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Paso Robles getting a new mayor

July 3, 2014
Mayor Duane Picanco

Mayor Duane Picanco

Paso Robles Mayor Duane Picanco has opted not to seek reelection this November but rather to make a run for a city council seat. [KSBY]

Picanco has served five terms as the mayor of Paso Robles. He has served a total of 24 years on the city council.

Picanco said trading his job as mayor for a city council seat would allow him to spend more time with his family, but still serve the city.

“I’ve decided it’s time for a new voice leading our great city forward, and I believe there are many partially finished projects that still require the background and knowledge and experience I possess,” he said.

Paso Robles Councilman Steve Martin has already announced that he plans to run for mayor. Martin is currently in the middle of a council term, and if voters elect him mayor, it will leave a council seat vacant.


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Paso, WAKE UP!!


With Steinbeck stating he’s not running, unless some new-and-not-tainted-by-App blood steps up, Picanco and Hammon will probably win council and Steve Martin probably wins mayor.


So there would be two years left in Martin’s seat that the council would appoint someone to

fill . . . . and since Ed Steinbeck will be available guess who’s probably gonna get the

appointment……


I wouldn’t be shocked if that conversation was had and they all agreed on the moves.


App would then continue to manipulate and run roughshod all over the same ol doddering council and nothing will change . . . ..


Will someone please step up, there are lots of voters that would love to change city hall.


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Sounds like the deal O’Mally and McKinney pulled off in Atascadero when O’Mally got elected Mayor. O’Mally indicated to Clay that he would put him in the seat that was vacated when he got elected. Then one of O’Mallys back stabs. He orchestrated getting Morena approved by a majority of the council, some who stated that Clay was too old, It was never opened to the public. I hope the folks in PR don’t let that happen.


-1

Well,Well, He is not running for Mayor again and wants to spend more time with his family.

I say, spend even more time with your family and don’t run at all for councilman.The last time,He wasn’t going to run for Mayor,but changed his mind and prevented Fred Strong from becoming Mayor, that was one of his better decisions. Kudos! The City Council has made a lot of BONEHEADED decisions in the past. The Airport fiasco, the Nacimiento Lake Pipeline Project without voter approval to finance the 176+ million dollar project. Also,not building a WATERTREATMENT PLANT to filter Nacimiento Lake water. Now, we are not getting the 4,000 acre feet of water due to that blunder. The police chief fiasco that cost the city taxpayers $250 thousand dollars plus benefits to hush her up. Recently,settling a suit out of court with a CityPolice Officer involving ticket quotas for $125 thousand dollars. Hopefully,the next local election in November will eliminate the local oligarchy in Paso by ousting councilmen

Steinbeck and Hamon for approving the huge settlement of taxpayer’s money on the Police Chief blunder.


0

Jim App is the Mayor of Paso Robles, and his cronies are the City Council.


0

I agree with your comment about App being the real mayor.


However, I think the City Council members are his toadies.


If they were his cronies, that would indicate a more equal footing.


0

Mr. P. runs Paso like his other business of selling hardware etc, which is very poorly. Goodbye Duane and good riddance.


-1

Nothing will change until we get rid of Jim App and his criminal-class cronies.


-1

Well I hope the new Mayor will head a delegation to abrogate King James (city manager) and return the kingdom to a community free of corruption and cronyism.


-1

Jim Reed is running for City Council. He almost won over Fred Strong in the last election. If you want a new voice on the Council, and who doesn’t, then we have to support Reed, a really good and honest guy.


-1

I seemed to remember hearing his story back when he ran. I remember nothing noteworthy about him. Why would he be effective?


0

Because he wouldn’t have voted to give developers a one million dollar break on development fees like John Hamon did. The city of Paso has had to make up the difference. Even Jim App wasn’t happy with this obvious attempt to help Hamon’s garage door business.


You may not remember that Hamon led the charge to allow these reductions in fees (to encourage home building for local employment). The main beneficiary was a Fresno home builder who brought all his own work crews with him from Fresno.


Jim Reed is not a real estate tycoon nor a developer nor a sub contractor for garage doors. He is not part of the oligarchy trying to make money from the town without real consideration of the needs of Paso residents. At least Picanzo would have some support when he questions the wisdom of allowing vineyards in town serviced by in- town wells–like the Ayres Hotel, currently adding more wine grape vines to their vineyard.


Maybe with council men who will question and make the Planning Commission and Planning Dept of the city more accountable for their decisions, the city won’t end up having to sue developers who don’t pay their fees like the Target Gateway Developer.


-1

You make an argument why the others are no good, but make no case for supporting Reed. Just being a nice guy who isn’t connected is not enough.


1

Sorry, I’m not part of his campaign, though I may be in the future. He will have to answer the questions on particular issues. However, he is a small businessman who has been in Paso for over 25 years and has kept up with city affairs. He’s intelligent, has a lot of common sense, is honest and truly concerned about businesses, residents, and transparency of government in Paso. Here’s an older article about Jim http://slo-north.info/tidbits-from-templeton/2012/09/20/jim-reed-is-running-for-paso-robles-city-council/


-1

Thank you for making my day. Good riddance and best news I’ve heard in ages. Now if we can just get App out of here.


0

Tom O’Mally in Atascadero should read this and follow the same footsteps. His self promotion at the price of others and the city is getting old.

Duane has done a great job for our city.


-1

If by “great job” you mean how he, Fred Strong and the other councilmen bent over backwards to defend Lisa Solomon Chitty, I disagree. For the most part, Picanco’s been a fiscal conservative and frequently votes against wasteful spending but when he approved a quarter of a million bucks our of our general fund to be paid to Lisa, I lost respect for him.


Gilman’s gone. Strong almost lost last time. Steinbeck’s not running. Now it’s time to say goodbye to Mr. Picanco and get some fresh blood on the council. Paso needs some council members who are willing to say no to staff and city manager Jim App. Picanco’s been an App puppet for years and he should just be done with city politics.


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