Front Page  »  

Arroyo Grande broker running for supervisor

January 8, 2014
Mike Byrd

Mike Byrd

Arroyo Grande real estate broker Mike Byrd announced Wednesday that he intends to run for the District 4 San Luis Obispo County Supervisor seat.

Byrd applied for the vacant District 4 seat following the death of Supervisor Paul Teixeira last June, but Governor Jerry Brown appointed then Arroyo Grande councilwoman Caren Ray.

Ray, a Democrat, is now seeking election to the seat, as is Nipomo businesswoman Lynn Comptom, a Republican.

Byrd said in a press release he plans to bring a non-partisan voice to the board of supervisors.

“We’re going up against some very powerful interests with a great deal of money, but voters here deserve a choice, an independent, non-partisan voice in the tradition of supervisors Katcho Achadjian and Paul Teixeira,” Byrd said. “There are simply too many important issues at stake that need to be addressed thoughtfully and not through the prism of partisanship.”

District 4 includes Nipomo, Oceano and parts of Arroyo Grande. It historically votes conservatively.

A primary election for the seat will take place in June. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a run-off election will take place in November.

 


Loading...
Subjects:             
Related:


15 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Sooooooo is Mike a Republican? or a Democrat? or Decline To State? or not any listed?


If you are a Democrat running in a district that has elected a Republican for over 40 years I guess you change your spots and become a “republican-like” person.


I understand Lynn is a Republican.


Caren is a Democrat – Caren and Hill have one thing in common (at least one thing) they like to be republican-like during the campaign and once it is over will she go back to being a Progressive Democrat like Adam Hill is?


Mike is a Democrat – so be a Democrat instead of pretending to be a Republican or switch parties. Pretending to be what you are not is not genuine.


All I see is that Deomcrats in this county like to run as a Republican-like person. If they ran honestly (for bigger and bigger government) the “low information voter” would not vote for them.


0

I see that the new orwell dogwhistle is progressive very well then a reminder the progressives were the folks who first asked the question: is it a good idea for a single family to control the wealth of an entire nation?


0

And what was your answer?


Sometimes the Progressives use these concepts to emotionally grab people who are useful for now. When they are no longer useful they are eliminated.


No one who chooses being responsible would want one family controlling the wealth of an entire nation especially by stealing from the people through regulations and taxation to line their pockets and special interests. So if that is your concern then we may have something in common.


But I was not sure what you were saying.


0

As a 5Cities local, I am looking forward to learning more about these candidates and more so where they stand on our local issues.


Ms. Ray has had some newspaper press as well as her free air time on Dave Congalton’s Hometown radio show now, and it was great to hear her particular perspective as the current (although appointed) District 4 Supervisor.


I hope Mr. Byrd, Ms. Compton and all other runners make effort for the same air and print time to get their messages/ideas/agendas/etc out to the District 4 voters.


District 4 has a LOT of issues to address and we residents need to be informed in order to hold the candidates accountable for that information and representation.


Good luck all!


0

Time will tell, but I will be glad District 4 will actually have an “elected” representative instead of one appointed by the governor and his ideas instead of the people.


0

Apparently you did not hear Ms. Ray on the Dave Congalton show the other day; she does not sound “beholding” to anyone. I was struck by how far she appears to go to be fair and not operate with a pre-planned agenda, and how much support she had for the appointment from both sides of the political spectrum. But it is fair enough that you are going to continue to judge her on your preconceived ideals …


0

I didn’t, most radio talk shows are too biased and I am glad we have many choices on the dial, music being best than any local talk show. I am concerned you find that a choice of the governor if better than the choice of the voters


0

Adam Hill has bragged about the fact that he got Ray the supervisors job. Remember back when he skipped out on the air quality board meeting and had lunch with Ms Ray just before she was appointed. He is taking credit for that and brags that he “owns” her. The proof of course will be in her voting record at the end of the day. So far there are a bunch of 3-2 votes and she appears to be a tool of Hill and Gibson. That lady who was elected to the SLO city council claimed to be an independent thinker as well and she is just another tool of Marx and Assbaugh.


0

Ignorant rhetoric is not helpful. I’m not sure about Adam Hills ego serving statements, but observation of the BOS would show the opposite.

