The sharpest criticism by far has come from Daily Journal Editor Jon Mays who skewered the Supervisors for hiding behind the false rationale that a special election would be too costly for the county in an op-ed that ran on Thursday, Dec. 12. Mays criticizes the supervisors for trying to do an end run around democracy stating that a special election is the “…only way the board can avoid the perception that offices are not earned, just simply transferred by the powers that be.”
May’s criticism follows that of the Daily Post, which published an editorial the day prior urging “...the supervisors to put democracy ahead of cost concerns and call a special election to allow the people to pick Hill’s replacement.”
Previously, the Insider Column of the San Mateo County Times also editorialized in favor of a democratic process, if fir nothing else than to avoid the perception of a closed political machine operating in the county, “Not that the San Mateo County government has a reputation for being clubby and nontransparent — cough, cough — but the Insider agrees with local Democrats that holding an election to fill the seat of Assemblyman Hill, irrespective of the cost, would be the democratic thing to do.”
Bill Paul, a columnist for the Daily News and an early critic of the appointment process, stated: “When the argument for making an appointment is that the person selected could well be the same person who’d be elected, or that supervisors will definitely pick the most qualified, experienced, and smartest person, then we need to ask, why have a representative, republic form of government anyway?”
One of the major proponents of calling a special election in lieu of an undemocratic appointment process is Dave Pine, a San Mateo Union High School District Trustee and local activist. Pine penned an op-ed stating that:”Holding an election to fill the vacant supervisor seat would encourage a rigorous and thoughtful debate on county issues, allow the voters to choose who will represent them, and energize our local democracy. To do otherwise would be a disservice to the residents of San Mateo County.”
Despite the near universal call for an election, the Board of Supervisors has remained steadfast in its pursuit of installing the fifth member of the board rather than allowing voters to choose their representative.
Appointment Process Attracts Numerous Candidates
With eleven applicants with varying degrees of credibility vying for an appointment to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, the process to replace Jerry Hill has become far more complicated than expected. Following former Supervisor Hill’s ascendance to the State Assembly, it looked as if his chosen successor, San Mateo City Councilwoman Carol Groome, was all but anointed.
But in a few short weeks, what was expected by most political watchers in San Mateo County to be hand-off from one member of the county’s political machine to another, has turned into an all out scrum.
Firstly, the process by which the four remaining supervisors undertook to fill the vacancy on the board has drawn fire from a range of interests and local leaders including numerous local elected officials and organizations such as the county’s Democratic and Republican parties, The Sierra Club, three chapters of the League of Women Voters and the League for Coastside Protection.
Dec. 11 was the deadline for candidates interested in applying for the vacant seat and, as reported in the San Mateo County Times, 11 candidates have filed papers. On Dec. 15, the board of supervisors will interview the candidates and hear from supporters on the merits of each. The following day, the supervisors will issue a decision – if they are able to agree- and appoint a new San Mateo county Supervisor. But if the fab four deadlock, which is rumored to be a possibility, the county may have a special election after all.
These applicants include:
Daniel Duane Kaul, Belmont David Dexter Frydenlund, Belmont
Richard Louis Silver, San Mateo
Linda A. Koelling, Foster City
Michael Stogner, Belmont
Carole Groom, San Mateo
David Bauer, Belmont
Rod Hsiao, Foster City
Karen Leong Clancy, Belmont
Marland Wesley Townsend, Foster City
Maureen Freschet, San Mateo
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