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Supervisor Caren Ray ‘s unwarranted self-promotion

September 22, 2014
Julie Tacker

Julie Tacker

OPINION By JULIE TACKER

In a recent mailer and Smart Voter bio, San Luis Obispo County District 4 Supervisorial Candidate Caren Ray lists some of her accomplishments. She must be underestimating the intelligence of the District 4 voter, expects they have short memories, doesn’t care, or believes they will not check to see if she actually “helped create the Five Cities Fire Authority, which improves fire protection and saves taxpayers $150,000 a year.”

Ms. Ray was appointed to the Arroyo Grande City Council on May 25, 2010. After six years of negotiation, the Five Cities Fire Authority (FCFA) Joint Powers Agreement became effective on June 7 that same year. Ms. Ray had been in office just two weeks.

Nevertheless, though she had nothing to do with the formation of the FCFA, she claims credit as she campaigns to hold her seat on the board of supervisors.

The culmination of the agreement consolidated the fire companies from Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach and Oceano. You will not find Ms. Ray’s name on any documentation related to FCFA. She never served on its board and you won’t find her name on any documents related to FCFA since — but for the city letterhead for the time she served there.

Ms. Ray’s campaign material states that the FCFA “saves taxpayers $150,000 a year.” If that were accurate, the FCFA would not have pursued a $1 million assessment district last spring.

That assessment, which Ray claims she supported, was to have fully funded the three new positions that had been established through a grant and a fund for firefighting apparatus and equipment.

In 2013, when considering a special tax for FCFA, Ms. Ray was quoted in the New Times voicing her support for the special tax and the firefighters, “There are clearly essential needs we need to fund,” and “I could support a lesser amount, but if we take this to the voters, I want to make sure we nail it.”

Even though Ray said she would be voting in support of the FCFA, she did not vote yes in favor of funding the FCFA through an assessment district, according to the ballots which are a public record.

Ms. Ray is articulate and appears confident, but when she is patting herself on the back she should realize that making claims for work in public service the “facts” can easily be checked. Since she overstated her involvement in the formation of FCFA and her support of an assessment district, it raises questions about her other campaign claims.

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I certainly understand the debate for this important supervisors position and encourage others to vote in November.


What concerns me is how the FCFA and others used taxpayers funds, outside consultants, one sided ” education” mailers, and very misleading financial data to manipulate this New Tax Increase Election.


Even with all the resources of the government, the lawyers, union support,the outside paid consultants who would have received bonuses paid with taxpayers funds, they badly lost this Tax Increase Election by a large margin because of the hard work of Mr. Otis Page and other residents.


Those elected to represent the people, were so disconnected from the people that they misused the powers of their office to implement another New Tax Increase.


As we see all these costly New Tax Increases on the November Ballot and “Automatic Rate Increases” I see the old government and union playbook being used again to bring more New Tax Increases.


Citizen Taxpayers, young and old just cannot afford more New Tax Increases at this time when so much research and data clearly indicates a very dark financial picture for a large majority of people.


” The Power To Tax and Automatic Rate Increases, Is The Power To Destroy “


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I personal think Caren Ray , for being a teacher is not very smart, She was not elected,I hope the voter’s will remember this, She is card carry member of the club of the Clown’s !! Holding Office, Where did all these Chowder heads come from…


I like what that guy said above “Lack of Moral Compass” in a nut shell , I say Vote Ms. Ray ,and the rest of these clown the He(( out of office.


What people are just finding out now How Stupid & crooked these people are , WAKE UP..Vote them out ..Enough is enough!!!


Ms. Ray Claims to be a “Physical Conservative” one question, Are you on DOPE? I hate to say your a liar but I will


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what a walking satire…..vote for class, Lynn Compton, not crass, Care Less Ray.


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Try this one: Caren Cares – Lynn Scares:))


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Well, Ms. Ray is apparently smarter than you AGboy as I have noticed that she has the ability to at least write intelligible sentences.


You seem to take issue with Ms. Ray’s claim to be a Physical Conservative. Could you please sight several good examples for these oh so insightful thoughts?


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Well, she DOES seem to be in good condition, although I have never seen her up close. Does she run, work out, etc?


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Ya got me…Fiscal Conservative. And yes, the woman is not only HIGHLY INTELLIGENT, (and most likely a better speller than I am) but she is also an excellent athlete.


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OMG, you just caught a duck…hook, line & sinker!


