Front Page  »  

Bakersfield responds to attack by Caren Ray

October 22, 2014

bakersfieldA columnist from Bakersfield wrote an editorial Tuesday on the “slugfest” between San Luis Obispo County District 4 supervisor candidates Caren Ray and Lynn Compton and Ray’s negative comments about Bakersfield.

At a recent debate and on the Dave Congalton radio show on KVEC 920 AM, Compton said that it would help the economy if the permit process, while following all state and environmental laws, was streamlined and efficient. Compton then said that contractors who have worked in both Bakersfield and San Luis Obispo counties say the process is more efficient in Bakersfield.

Ray responded with a flyer trashing Bakersfield for its “poor air quality” and “urban sprawl” and asking voters not to let Compton turn San Luis Obispo County into Bakersfield.

The Bakersfield Californian columnist Lois Henry responded Tuesday:

“Whoa, whoa, WHOA!”

“I’ve gotta call time out when a political campaign in a totally different county tosses Bakersfield under the bus.”

“Yeah, that’s right, a candidate running for San Luis Obispo County supervisor has put out mailers urging voters to keep her in office so her opponent doesn’t “turn South County into Bakersfield.”

“I would say that hurts, but I actually thought it was kind of hilarious.”

“But it wasn’t funny at all to some of the very voters in that district who incumbent Caren Ray probably hoped to win over.”

Read more.

Don’t miss breaking news, Like CalCoastNews on Facebook.

 


Loading...
Subjects:                     
Related:


61 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Simply stated….Caren is Bakersfield Therein lies the irony.


0

As part of the Tony Ferrara club, Caren Ray wants to make the planning process lengthy and expensive so that government makes more money. The cost of a home is then higher for the homeowner while we need more money to pay incompetent government employees.


0

Very odd comment since part of the group attacking Ferrara is fighting development in the city of AG (Otis Page for instance). So your attempt to link the two rings hallow.

Most people don’t want to see the run away growth that Compton’s position would bring.

I am a Bako transplant and that good ole boy program long ago created problems that have made the town the butt of jokes for decades.


0

This race is turning out to be one of the greatest catfights of all time. It will be sad to see it end. Thankfully, both candidates have maintained their dignity , honor and femininity throughout.


0

Oh, I think most people agree that changes are needed at so many levels in government … but nowhere is change more clearly warranted than in the City of Arroyo Grande (Ray’s last home before her appointment by a democrat) and the County Board of Supervisors.


Caren Ray seems to be pulling out all the stops to find a way to win this election in spite of the prevailing feelings of the votes.


Maybe Caren should employ some of the other Democratic Part tricks used this election year… like election fraud allegations and a picture with President Obama… couldn’t hurt??


0

If one of her strategists is Adam Hill, isn’t he kind of short and short-sighted?


0

President Obama is doing an Amazing job. Why WOULDN’T someone want to be picture done with someone that is CLEARLY THE best president in our history.


0

You must be joking,the guy is a puppet.


0

(I am not voting for Ray or Compton for county supervisor.)


———————-


Certainly, the Caren Ray comment was a poor choice on many fronts, including damaging her own campaign and her political future. It makes her look desperate, and shows that, under pressure, she will snap and lash out with damaging, hurtful statements.


Worse for her, using what she thought was a weapon, evoking the image of Bakersfield as the alternative to not voting her into office, was a scare tactic. What she thought was something that would help her win the election ended up creating a damaging controversy that she can ill afford at this time in the very close raise for county supervisor.


Then there is the impact on Ray’s future political aspirations beyond a Board of Supervisor’s seat.


Ray has certainly shown she has been willing and able to claw her way into politics, and went from AG City Council member to County Supervisor in, relatively speaking, a blink of an eye. One would think she would be a bit more cognizant of a tactic that would alienate any city in California.


Bakersfield is not a small outpost in the valley, but a large, scrappy survivor whose residents have shown a resilience and tenacity to live in a city which, environmentally, would be a challenge for many Californians to live in. By our rarefied Central Coast standards, the stench in the air from oil production is offensive, at best, and the city itself is not exactly pleasing to the eye. Yet to the 360,340 residents in Bakersfield, this is home What kind of poor judgment would drive Ray to target these people and their city with her insult?


And, of course, Bakersfield and its special interests have considerable influence in our state government, something that may come back to haunt her if she decides to, in the future, seek higher office in California.


Finally, there is the issue of Ray, by slamming Bakersfield, slamming the entire population of the city by her caustic statement. Did she really think she had to insult Bakersfield–a CITY whose population is 23%higher than the entire COUNYTY of San Luis Obispo–to boost her election chances? If she is willing to do that, what other tactics is she willing to use, all to be elected?


