San Mateo to be Represented by Second Appointee

Following on the heels of the appointment of San Mateo City Councilwoman Carole Groom to the county board of supervisors, the San Mateo City Council will undertake its own appointment process to replace Groom.

Groom will vacate her council seat prior to the Board of Supervisors’ first meeting of the New Year on Jan. 6. The San Mateo city charter requires the council to appoint a new councilmember within 30 days after a council seat is vacated.

Applications for the vacant council seat are available on the City’s Web site. All applications are due Jan. 14 by 5 pm. The council will hold a public meeting to hear from candidates on Jan. 21 and will then make an appointment the following evening on Jan. 22.

Numerous potential candidates have already emerged, according to the Daily Journal including labor activist Rich Hedges, former council candidate Anne Arnold, Community Relations Commissioner David Lim, former planning commissioner and council candidate Karen Herrell, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Charlie Dreschler, former planning commissioner and council candidate Bertha Sanchez and planning commissioners Fred Hansson and Robert Gooyer.

The good odds are on Hedges getting the nod.

Hill’s Bills

Newly minted Assemblyman Jerry Hill has introduced his first solo piece of legislation, Assembly Bill 84, which would require that local elections officials establish a free access system by which a vote by mail voter may find out whether their ballot was counted and, if not, the reason why it was not counted.

The legislation is seemingly an extension of the emerging concern over voting security and citizen access to such information.

Hill, who has never been known publicly as an advocate for issues related to voting security, may run into some resistance.

The legislation requires local elections officials to spend what may be tens of thousands of dollars to set up such a ballot tracking system at a time when local governments are struggling financially. Such state-mandated programs are often fought by local governments as state reimbursement is often unreliable.

San Mateo County's own elections officer, Warren Slocum, the elected Assessor-Clerk-Recorder of San Mateo County, also questioned the likelyhood of State reimbursement for Hill's legislative endeavor in Slocum's own blog asking "And the big question is, 'since this is a state mandated program, will Sacramento pick up the tab?'"

It is peculiar that Hill, who was recently a county official, would so quickly author legislation that would create such an economic burden for county governments. In the past, Hill blasted the State Legislature for taking money from local governments. In 2002, when Hill assumed the post of president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors he blasted the State for taking local money.

“Sacramento, if you're listening, Sacramento, if you ever listen. Listen now,” said Hill in his inaugural speech. “Don't continue to insult us, just give us our money back!!!”

It appears that Hill is no longer so passionate about local government finances.