in June. But he says he won’t resign from the council until he is sworn in as supervisor in January. That could force an expensive special election for his seat in early 2011.”

2010 Chamber of Commerce City Council Forum

2010 Chamber of Commerce City Council Forum

By David GreenwaldApril 7, 201016 comments

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The 2010 candidates for Davis City Council met on Tuesday for the first time in a debate as the Davis Chamber of Commerce hosted them for a luncheon.  Not surprisingly the questions focused on the economic and fiscal environment for Davis.

Debbie Davis, editor of the Davis Enterprise was the moderator for this event that was well attended by members of the Davis business community.  All five candidates, Joe Krovoza, Jon Li, Rochelle Swanson, Sydney Vergis, and Daniel Watts participated.

Commentary: April Fool’s Day Comes Late to the Enterprise

Commentary: April Fool’s Day Comes Late to the Enterprise

By David GreenwaldApril 4, 201047 comments
saylor_webOkay I just read the Enterprise editorial on how to solve the “problem” of Don Saylor leaving the council, and my first reaction is that this must be a late April Fool’s Joke.  Talk about a solution in search of a problem, this is one.

But apparently the Enterprise has gone the comedic route, because they came up with a hare-brained scheme if I ever saw one.

Latest Council Financial Reports Released

Latest Council Financial Reports Released

By David GreenwaldMarch 31, 20103 comments
citycatThe Vanguard back in early February analyzed the early filings by the Council candidates where Joe Krovoza had a small lead over Sydney Vergis.  At that time, they were the only declared candidates.  Now that number is up to five, however, only three appear to be spending money.

The big question that looms in this race is who will the firefighters back and how will that impact this race.  In the meantime, Mr. Krovoza has maintained his small lead primarily drawing from a wide variety of individuals in the community.  Sydney Vergis continues to draw from her pro-growth and pro-development core of supporters, while Rochelle Swanson emerges with her first filings, many of them from business interests and individuals who have worked with her on the Blue and White Foundation.

Council Candidates Responses to Brief Vanguard Questionnaire

Council Candidates Responses to Brief Vanguard Questionnaire

By David GreenwaldMarch 30, 20109 comments

citycatThe Council election is less than three months away and most of the public knows very little about most of the candidates.  The Vanguard will have extensive coverage of the City Council campaign.  Today each of the candidates have addressed five questions from our questionnaire we sent out.  The answers here are unedited and complete.  They are printed as submitted.

1.  Describe in a paragraph your vision for Davis on June 30, 2014

Who Becomes Mayor Next Year?

Who Becomes Mayor Next Year?

By David GreenwaldMarch 27, 201020 comments
saylor_webThe Davis Enterprise ran an article on Thursday that certainly did not clear up that issue.  However, we do know that Don Saylor will serve as Mayor and on the City Council until at least the end of December 2010, which means that any belief that he would be replaced in the November Election is wishful thinking at best.

Mr. Saylor is running uncontested for a seat on the Yolo County Board of Supervisors.  He will be seated on January 3 at which point in time he would have to give up his seat.

Council and City Get a Unique Introduction to Council Candidate Daniel Watts

Council and City Get a Unique Introduction to Council Candidate Daniel Watts

By David GreenwaldMarch 21, 201085 comments
james-wattsThose either in attendance on Tuesday night at the Davis City Council meeting or watching on TV got a unique introduction to Council Candidate Daniel Watts.  In his ballot statement he states flatly that Davis City Government is broken and he will fix it.  That may be a raison d’etre for the Davis Vanguard, however, Mr. Watts apparently has something very different in mind and he means it.

He states in his ballot statement, “Repeal unconstitutional ordinances banning “annoying” conduct and “bawdy” language (Municipal Code Sections 26.01.010 and 26.01.100).”  Audiences on Tuesday would get a sense for exactly what Mr. Watts means by that.  It turns out, according to City Attorney Harriet Steiner, he was at least partially correct.

Five Candidates For Davis City Council

Five Candidates For Davis City Council

By David GreenwaldMarch 19, 201054 comments
citycatIn 2008, Davis elected three incumbents to the Davis City Council, meaning that the Davis City Council from 2008 to 2010 would be the same as the one from 2006 to 2008.  That will not be the case this year, as neither Mayor Ruth Asmundson nor Councilmember Lamar Heystek will seek re-election.

Moreover, Mayor Pro Tem Don Saylor who will be Mayor in June, will leave the council at the end of the year as he is now Supervisor Elect Don Saylor having not drawn an opponent for the June election.  He will be seated in January.  Most likely, that will mean the new council will have to appoint a new mayor and a new councilmember, which should make for some interesting times.

 

Heystek: “The Decision I Announced on October 17, 2009 Stands”

Heystek: “The Decision I Announced on October 17, 2009 Stands”

By David GreenwaldMarch 13, 201011 comments

Heystek-Anouncement

Lamar Heystek announced this afternoon at 4:30 pm in vestibule outside of the Community Chambers that his decision from October stood and he will not seek re-election.  He thanked the outpouring of support from community members who signed the “Draft Lamar” petition.  He said that this was a difficult decision the past two weeks, but he is placing his private life over his public life.  He was surrounded by a small contingent of supporters, his father, his brother Louis, and his fiance Pui San.

Lamar Heystek had originally announced his decision not to run in October citing at that time family concerns.  However in recent weeks a group of citizens launched a petition to encourage him to re-think his decision.