0

Well for someone without a horse in the race, that certainly is slanted.. It is surprising that the story is what Ray said instead of what Compton said.

Compton has been clear in being against land use policy that puts housing near existing development and infrastructure. Compton has said developers should not have to carry all the burden of their development costs.

In no less than three public recorded appearances, Compton has said environmental review and development review process should be less restrictive. All these are the things that lead to out of control development and pollution. All those are public positions of the candidate yet the complaint is Ray insulted Bakersfield. Very confusing


0

There’s something about Mary. Quite contrary.


0

Bravo !


All of these Compton shills that laud her for praising Bakersfield would NEVER deign to live there !


Compton’s rhetoric is so reminiscent of the “Queen of Mean”, Leona Helmsley’s attitude of “…Only the little people pay taxes”.


Queen Compton infers that ‘regulations’ aren’t for the rich.


0

–And as long as the Queen has water, she cannot be bothered with anecdotal stories of a small number of wells going dry. Only the little people are thirsty.


0

1. Just because I don’t march in lock-step unison with a political party does not mean I won’t be voting in the county supervisor race.


2. My opinion was about Ray’s slam against Bakersfield and its citizens, something I view as I’ll thought out, a desperate reaction of a frightened candidate in a close political race, and certainly against her own best interests. Worse, it was just mean-spirited and hurtful to a city’s residents. Really, where does she get off throwing Bakersfield and the folks who have made their homes in Bakersfield, under the bus…all because she can’t win an election by any other means?


3. Caren Ray showed she reacts without thinking when under stress, and will use tactics that are certainly not helpful to the situation and not even close to being a good reflection on SLO County.


4. Anybody who has posted here regularly probably knows that my opinions are issue oriented, and not person orientated. I don’t form opinions on candidates based on who they are, but what they do.


5. Caren Ray’s behavior since she entered the political arena make her, in my opinion, a train wreck of a candidate. She is not only not ready for primetime…she isn’t even ready for the 2am to 4 am infomercial time.


Lynn Compton isn’t any better…but then Lynn Compton isn’t the subject of this article, is she?


0

Hey, how about all you Ray haters lighten up, and find a real issue to attack her on; you are all saying she is wrong about Bakersfield? That it is a desireable place to live? Really? Strip malls, mega housing tracts, ugly weather, it’s an armpit valley town. If it is so great, why don’t you all sell out your high-priced Central Coast property and buy up in Bakersfield? You can get a palace in Bakersfield for the price of a shack on the Central Coast. Now why is that, do you suppose? Why do Bakersfield residents flock to the coast every weekend? Compton throws out a totally spurious attack on Ray “She wants to repeal Prop 13!” Where the hell did that come from? We are talking about a county supervisor position having absolutely NOTHING to do with Prop 13. Nothing! And how about Compton’s huge donor, the Repugnican (sic) party? I can’t imagine the howls you would put up if it were the Democratic party and Ray! Geeze, you people are just so RIGHT all the time! No room for another opinion.


0

How about a “Hobo” dinner?


0

Hey CatDude did you get a break on your property taxes too??


0

Shhhh… don’t bother them with actual facts! The outcome is always “shoot the messenger.”


0

Lynn Compton isn’t the subject of this article, is she?


Stop with the red herrings already. If you want to write an op-ed outlining Compton’s suitability for office, go for it.


Otherwise, don’t expect others to make your argument for you in a discussion about a tactical disaster made by another candidate, Caren Ray.


0

OMG another mailer today from Caren? It was a total BASH of Lynn Compton. NO WHERE DOES IT SAY CAREN’S NAME, until you read the very tiny (3 pt font) disclosure that she paid for this mailing.


It quotes the Tribune saying that Compton would not be able to find a balance…only thing Caren can balance is 2 beer bottles while running naked through WalMart parking lot!


0

I think Ray is on full-tilt-Adam-Hill boggie at this point. Her short-strategists gotcha-politics reeks of Adam HIll.


0

“Strategists” should be “sighted”.


0

Poor Caren, I don’t think she can bear the stress of the campaign. Perhaps a quiet weekend at her “historically significant” home counting the money she has saved from her property tax reduction, courtesy of her planning commissioner boyfriend, will ease her nerves. Maybe a nice run with her chums at the hashound harriers or sharing a nice cup with an FBI agent will ease “the SLO Copulator’s” fragile nerves…


0
1 2 3