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So let me see, Proposition 13 requires a 2/3 majority vote to modify but OH MY _ _ _ Caren votes to lower tax passing votes required to 55%! No matter what subject the TAX is it is not what I want. These $$$ will go to Sacramento and they will not give it back without some grant and strings that we all have to become socialists one tax passing at a time. Our goose will have been cooked and abused.


So going to a 55% majority vote for all of us in the unincorporated parts of this county is a GOOD THING?


NOT.


Only if you love BIG Government!


I can’t wait to tax myself faster and bigger with a 55% popular vote and have illegals and all those progressives tax me for their environmental projects.


Where does smaller government play in Ms. Caren Ray’s world?


Nowhere!


Get a clue taxing us into oblivion is a yes on Ray and stopping the onslaught of new taxation and regulations is a yes on Compton.


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I guess “fake it till you make it” for Caren Ray includes bluffing as well as posture.


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Just remember-“you will all be able to keep your doctor”.


Lying by politicians has just become the norm.


Thanks for catching her. Adam Hill you have failed again with your tutoring.


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The Tribune quoted Ray as stating she “believes government plays a crucial role in protecting quality of life in the district. Property rights should be balanced with environmental protection and wise resource management”. Meanwhile, her strongest (and probably biggest campaign donors) are local developers and unions, according to the Tribune! But watch, I am SURE they will endorse her!


I really doubt Caren is going to be conservative in approving more building. After all, her live in honey is on the EIR committee for AG (appointed by her before she was chosen to go to the Sup’s job), and he works for RRM Architect firm! He presented the Cherry Ave project representing RRM, yet sits in the EIR for AG? Is this a conflict of interest?


I drove by the Courtland St project that good ol’ boy Nick Tompkins owns. BIG sign for Caren Ray & Joe Costello!


NO vote for both Caren Ray and Joe Costello. We need “a new perspective” in these seats!


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LONG DAY! I meant to say that her boyfriend is on the AG PLANNING COMMISSION (not the EIR, which I was really trying to say was ARC)


Confused?


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The Tribune already endorsed Caren Ray during the June election and the love affair continues.


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County Supervisors have NOTHING to do with Prop 13. That power lies with the State Legislature and the voters. The Compton ads are either ill informed or worse.


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Maybe she’s not directly involved, but you’re kidding yourself if you don’t think they work behind the scenes on things which they seemingly have NOTHING to do with.


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Get paranoid much?


“they” work behind the scenes? Who are “they” ?


Do you have anything solid to show that Caren has EVER done anything to degrade Prop 13? Of course not!!!!! She supports it.


This is a BIG MONEY scare tactic by a candidate that CAN’T DEBATE because she doesn’t have any answers. Scare tactics plain and simple.


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Hope you were at the supervisor’s meeting today as Caren got BLASTED for her stated platform position on Prop 13. Please watch the video to see what your candidate’s position REALLY is.


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So let me see, Proposition 13 requires a 2/3 majority vote to modify but OH MY _ _ _ Caren votes to lower tax passing votes required to 55%! No matter what subject the TAX is it is not what I want. These $$$ will go to Sacramento and they will not give it back without some grant and strings that we all have to become socialists one tax passing at a time. Our goose will have been cooked and abused.


So going to a 55% majority vote for all of us in the unincorporated parts of this county is a GOOD THING?


NOT.


Only if you love BIG Government!


I can’t wait to tax myself faster and bigger with a 55% popular vote and have illegals and all those progressives tax me for their environmental projects.


Where does smaller government play in Ms. Caren Ray’s world?


Nowhere!


Get a clue taxing us into oblivion is a yes on Ray and stopping the onslaught of new taxation and regulations is a yes on Compton.


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Uhh, hello 3putt. County Supervisors do have SOMETHING to do with Prop 13.


State legislature and voters have the final say, HOWEVER, our Board of Supervisors voted, minus Debbie Arnold to send a lobbyist to the state capital to lobby for our county to

change the threshold of the voting to weaken or do away with prop 13, change from a 2/3 majority of the vote to 55% of the vote. Spin that please.


Caren Ray has come across very clear in desiring more government and more taxes

Watch the BOS meeting from February 11, 2014 and hear Caren herself. Then listen to

yesterdays meeting public comment where Andrea Seastrand explained what happened. It cannot be more clear as to what is going on.


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WOW– Total mis-information by the three of you.


You are really drinking the Cool-aide–

——or should I say TEA !!!!!


