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Jim Patterson decides to go for three

August 11, 2011

Jim Patterson announced his intentions Wednesday to break the so-called “5th District curse” and win a third term on the  San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors. [Tribune]

Both David Blakely and Mike Ryan previously failed in their attempts at a third term in the district which includes parts of Atascadero, San Luis Obispo, Santa Margarita, and Creston. Patterson, first elected to office in 2004, is expected to face a strong challenge from Atascadero mayor Tom O’Malley in the 2012 race.

District 3 supervisor Adam Hill and District 1 supervisor Frank Mecham are also up for re-election next year, but neither is expected to face serious opposition. Instead, observers suggest that the real contest will be Patterson and O’Malley, with the political balance of the board of supervisors at stake. Past District 5 elections have been razor-thin close.

In making his announcement, Patterson argued that the county has some impressive achievements during the last four years. He cited solar plants approved for the Carrizo Plain, the Willow Road interchange with Highway 101 in Nipomo, the Los Osos sewer, a new fire station in Creston and progress on building a new library in Atascadero.

The 2012 race will be Patterson’s first without activist Sarah Christie playing a high-profile campaign role. The two had a falling out in 2010 after Patterson bowed to pressure and removed Christie as his planning commissioner. Susan Mullen of Morro Bay is running the Patterson campaign this time.

Patterson also must overcome criticism from some in the local environmental community for his support of two large solar projects on the Carrizo Plain.

Patterson will kick off his re-election campaign with a fundraiser from 4 to 7 p.m. Aug. 21 at The Carlton Hotel in Atascadero.

 

 

 

 


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“The Los Osos Sewer”


What the hell has that man done to help the “have nots” in Los Osos?


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He’s truly a sell-out IMO. He’s a true politician through and through. Opponents would have to be really really really really bad for me to support Patterson.


He’s pro developement on a large scale. Development can be healthy or it can be harmful, right now more homes in the county is harmful. I will support those that want to slow building developement until the economy catches up with it.


Although I’m so bleeding heart left that most of you can’t stand me, I feel that appointing someone to the Planning Commish that is an active board member in the Sierra Club is wrong and shows a huge lack of judgement on his part. He might as well appoint a local building contractor to also be a local building inspector. A blatant conflict of interest.


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Typo, would you actually cross party lines and vote for O’Malley? Or will you boycott Patterson and vote Green Party or somethin’ else?? Just curious.


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Well, I’m not in his district that’s why I said ‘support’ instead of vote. But I don’t see myself supporting O’Malley. I know a little about him but I would need to look at how he has voted and other things that he’s supported but the little that I do know about him turns me off. If I were in his Patt’s district I would have great hope that someone fresh and new would step in.


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TypoQueen, you are right, he IS a true politician. He dramatically misrepresented his agricultural experience in an attempt to get the rural vote last time out. Anyone that actually knows him, knows that. I have never believed in Black Magic or Curses, but I, and many of my neighbors, are hoping that the curse continues.


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Susan Mullen – the campaign kiss of death.


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I like Patterson more, now that he has ditched Christie. That said, I will still be voting for the other guy, whomever he may be.


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Patterson minus Christie equals Supervisor O’Malley.


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The question here is:


Are there enough tree-huggers to keep him in office?


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More likely the question is:


Will his votes for the utility-scale solar developments and Los Osos mega-sewer project bring in enough corporate campaign cash?


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I’m somewhat of a ‘tree hugger’ and I won’t be voting for him.


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Typo,


When the viable candidates boil down to Patterson and O’Malley, can I still count on you not to vote for Patterson?


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Same as my response to pasoparent, don’t want to be redundant.


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