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Ian Parkinson’s tax woes

May 12, 2010

Ian Parkinson

By KAREN VELIE

Tax collectors have filed six tax liens in the past 10 years against Ian Parkinson, the current front runner for the office of San Luis Obispo County Sheriff, because of his failure to pay taxes on properties and recreational vehicles.

In June 2006, the county of Monterey sent Parkinson a bill for $1,546 for a property he owned at 44250 Via Canada in King City. More than a year later, after Monterey County had placed a tax lien on the property, Parkinson paid the bill, according to the Monterey Tax Collector’s office.

In addition, the San Luis Obispo County Tax Collector’s office has placed five liens on boats Parkinson owned because he had not paid his taxes on time. In all five cases, Parkinson paid the bills within a few months of having a lien placed on his recreational vehicle, said Art Bacon, San Luis Obispo County principal financial analyst.

In an interview earlier this week on the Dave Congalton KVEC radio show, Parkinson said the public was confusing him with someone else.

“I think you have the wrong person,” Parkinson said when asked about the tax liens. “I have never had a county tax lien that I am aware of. I have always paid my taxes.”

However, the addresses associated with these properties either match the address Parkinson filed as his home on his campaign filing form or his previous address.

The sheriff oversees a staff of 375 and a $57 million budget. The department patrols all unincorporated areas in the county and several cities including Nipomo, Shandon and Avila Beach.

Parkinson is running alongside deputy sheriff Mark Adams, retired Pismo Beach Police Chief Joe Cortez, sheriff’s commander Ben Hall, retired SLO police sergeant and former county supervisor Jerry Lenthall and retired CHP officer Michael “Tex” Teixeira.

Parkinson, currently serving as the San Luis Obispo Police Department’s public information officer, did not return requests for comment.


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I have heard on Dave’s show from Mark Adams, Michael Teixiera, Joe Cortez and Ian Parkinson; I don’t need to hear from Jerry Lenthall at all, as I personally don’t want to see any continuation of the “G.O.B.” network in our county government. Maybe Jerry could be a good or even a “great” sheriff, but with people like Tom Bordonaro for him to “network” with, I think the temptation will too great for him not to get his hands dirty. I want to hear from Ben Hall on Dave’s show before I make up my mind though; to say that anyone who is currently in the Sheriff’s department cannot “clean it up” is a very simplistic statement that demeans all who currently work there. The “problem” at the Sheriff’s Department has been at the very top; that does not necessarily mean that everyone there is suspect. Let’s hear from Commander Hall before we make up our minds, if yours isn’t “closed”.


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For an Administrative CEO position you are gonna need someone with more real academics than someone good at lecturing people on the usual Penal and Vehicle Code whether you are partial or not with any of the candidates!

Come June and November, I am voting only on candidates educated with formal college other than in Law or Criminal Justice regardless of what party they represent.


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That is the most intelligent statement made in months and months of debating. No more henchmen!


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Does a GED qualify as “real academics”?


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This is exactly why I’m convinced that only Mike “Tex” Teixeira can clean up the mess in this county. We need someone who can come in, and hasn’t been a part of this whole good old boys network, to come in and take charge. I will definitely be voting for Tex.


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im sure Mike is a great guy, problem is he was a CHP Sergeant, having so very little to do with anything criminal in nature other than the crimes commited in the california vehicle code. He must have significant criminal law and investigative backgrounds as well as being involved in actually running a law enforcement agency. As a candidate he has the least amount experience in what a Sheriff will take on, he would be sadly behind the learning curve. The CHP is a great traffic agency, great men and women like Tex. In truth the CHP has not even held full time peace officer powers for their officers since their conception. Their officers held limited peace officer power until some time in the 70’s or near then. Tex should align himself with a candidate that can win and help that person win and then offer what he can in helping the agency, right now he is dilluting the votes and someone who desrves the vote isnt getting it, in a way he is doing the department a disservice.


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You need to take another look at Tex’s resume. 36 years on the California Highway Patrol. He has worked drug interdiction on the border with the LAPD and the Sheriff’s Department, anti-gang enforcement, and supervised the Patrol Air Operations, Motorcycle Operations and training. I believe he’s just what this county needs. As far as dropping out, that’s not going to happen, and I believe he’s going to win. The last thing we need is for good people to start dropping out of the race. I really like the fact that he’s willing to give 20% of his salary to gang intervention programs. May the best man win.