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I am not sure about the accuracy of your research, but I am curious about your investigation into the legislative background of your candidate, Lynn Compton. What is Compton’s history of voting in local government positions? Oh, that’s right, she has never held any elected or even appointed office, nor does she ever attend any local government meetings. She claims this inexperience is a plus. Compton is the kind of doctor I don’t want operating on my County government.


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So do you believe that we should always vote for incumbants because they have the experience? Remember, they all started new at one point as well.


It is our civic duty to see who will play fairly and NOT play into the hands of their cash supporters.


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Playing fairly might include not fabricating malarky like this “Compton Cares…Don’t let THEM change Prop 13” junk. (Who’s them, by the way?) I would LOVE to see Compton in a debate with Ray over the Prop 13 accusal, but unfortunately it seems Ms. Compton has too many restrictions placed to be able to make a debate. Ms. Ray is ready, willing and VERY able. I guess that must be the problem. Compton was wiped off of the map during the primary debates and it’s obvious that’s she’s been advised to avoid answering up to her accusations in public for fear of putting her GIANT high heel in her mouth.


What’s up with that Julie? Want to explain why Compton won’t debate?


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vote for class not crass…..elect Lynn Compton….


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Class plays by the rules! Class does not put WAY OVERSIZED signs within the Urban Reserve Line in Nipomo when she knows it’s against code. What kind of Supervisor are you going to get who starts breaking the law before she even gets into office.


Class does not try to pull the wool over senior citizens eyes by fabricating malarky about Prop 13 in order to avoid the real hard questions that she has no ability to answer like: what are her ideas to help with our severe water shortages, what is her position on Rule 1001, the Paso Water Management District, conservation ordinances and Phillips?


Either she is deliberately hiding her extremist positions from the voters or she has no answers.


I’m not buying your catchy slogan, Robert, because it means zip!


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Caren Ray’s signs in all the county right of ways along the highways are legal?


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Ray’s signs are posted on the sides of the roads in the same areas that Compton’s are located.


Interesting though…it seems that Compton has a buddy downtown who only sends someone out to collect Ray signs and leaves the Compton signs that are next to hers alone.


And yes, there have been complaints made to the proper authorities downtown about the VERY OVERSIZED, out-of-code, signs that Compton is putting inside the Urban Reserve Line all over Nipomo, but for some reason those signs aren’t being taken down.


You Compton lovers are going to have a real piece of work for your Supervisor should she win. She already knows how to cheat her way through everything and knows who all the players are. And you all complain so loudly on this site about corruption in the government in SLO County as though it really matters to you.


Well, you have only your idiot selves to blame if you elect the most sinisterly connected Lynn! Just because she’s a Republican you think she’s a saint? Wise up! Morally wretched people are alive and well in all parties!


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You are right. Caren’s signs are in the same area as

Lynns. One glaring difference, Lynn’s are on private

property and Carens are stuck nearby on public lands.


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I have heard Caren is “ready, willing, and very ABLE” as you suggest above,

but not for anything that would benefit voters in our district.


Don’t be a hater on the big signs, duck, it makes you sound so whiney.


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Will someone please explain to ducky the difference between the county right of way, and private property?


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Someone call the guys at Duck Dynasty, I think it’s duck season!


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Well, for getting “wiped off the map” she sure did pretty well in the voting of

the primary. I seem to remember she got the most votes by a long shot.


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Sadly, the vast majority of voters never watch debates. Compton also lucked out because this area is predominantly Republican. She made very sure that Republican voters all knew that she would be representing them first and foremost.


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I disagree to a certain extent Duck. I think that Compton plays the

“Republican” card, but I don’t think she will represent them “First and Foremost”. I think that if she is elected, the people that vote the Republican party line will see the error of their ways and it will be too late. She just doesn’t get it. VOTE THE PERSON, NOT THE PARTY.


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Lynn Compton will be crushing Care Ray on october 10th. It will be a show of wisdom and class vs. emotive pandering and crass.


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“Crushing”? During the last debates Compton could barely stay awake! She better get her lies straight by that time because she WILL be called on them!!


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Good point. Nixon had solid experience and look how that turned out.


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Would you have recommended voting for Adam when he was the new guy…just because he was the new guy?


Sometimes we end up throwing the baby out with the bathwater. If you have a bird in the hand that is doing well why kill it for the rat in the bush?


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Adam Hill you and Bruce Gibson just want another person who lacks a moral compass like you do in my mind.


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Would you want Steve Adams and Tony Ferrara to operate on you?


