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Debbie Peterson for District 3 Supervisor

February 23, 2016
Debbie Peterson

Debbie Peterson

OPINION by OTIS PAGE

As an aging genetic Republican and an individual of distinct conservative values, I am reluctant to admit that I have come to admire others of different persuasions, especially in a political context.

Debbie Peterson is a Democrat, a feminist liberal, an endorser of progressive instincts – but, I must admit, one steady in common sense, having an astute regard for doing the “right thing” in her position as a public servant. Despite my admitted bigotry, I have come to regard her highly – and for a very good reason.

I mean this as a message specifically for the major partitions of District 3 comprising the City of San Luis Obispo and Avila Beach.

The reason: In early 2014, I wrote concerning the political environment in the south SLO County that included Grover Beach when Debbie Peterson was mayor. I met with her to discuss my concerns.

A that time, the area’s political fabric was strongly influenced by the omnipresence and strong personality of Tony Ferrara. He was then a “Caesar” in his own time. His political strength constituted a substantial political establishment with collegial and close social relationships such as his governmental/business dealings with John Wallace.

Ferrara, therefore, was the father of the area’s political establishment, reaching beyond the geographically small village of Arroyo Grande to regional considerations including the now documented financial fiasco while being on the board of the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District.

There was at the time no real accountability to pin the rose on the reasons for the financial fiasco at the sanitation district as suggested by Peterson.

In my meeting with her, we discussed my experience in considering cases and circumstances where fraud occurred in business and government. She admitted that she was very concerned and suspicious about the use of funds at the district, a matter where she came to be severely criticized by numerous individuals defending the financial practices there.

She asked specifically what did I believe regarding the mishandling of finances at the district, considering the overwhelming political situation. I answered, “I did not know” – not that I could deny my own suspicions that such intrigues existed.

Debbie Peterson pointed her finger at the obvious problem now revealed that there was something wrong – and she paid a heavy political price for her astute and honest assessment. I believe it contributed to her losing her job as mayor of Grover Beach.

We now are experiencing a political emergence of a rebellion against the political establishment as evidenced by the emergence of Sanders and Trump in their political parties. In a sense, the traditional political ideological partitions are being subordinated to issues that appeals to common sense.

As this manifestation of the body political applies, as a Republican, I support the political aspirations of a Democrat, Debbie Peterson. For, she exemplifies where political ideology bows to doing the right thing. Please, citizens of the District 3 – take notice. That appears to not being an attribute of the present incumbent who is purchased by and yields to documented interests.


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Otis Page is a well known homophobe and bigot. If former mayor Peterson had any integrity, she would publicly disavow this endorsement.


If former mayor Peterson had any integrity, she would also not assume she knows how Dan Carpenter votes. No need for the cheap shot against him.


Carpenter has a legitimate chance to unseat Hill. Everyone in District 3 should unite around him.


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If you are a Poly Prof that ruins your credibility in my book, since you are into name calling and all. I do wish they join together and beat Hill, they are very likely to split the vote and let Adumb back in.


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You cannot join together it NEVER works. There is either a winner or a looser.


Do the math…Mike Byrd messed up the 4th district supervisor’s race and came in 3rd with Lynn Compton pulling 5% more votes than Caren Ray. Without Mike Byrd Lynn would have won in JUNE!!!!


The Mike Byrd affect is alive and well with Debbie P


Is it a virus?


Mike and Debbie do not make the same mistake again in this election get out!


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It is obvious you are a Dan Carpenter supported but you would present your case in a much better light if instead of just taking cheap shots at Debbie Peterson you presented real facts as to why Carpenter is the better choice. We have way too many elections where people just hand out cheap shots and never talk about their candidate’s positive attributes.


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How many facts do you need?


Debbie cannot win only come in third! There it is one big fact!


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I’d settle for just one to start with, but it seems you have none so far.


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Until each and every voter selects who they will vote for based on character, record and demonstrated action rather than on the expediency of “who has the best chance of winning”, nothing will change and you allow the political establishment (whether at the local or national level) to continue to make the final choice on your behalf. If you are truly concerned about who decides what and how laws and programs affect you and your future, each and every person must take the time to do their own research and the responsibility to vote based on their own common sense. To do otherwise is to ignore the opportunity for change.