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zevoplayer is correct. If Parkinson is going to be defeated people have to choose a candidate that they agree on and push that candidate. I like Tex to but the majority of people are pushing for Cortez. If Tex and Cortez end up splitting the vote we will all get stuck with Parkinson and then neither of them will win anyway. If I had it my way I would vote for Tex but if I support Tex then I know I will be contributing to Parkinson’s success. Sorry taxpayer, I really hope you get on board and start pushing for Cortez. It’s the only way we can win, we’ve got to all send our votes in the same direction. Fortunately I believe Lenthal will help to split Parkinson’s votes. Spread the word, e-mail everyone you know. I really do like Tex, I really do feel bad that I won’t be voting for him, but I am out numbered. BTW, Cortez is willing to reinstate the internal affairs board. He;s a good choice.


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I have to disagree. This kind of thinking is what has gotten us into the mess we’re in. If you truly believe that Tex is the best candidate you should vote for him. This is a primary. There are many candidates besides Lenthal, Parkinson and Cortez. I have gone to several of the forums and the only one who doesn’t seem to be basing his answers on what he thinks the audience wants to hear is Tex. He would truly be a great Sheriff. That’s what we want. He cares about the county and his family goes back several generations. He’s willing to give 20% of his salary to gang intervention. Vote for who you believe is really the best choice and quit over analyzing. The people should vote for the best candidate, whoever that may be. My choice is Tex. I think he can win and I could care less about who he might take votes from. The idea is to elect the person who we think is really the best. This is a primary.


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“I think he can win and I could care less about who he might take votes from.” Well if you think he can win then it doesn’t matter who he takes votes from. I wouldn’t mind if he won.


“only one who doesn’t seem to be basing his answers on what he thinks the audience wants to hear is Tex” Oh really? “He’s willing to give 20% of his salary to gang intervention” , hummm would you say he is telling the audience what they want to hear, there? Granted it’s a great selling point and I’m sure he is sincere in his purpose, but some people believe it is nothing more than a razzel, dazzel, leveraging tactic. I like it but some are cautious because of it. They feel he is trying to buy their vote.


“This is a primary”, Yes this is a primary but it can count more than you might think. A primary can have a considerable effect on how people vote in a general election. For those who don’t want Parkinson or Lenthal they will vote for the next person who they think will capture the greatest amount of votes. If two of these candidates are running neck and neck it can split the vote and give the election to a candidate that more than 51% of the people didn’t want to put into office. This could happen with Parkinson. He is in the lead right now, supposedly. But I understand your feelings on this and I will be watching Tex to see if he can beat Cortez. If I think he can, you bet that I’ll be voting him.


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In the words of Clint Eastwood as dirty Harry: “Marvelous.” Honest and open, good insight, Chief.


“As the Chief of Police for the City of San Luis Obispo, I have had the privilege to work side-by-side with Ian Parkinson for the past six years. During this time, he has proven himself to be a visionary leader, a talented manager, and skilled law enforcement professional. As a second-in-command of the Police Department, Ian is responsible for making critical decisions and for leading the department in my absence. He is ethical, honest, open and collaborative – all of which are critical traits in building and maintaining public trust. Ian Parkinson will be an excellent Sheriff who will be dedicated to serving the residents of our County, and leading the fine men and women of the Sheriff’s Department with pride.”


Deborah Linden

San Luis Obispo Chief of Police


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If Linden endorses him that should give us a clue that he is not calibrated for the job as she is not calibrated for hers.


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Hey Deborah. Wouldn’t it be more prudent for you to spend time catching the crimials that are robbing, beating, mugging, and raping people in San Luis Obispo rather than sitting around and posting about your buddy on Cal Coast News?


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Actually Hatter, that statement was copied and pasted directly from Parkinson’s campaign web page. Linden didn’t actually post here on CCN. I should have clarified.


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Racket wrote = Seems to me Jerry worked within the confines of existing planning documents, whereas the planning department operates using proposed future planning regs as if they are current law. I appreciate Jerry for that, and I appreciate that he has the cajones to stand up for what is right even if it is not what is popular.


Seems to me you are incorrect and fudging a bit yourself, yes?


“Jerry” did NOT work within the confines. He was advised of the law and BROKE it.


Anyone who votes for him or for Ian deserves it. But, the rest of us don’t. We deserve sound leadership, a Sheriff who will abide-by-the-law no matter who benefits when he doesn’t.


These two are dirty.


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I don’t know anything personal about these guys.

