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Debbie Arnold announces bid for SLO County supervisor

September 1, 2011

Debbie Arnold

A field representative for Senator Sam Blakeslee and former Atascadero business owner announced plans Wednesday to run for a seat on the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors.

Debbie Arnold made the announcement in an exclusive interview with CalCoastNews.

Arnold, 57, a Pozo resident who worked for nearly five years as the legislative assistant to former supervisor Mike Ryan plans to run for the Fifth District Supervisor seat held by Jim Patterson, whose four-year term expires at the end of the 2012.

Arnold’s primary concern is the financial stability of county residents.

“I see hard working people who are not able to make a living,” Arnold said. “In the past several years, increased regulations have made it more difficult to do business in this county.”

Arnold also said she believes in protecting private property rights.

Past District 5 elections have been razor-thin close. In 2008, Patterson beat Arnold by approximately 300 votes.

In August, Patterson announced his intentions to break the so-called “5th District curse” and win a third term on the Board. Former supervisors Ryan and David Blakely previously failed in their attempts at a third term in the district which currently includes parts of Atascadero, San Luis Obispo, Santa Margarita, and Creston.

Atascadero mayor Tom O’Malley had been expected to challenge Patterson, but recently announced he was giving up his plans because of family issues.

A graduate of Cuesta College, Arnold owned and operated the Small Wonders Preschool for 17 years.

She and her husband Steve, a local farmer, have been married for 36 years.


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“In the past several years, increased regulations have made it more difficult to do business in this county.”


In the past several years? Several usually means 3; I’ll go out on a limb here and say SLO County has been business hostile for DECADES. We are full of NIMBY council members and citizens! Anytime someone wants to make SLO look like Santa Maria or Paso Robles, the natives get restless (and with good reason); however, trying to do business within the City is pretty tough (sign ordinances, no drive-thru’s, etc.).


I’ll have to look into the candidates as the time comes to place my vote.


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True …but Debbie is a puppet to developers who pose as farmers…she’s about favors for friends-building and development interests-She’s a nice lady -just don’t like the COLAB influence


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The little that I know about her I think she’s okay but if Colab is involved I would have to think twice before supporting her. If she’s smart she will keep Colab away from her.


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You mean those ranchers wearing the dry-cleaned Wranglers?


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This is great news. It will be nice to have Debbie in place of the guy we have in office now. Finally, someone who cares about the community she will be serving. Thank you for running.


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I’m glad you’re running again, Debbie! I voted for you before and would again, if I hadn’t moved out of the district. The bottom line is; I feel you would represent my philosophy better.


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Deregulation — YeeeeHaaaaaaw !!!!!!!!!!


It’s worked so well on Wall Street, it’s just got to work here! Doesn’t it?


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It isn’t so simple Russell. Sometimes regulation works, and sometimes it causes more problems than it solves. You got to look at this on a case by case basis.


This is one of the problems of politics…most of us think in very simple black and white terms. Corporations bad, government bad, military bad, teachers bad, unions bad, etc. No…not so simple.


Debbie Arnold has some really good points if you can listen to her without simplistic blinders on.


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Well, he draws in black and white… just saying.


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Well, if I drew in all greys it would be boring, wouldn’t you agree?


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Regarding Hill his girlfriend and DeVaul, I don’t know anything about it but this thing with DeVaul started way before Hill was around so in the long run Hill didn’t really change anything.


On your last question,,,because they’re politicians.


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The issue would be if Hill voted on anything that benefitted his shack-up, Torres.


He should have recused himself. If he didn’t, he used his power as an elected official to benefit himself or those with whom he has a relationship.


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I wish Karen/CCN would investigate the increasingly public relationship between Adam Hill and Dee Torres. Their private lives should remain private, but is Dee Torres benefitting financially from sleeping with a supervisor? Is there a conflict of interest from Adam Hill? I think you’re oj to something Pizmo20.


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Last time Debbie only lost by 300 votes?! She’s definitely going to win this time. Hooray!


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I don’t believe in affirmative action, but I like the fact that Debbie is a woman and I hope she wins. I think more women supes on the board might dilute the frat boy mentality that currently envelopes the building (Edge & Wilcox, Paavo & Maria, Gibson, Adam Hill dumping his wife, etc.) and get things under control. I just don’t know where she gets the 300 votes to close the gap with Patterson.


Also, did anyone else notice that Debbie Arnold, a conservative, chose to make her announcement to CalCoastNews? Wow. pretty damn impressive. She musta gave up on the Trib just like the rest of us did long ago.


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I didn’t vote for Debbie last go round, but I sure will this time. Patterson use to be a nice guy, but like others who enter the politicial area they sell their souls for the power and forget why they started this journey. Shame on Patterson, go Debbie!


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As if she won’t suffer the same fate! Great voting logic! ROFLOL


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You are absolutely right and then you vote her out when she loses her moral compass. The only power the people have is to vote these power grabbers, conceited, mucho, can do anything a@@h$#$s out of office when they stop listening. Seems one term is the answer for now! What else is there?


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I wish I knew the answer to that.


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“In the past several years, increased regulations have made it more difficlt to do business in this county.”


What a bunch of BS talking points!


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You obviously haven’t been running a business in SLO County!


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Gimme a break, I own a business and that is a BS talking point; this woman is nothing but a developers tool. Her idea of “property rights”: I have the right to pave over my ranch/farm and build whatever project I like regardless of how it affects my neighbors or destroys the rural landscape.


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That’s funny, I own a business, too…or should say “did own” until I shut it down recently and released 5 employees. The final straw? More BS county APCD regulations that extorted more tax dollars (they say “fees”) from my pocket that did absolutely NOTHING other than support their own pathetic existence. And SLO was the only county in the state that had their hands in my pocket.


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Now on this you might have a point SSB. I don’t trust the APCD board. Although I really don’t like you at all, I am sorry that you lost your business.


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Our family has had businesses here for over 100 years, what’s changed SSB?


I’m not getting in this yet as I really don’t know enough about what she’s going to run on but this particular point is BS.


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B.S talking points huh?


Stay tuned, you’re about to get an education.


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Obviously you are not a small business person…

Try getting a building permit, sign permit or even a remodeling permit, then once you have paid the exorbitant fees and jumped through all the hoops and made all the imrovements to public infrastructure, then try getting a business license, health pemit, liquour license, or even a permit for farmers market.

I have and I know that for every dollar spent on a project or improvement 40% is tacked on for administration by the county.


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I see no difference between businesses here or in other areas.


Why do you feel that it’s hard getting a business license?


There is too much bureaucracy and in that way the govt. makes it hard for us but I see no difference here then anywhere else. It’s really hard for small businesses because unlike the big corps we have to pay pretty high taxes but that’s not a county thing.


Liquor licenses are supposed to be difficult to get. I wouldn’t want there to be 5 liquor stores on every block, there are other good reasons that there is what seems to be a drawn out process for that.


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This county has long been a place hostile to business and building. Compared to surrounding counties (with the exceptionof Santa barbara) the cost of a permit is much higher and the embedded fees and regulations to prop up public improvements is also much higher.

The wait times at the counter for even simple things like a business lic are far too long. Ever try getting a passport?

I have to agree that all of the state has a problem with burdensome requirements and fees to do business, but this county has become the laughing stock of the surrounding ones. Just ask any contractor.


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Thank you Debbie. Where can I send my campaign contribution?


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+1


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