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Everything plays in who you select.


If your person cannot win you waste a vote unless you really want the Bully back.


Then you have the other two and that is where you can vote for the one that is best and that is Dan Carpenter. You waste a vote on Debbie P as she cannot win. It is as easy as that.


If you live in Grover Beach you may not be familiar with San Luis Obispo and what is happening here. Jan Marx is HORRIBLE and so is her sidekick John A.


Arroyo Grande was glad to get rid of Tony the mayor but update yourselves on the district it is Dan Carpenter you want if you say you want a person of Character!


Dan has the will, the experience and is currently in office. That all matters.


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“Non -partisan” is clearly a misnomer. Each and every one of these political candidates belongs to, or votes for one of the political parties. To think otherwise is foolish.


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Pelican, my preference is that the Supervisor position be non-partisan, but if party preference is an issue I want to be straightforward about my party registration. I do not vote a party line; I vote for the candidate who, to the best of my knowledge, has the most integrity. If you examine my voting record you will see that I have voted for both Republicans and Democrats. Adam Hill has not crossed party lines, voting only for Democrats. Dan Carpenter, although registered as Independent, has voted only for Republicans.


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You also lost the Grover Beach mayoral race…


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“has voted only for Republicans”…….To suggest you KNOW how I’ve voted is a desperate attempt at politically expediency. You’re compromising your own integrity by making such statements.


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The voter roll shows “REP” across the line with the exception of the most recent when you re-registered as “NPP”. I am happy to stand corrected if the record is wrong. I did not, however, compromise my integrity when I made a statement based on public record.


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The county has the voting record and only provides information to campaigns (when paid for) that are authorized to have such information. This information shows how one is registered in a specific party then will show whether that person voted at the polls or voted by mail. This recorded information does not show what party they voted for.


In a presidential race a person will be given their party’s ballot during the primary.


So to cross over we all do it and vote for the best person from time to time as I will when voting for Dan Carpenter!


Character Matters!


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Corruption in South County is not over and I believe it was Jim Hill that discovered the issue and Debbie has been working it as well because she is no longer Mayor. If Adam Hill can take her down as Mayor than he can override her Democrat votes for Supervisor. That means that she cannot win against Adam Hill.


Debbie don’t waste your political capitol on this race. Go out there and prove that you can win again in Grover Beach. Now that you have had this experience in a BIGGER race you can dump Mayor John and win with a decisive victory for Mayor.


Grover and the Sanitation District need you and your knowledge gained through your hard work than come back on APCD and with Dan Carpenter as Supervisor you can stop the tyranny by Adam Hill and his gang.


With Carpenter as Supervisor and you as Mayor of Grover Beach your goals can be achieved and you can prove that you want the best for our county.


That would be a powerful duo.


If you stay in the supervisor’s race ADAM wins!!!!!!!!!!!!


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With Peschong a shoe-in for district 1, the Big Grape/COLAB crowd doesn’t need to finance Carpenter; they will have control of the BOS with Peschong, Arnold, and Compton and so don’t need to worry about district 3 at all anymore.


In fact, I think they would actually enjoy having Hill win again just so they could watch him and Gibson stew in their own powerless juices come June.


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You may not realize that Adam Hill is suppose to run for Monning’s seat. He is terming out and unless you stop Adam now he will be heading to State or Federal campaigns.


Cut off one of the heads of the snake – Adam and once that happens it will be time to cut of the other master puppet that moves Adam’s lips – Bruce Gibson……


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Have been hearing rumors for some time that Adam Hill is interested in ‘movin’ on up’ to the California State Senate in the future. The voters of the 3rd District need to get Hill out now!. He cannot go to Sacramento and represent the County of SLO. There would be too many temptations for him in Sacramento!