I also personally don’t like cops.

On the face of it:

I see Lental paying his own way and completed a full Bachelor of Science Degree in a engineering field and a Master Degree in Business Administration.

The others may have a degree in Criminal Justice and I am told Tax Payers paid for it under what is called a (DEEP Law Enforcement Education Program)!

If you are going to be a real CEO in any Corporation or Agency, you need at least an MBA.

“For my information and anyone else interested”, could you tell me where he broke the law and why he is dirty?

Thank you


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I personally do not believe any of the other candidates have what it takes to complete a Bachelors Degree in an engineering field at Cal Poly nor even the ability to survive a fraction of the required math and science courses but Lental did!

Again, this is a superficial assessment, so please give me more substance rather than conclusions that are blind to us!

Thanks


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Additionally I don’t think most of these candidates could survive higher math courses involving probability, statistics, or calculus, they’re all just a bunch or brown nose or fast talking wannabes cops!

Every competent Administrative or Corporate CEO I met and respect has a Business Administration or Accounting Degree!


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Jeez Willie. You ask for facts about Jerry breaking the law (he voted against his own planning commission-not the planning dept-and against what county counsel told them was legal)-then you throw out a bunch of stuff about probability, statistics and calculus-and label the other candidates as brown nose clowns. Not right, not fair, not rational. None of that junk is needed, and the others do not deserve that simple and wrong headed castigation. It looks like Ian is going down but all the candidates have oodles of cop experience, maybe a combined total of 150 years worth or so. Calling them wannabe cops is really out there. Even Jerry, who I dislike (I remember him swaggering down Higuera many years ago-intimidating the civilians) would probably make an OK top cop. But I think, so far, Cortez has the best qualifications (realistic outlook, sensitivity-and so far honest ads that seem to be foreign to Jerry’s).


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Hotdogy; this is to good to pass up, thirty-three years ago I watched him yank a poly student out of his car window with little effort onto the ground, for throwing eggs at the Movie theater patrons, talk about guilty until proven innocent, but,” he saw him do it”. End of story at that time in history, it made him a hero, maybe that’s the mentality of the voters, today?


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You might be right, Lenthal may be too far different than the rest.

Tex sound sounds good and Hall has done an excellent job as commander.

I am favoring Hall more than Tex because a CHP is a CHP and a Sheriff is a Sheriff.

Hall as a commander is equal to or greater than a Chief of police position.

I like pros and cons, do you have any insight on Hall?


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I’m happy so long as either Lenthal, Hall or Tex become Sheriff


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Willie Cortez is the popular candidate. If we don’t all ban together to start pushing for him then Parkinson will most likely win as we will end up splitting the votes between Tex, Hall and Cortez. Fortunately Lenthall will probably split Parkinson’s votes. If you don’t get on board and vote for Cortez you will actually be helping Parkinson. I prefer Tex but I have to go with the flow if we are going to defeat Parkinson. I agree that Lenthall is an intelligent man and has a superior education. He is also a Good Ole Boy and we can’t have any more of that. I agree that these other candidates would do well to have a BS in Bus Ad but Cortez is still well educated.

# Joe is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia,

# He possesses Associates and Bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice Administration, and a Master’s degree in Leadership is in progress. Sometimes voting for our favorite person defeats our purpose and we all lose in the end. I hope you look at Cortez and then put the word out.


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Oh COMON IAN and Ian supporters here!! If he had one oversight I am a fair person and say o.k. but six? If he can’t even manage paying simple bills on time like the rest of us, then why in the name of al that is holy, should we trust him with 57 Million Dollars??


Please debate this or tell me I am wrong but don’t be chicken and leave a thumbs down without even maning up to debate.


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Could this be the reason why he didn’t have enough units to finish his On-Line Criminal Justice Degree?

Oh he say he had enough for his degree except for some GED requirements for the degree.

I don’t think he is honestly transparent!


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Lenthall is the best of the candidates because he understands the county budget process and he was involved in the investigation into the sheriff’s bugging fiasco.


He understands the things that need fixing at the sheriff’s office, starting with accountability of the employees, especially those working in the county jail.


I know he angered people when he was a supervisor because of his views on growth issues and the way he controlled the public comment time at meetings.


I would say this to those who don’t like his politics; you are electing a sheriff who enforces laws, not a supervisor who makes them. I think sheriff will be a much better fit for him than county supervisor, although the experience gives him unique qualifications when dealing with the sheriff’s office budget.


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