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You don’t need a doctor with Ray coupled with Gibson/Hill (waste of skin), you need a mortician. Look what has happened since she was appointed.


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“Look what has happened since she was appointed.” 50’s – Would you like to be just a little more specific or are you hoping that people have a large imagination.


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Specifics? Facts? Surely you jest.


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Nothing but lies here….vote in the other direction please.


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The lies are coming from the Compton camp and the Prop 13 baloney is a perfect example. Why won’t Lynn debate? Answer: She would lose big.


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Caren Ray lied: she said she’d vote for it (against the majority of voters), but didn’t actually vote for it. Two-faced politician. Shocking! Bet she didn’t realize her ballot for an assessment district isn’t secret. FAIL!


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This is a very important thing to take note of. She said she supported the assessment and

then voted against it. That says it all.


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Let’s see if she boasts so loudly about wanting to do away with Prop 13.


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Caren Ray supports Prop 13. Lynn Compton either doesn’t understand what a County Supervisor can and cannot do, or it’s a scare tactic. Bad news either waqy


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Agreed putt – one would think that after Compton went to law school she would understand this stuff. It’s true she has NOT passed the Bar so maybe we can give her the benefit of the doubt and hope that she just doesn’t get it. I really don’t want to believe that someone who wants to be a Supervisor in this County would deliberately mislead voters. But she sure is spending a HUGE amount of $$$$$$ going in this unsavory direction. Nasty business if she really is trying to deceive!


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So duck, how much $$$ does it take for the buses of people from LA to be shipped up here to canvas our neighborhoods on Ms Ray’s behalf?


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Wow! I heard that the Compton camp was speeding that lie. I guess you are one of those helping to spread it.


I can truthfully attest to you that the ONLY people helping Caren canvas neighborhoods are people like myself…VOLUNTEERS who believe in Caren’s good character, high intelligence, honesty and her great ability to help our community. She is NOT the one who has collected $250,000…a great deal of it from outside of her District 4. Compton is the one with the $$$$$$$$ to hire outsiders. Anyone coming to a District 4 door for Caren is a sincere volunteer who truly cares about this County.


I guess you’d know about those North County funds coming into Compton, wouldn’t you Ag Man. How are your grapes growing up that way?


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Told you already how wrong you are about the north county ag thing,

but obviously you have a hard time distinguishing when someone is telling you the truth or a lie.

Believe me, I know where I live,

and I also know I don’t grow grapes.

Those little ducky are the FACTS!


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yup–show me someone who says they have a law degree, and I’ll show you someone who can’t pass the bar exam.


it appears there is A LOT that Lynn doesn’t understand. I truly believe there should be a test to become Supervisor. Lynn wouldn’t pass that one either. Caren gets an A, hard working and intelligent.


There is too much on the line here for FLUFF– Vote the person, NOT the party.


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Well Mr. Ducky you better believe it. Caren Ray said she supported the assessment of the fire authority and then voted against it. Caren Ray said she helped

establish the fire authority but was only in office two weeks. Being present for a vote does not make it right to say you helped establish. Don’t get me started on unsavory.


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I think it might only be appropriate to at least ask Ms. Ray to respond to CCN’s charges or are these charges made solely by Ms. Tacker? In any case does it occur to anyone here that there may be some ulterior motives for Ms. Tacker blatantly favoring Ms. Compton over Ms. Ray and writing this little attack piece?


Hmmm…you don’t suppose it might have something to do with the fact that Compton said in the Oceano forum that she might consider the sale of the Oceano Airport, do you? And Ms. Ray…why I do believe she said she would NOT!


My, oh my! And here I thought this was just all about people trying to bring honesty to light, when it’s really just about SOMEONE??? possibly trying to turn a profit by backing the RIGHT candidate. Well, how do you like them apples!


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Are the facts in Ms. Tacker’s commentary wrong? If not then I don’t see the relevance of her reasons for wanting a candidate elected.


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Julie Tacker writes opinion pieces on a variety of county issues and people. Here you go trying to drag the airport and a

comment taken out of context into it.


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Her “opinions” have cost the citizens of Los Osos millions of dollars.


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spoke to someone at 5cfa today and they said same thing as Julie. Caren Lies.


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If you aren’t adam hill…….you are carl rove!


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I’m not quite sure who you are addressing, but there can’t be two more divergent people in the world! Your statement really doesn’t make sense.


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In terms of political philosophy Hill and Rove are somewhat different. In terms of political tactics much less so.


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I wouldn’t compare the two even on the topic of political tactics. Get real!


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