There has already been a string of corruption cases that led to the suspension of three Democrat Senators who were indicted for perjury, voter fraud, bribe taking and trafficking in arms. Enough. Again, the voters of the 3rd District need to get Hill out now. Vote for Dan Carpenter for Supervisor on June 7th!


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I agree with Photon. Debbie, you should run for Mayor of Grover again, show that you can win again on your home turf. They need you. Dan can beat Adam, and that is the most important thing in this race- get the BULLY OUT! If you really want what’s best for this County, put your support behind Dan and this disgrace of a Supervisor will be gone, hopefully for good!


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Amen


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Duly noted.


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You just lost any hope of gaining my vote. How could you possibly know how Mr. Carpenter has voted?


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Despite any alleged partisanship, Debbie on a bad day would be better than Adam.

Adam needs to stick a fork in it…he is done. Fi·ni·to! A recent, unpleasant part of the past.

Good riddance.


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There is little doubt that electing Peterson would be an improvement over the fat tub of goo that’s currently occupying that supervisory seat.


On the other hand, Dan Carpenter would be even better than Peterson. Far better…


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Yes Dan Carpenter is the one to finish off Adam Hill not Debbie P at the polls.


Once Adam is over then we can rebuild our county and not steal from the people in it by taking their rights and $$$


Time to get it right. Debbie may be against corruption and Adam is corruption but guess what Dan Carpenter is the most qualified to lead our fine citizens and stop the intimidation to all the business people that are afraid of Adam Hill.


Our business people need to back Dan Carpenter before it is too late. Dan works to do the right thing not shake down the business community. Adam is for Adam and his bank account Dan is for serving citizens to help them be and do better, the Adam Hill way is to have his boot on their throat.


As you walk around this 3rd district there are boot tread on many business people’s throats and even the democrats want him out as he presses on them too.


Your time is up Adam Hill and it is time to replace those boots for flip flops and become a beach boy and surf…enjoy the hi-life in happy town….


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Otis Page’s endorsement ought to be the kiss of death…


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Babak, I find it an honor to have won the respect of someone who holds strong views and speaks them.


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OK, maybe I am not up to speed on the soap opera aspect, but why is Otis Page’s endorsement a kiss of death, and why is Debbie so down-voted for appreciating said endorsement?


We all want (or claim to want) civility, and here we have two seemingly different political-leaning people getting along… so… we trash them?


I am leaning towards Dan Carpenter, but I would have no problem voting for Debbie, either (and I am more conservative than progressive).


My biggest fear would be that both Dan and Debbie are such good candidates – and let’s be honest, ANYTHING is better than Adam Hill – that they would split the vote and that troll Adam slinks his way in on fumes of dung.


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Adam Hill’s form 410 and Dan Carpenter’s 410 also say non-partisan so….so much for that!


Petersons 410 does say Treasurer as office sought instead of Supervisor??? What gives?


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No, straddle, it does not. Maybe you misread my recent amendment to add a new treasurer?


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I have to say I find it interesting that so many people give Debbie Petterson credit for uncovering the problem at the Sanitation District, when I know there was someone else years before saying something was wrong. But then it seems Debbie is good at taking credit for something she might have had very little to do with.


I found at the debate between Dan Carpenter and herself, she let him go first many a time, just to echo what he had just stated.Sorry to say I think she is in it for the money. Where Dan Carpenter seems to truly care about the district.


I can not vote as I don’t live in the district, if I could Dan Carpenter has my vote all the way.


I wish Debbie would bow out and let Dan Carpenter just replace Adam Hill instead of making them go to run off in November.


Dan Carpenter for Supervisor


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Of course the suspicions about the sanitation district had been discussed for years. But what was done to correct it? Nothing. Business just continued as usual.


But Debbie Peterson came along and she talked with those people who had information and suspicions. She spent countless hours digging through feet of paperwork. She educated and organized citizens to become involved. She built the political pressure to force a reluctant board to order the investigation. Hell, she even researched and recommended the person who ultimately conducted the audit. These are basic facts known by everyone who was involved at any level.


She didn’t do a thing singlehandedly and has never claimed to have done so. But what she did do was research then educate and organize. That, my friend, is called leadership. That is exactly what this county needs.