The fact is that there have not been a bunch of 3-2 votes. Check the record. There has been exactly 1 since Ms Ray took office. To further explain reality to you, that vote went 3-2 against Adam and Gibson with Ray voting in the majority. Hill threw a fit that meeting.

So if anything, Ray shown herself to be very independent.


0

The thumbs down are confusing since the accuracy of the statement is irrefutable as it is public record and stored on video.


0

I don’t know why all the thumbs down; however, I will point out that “independent” is quite different for a progressive leftist than it is for a far right ideologue.


I lean conservative/libertarian, and my idea of “very independent” is not at all shown in most of our elected (or appointed) officials. So it’s a matter of perspective. I don’t imagine what I call “centrist” is remotely understood by someone on the radical fringes (left or right).


0

I’m a conservative libertarian too. More libertarian these days as the right is lost on my opinion but that is another topic.

Independent was intended to indicate a person of her own mind and not a follower of a group or person. I look for someone who thinks critically and has the greater interest of the county in mind. That will not mean I will always agree. Just so it’s not based on some ideological predisposition I can accept and respect the outcome. Heck, I don’t want someone pandering to me, I acknowledge my views may not be the better choice for others.


0

You may not follow the water issue or energy or climate action plans that are here to change our county forever. There will be fluffy votes to distract. If you focus on these you will miss the entire reason Caren and her associations with Capps, Hill and Gibson are distressing.


The BoS are now playing with water rights. They are being played by special interests in taking the Paso basin water for their profitable uses. That is why the two law suits.


We are playing for all the chips on the table and voting for supervisor is a powerful vote in the 2nd and 4th district.


If we re-elect Gibson and Ray it may be time to pack up and move. Economic growth and prosperity are DEAD ON ARRIVAL! If Byrd is selected he will be groomed by his party to be progressive if not already?


Jobs, small businesses and “for the people” not “enslave the people” need to be priorities. Ordinance after ordinance and pricing out of range home building creates the crisis that then these already on the board with their majority will come up with “workforce housing” that will be a taking from us the tax payer not an honest help. Roll back all the fees on creating housing and bring back jobs. Those workers will then pay taxes in an honest way.


Words are now begin used to distract us with fluff and you find out later that they meant the opposite.


The struggle here is not a right or left it is who stands up for the constitution? Who really believes in the ideals of America? Who is gaining a seat on this board to work against we the citizens because they know better than the bill of rights that already exists?


You no longer have to uphold the constitution as in the Oath of Office taken by those already on this board. I have seen the opposite of their oath committed by the progressives because that is what being a progressive democrat means you PROGESS away from the constitution. The collective and the commons is proof of this shift spoken by Gibson, Hill and now Ray.


I would not have parties to be a part of, instead the real question is are you against the constitution or for it? Then I would select my candidate based on this. Not what they say but what they do and their intention.


0

Ok Phoenix, perhaps I have missed something that you can reveal. Please do so with facts and not rhetoric.

I am aware of the water rights issue. Are you aware that it was a non partisan 5-0 vote that finally set the emergency ordinance. Are you also aware that this is a temporary ordinance that will expire without any extension allowed in 20 months. Are you aware that the stated purpose of the ordinance is to allow time for the basin stake holders to find answers and resolutions. The special interests are the ones behind the lawsuit. They are the ones who publicly professed on camera and on the record that they know better. So a small group of wealthy landowners and high consumers think they should decide and you support this. That is not the constitution I am aware of.

I’m not aware of any votes on energy or climate action by the BOS that you reference.


Well I will certainly agree that housing prices are difficult for the average wage earner, the characterization that this is caused solely by fees or the removal of these fees would solve the problem indicates a lack of understanding of the problem and the issues.


The phase collective and commons and the term progressives have some meaning to you that you would like to hang around individuals of your choosing but I’m not sure that has any meaning to most others.


0

Hey Sam. Remember this.


“SanSimeonSam

Oct 04 – 12:06 pm

Reply

Well then lets bet. Remember that Adam Hill has already met privately, except for the CCN camera man, prior to the selection and i am sure that Hill is taking credit for the appointment. I will offer $100 dollars for everytime Ray votes against Hill and Gibson if you will give me $10 for every time she votes with them. I will add that this is to be applied in 3-2 decisions.”


I think you owe me $100


0