Dan Carpenter is the right choice

May 24, 2016

By LESLIE HALLS

According to CalCoastNews, there is no clear favorite in the race for the District 3 San Luis Obispo County Supervisor, with nearly half of the prospective voters undecided just days before the election.

While the county government has a tremendous impact on our lives from water, housing developments, taxes and roads, to hospitals, jails, trash,  and much more, many people simply do not see this. Those five members of the Board of Supervisors make decisions that will impact this county forever. Who is up there really matters.

It is time for a change. We have a tried and true leader in Dan Carpenter, who has served the residents of San Luis Obispo very well. He has voted against the all-too-frequent lunacy of the city council, opposing the sales tax increase, opposing the rental inspection ordinance and many other meaningless, feel-good measures that cost money and accomplish nothing.

I have attended many SLO City Council meetings over the years, and Dan Carpenter has always been prepared and respectful, not at all given to long-winded speeches or histrionics when things don’t go his way.

We have tolerated the antics of our current supervisor long enough. We desperately need a statesman, not a showman, with a business background who truly cares about our county. Carpenter’s family has been here over 100 years – do you really think he is going to sell out to developers or anyone else, as Adam Hill and so many others have?

Dan Carpenter is the only independent running for this seat – he is not a Democrat (like the other two) nor a Republican. This makes it much harder to raise money when no political party is funding you, but it also makes one far more accountable to the general public. Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?

Let’s elect a man of integrity, common sense, and a track record of listening to and acting on behalf of his constituents to the District 3 seat. Bring back respect, honesty, and fiscal accountability to the SLO County Board of Supervisors. Elect Dan Carpenter on June 7.

Leslie Halls lives and, until a recent retirement, worked in San Luis Obispo.