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Mike’s right!


Many significant events happened along the way to the Knutsen Report. In Grover Beach, the council’s REJECTION of Bill Nicolls’ proposal to ignore term limits and allow Shoals to run for another consecutive term was big. It allowed Debbie Peterson to show she could win an election, she was willing and capable of leading the city, and she was willing to eventually ask the hard questions and illustrate potential malfeasance and mismanagement at SSLOCSD.


Debbie dug in, and then she asked for help. She got assistance from other Grover Beach City Council members she authorized as representatives on the SSLOCSD — both Engineers. Concurrently, she opened up communications on the Friends of Oceano Dunes and APCD issue, which was a discussion (however uncomfortable) the city ABSOLUTELY had to have.


It really doesn’t matter whether Debbie Peterson is a Democrat or Republican or whatever. What matters is this: Has Debbie Peterson proven herself a leader on important issue facing our county? I say, “Absolutely YES!”


Citygirl says, “(Debbie Peterson’s) in it for the money” and she should just “bow out”. The first statement is just low-brow and ignorant. In the case of the second statement… if Debbie were to drop out of the race, we would all lose.


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If Peterson is a Democrat, why does her form 410 say “non-partisan”?


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Debbie Peterson is a registered Democrat and so is Adam Hill. They are running for Supervisor of the 3rd District which is a non-partisan office. Dan Carpenter is registered

as Decline to State. Dan Carpenter is the best candidate to defeat Adam Hill this June. Vote Dan Carpenter for 3rd District Supervisor on June 7.


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Dan Carpenter can beat Adam Hill


Why waste your votes on Debbie Peterson?


Dan has San Luis Obispo and is a sitting City Councilman who is becoming better known throughout the district with a big supporters list everywhere.


Debbie Peterson lost her Mayor seat in Grover Beach that means that she can only place 3rd in this race.


Dan will place 1st if Debbie gets out of this race and does NOT have her name on the Ballot in June.


Dan is our leading candidate against Adam Hill. GET ADAM out.


Adam Hill is on his way out…………do not delay it until November. Debbie do the right thing and retire your campaign!


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Non Partisan


Meaningless term


You must be registered to vote to run for office


You must pick a party


Every party by definition is a partisan entity


SO I agree with you that DEBBIE PETERSON is A DEMOCRAT along with ADAM HILL


Dan Carpenter is NOT a DEMOCRAT and that is GOOD NEWS and is all about the OATH of office and that is to follow the constitution and ADAM HILL is AGAINST the constitution and when he follows Bruce Gibson’s lead he is ANTI constitution and private property rights.


The only thing Adam Hill wants is to OWN you and your $$$$ and tax you and tax you and take as much money as he can get because he is in office.


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I generally dislike Democrats a bit more than I dislike Republicans, but in local politics, I often over-look the registration and focus on the performance and voting records. How a person handles “staff” or other entrenched politicos is a big deal for me, and both Dan and Debbie have proven (to me, at least) that they both can “fight the system” as it were.


As far as I am concerned, the republican and democrat parties can all take a flying leap. I like to remember (i.e. duckduckgo it and copy/paste) Washington’s warning for us:

“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissention, which in different ages & countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders & miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security & repose in the absolute power of an Individual: and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty.” — George Washington, September 19, 1796


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Yes political parties are both corrupt but I am not and one of the 3 running is bad news and the other one is not going to win.


So there is one real winning choice and that is Dan Carpenter!


Are you involved in changing what your party stands for in this county? That is all one can do is fight local and fight strong.


Bully pants has bullied me and it did not work but then I have nothing to loose. If you have lots of $$$ and you are doing business here the Bully has been very effective because his threats about your $$$ has been effective.


Shortly after filing (March 11) is over the sheep and frightened will have to choose and they will see Dan still standing and grass roots support will take him over the finish line.


Business people WAKE UP and fight back NOW> support Dan Carpenter for 3rd district supervisor and give until it hurts for later it will feel OHHHHH SOOOOOOO SWEET!!!!! Election Night


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