Debbie Peterson’s priorities for District 3

May 29, 2016
Debbie Peterson 11

Debbie Peterson

OPINION by DEBBIE PETERSON

San Luis Obispo County faces complex challenges.  It will take all of us to make  good decisions on development, water, affordable housing, homelessness, oil trains, oil company expansion in Price Canyon, repair to the Avila pier, roads, traffic and parking, a coastal marine sanctuary, head of household jobs, and our long-term post Diablo economy.

As mayor of Grover Beach, I faced up to many of these issues. In response to the community’s wishes, I achieved the following in my two years in office:

·         Ensuring that our 40-year beachfront hotel and conference center was approved by the Coastal Commission, a process I worked on for 10 years while also a planning commissioner and city council member

·         Signing the contract to create a fiber optic network to connect our region to one of the fastest and broadest digital networks in the world, and the best in the state.

·        A  20-year plan and voter-approved bond for much-needed street repairs.

·         Reorganization of the South SLO County Sanitation District, saving taxpayers over $1 million a year and paving the way for long overdue statutory upgrades and future water reclamation.

·         First South County water workshop to understand our watershed in order to ensure the best possible future decisions, knowing that problems were imminent.

·         Annual tourism summits for Five Cities tourism providers to work together to improve marketing efforts.

·         Calling on the SLO Air Pollution Control District to mitigate, not litigate – to focus resources on mitigation, rather than create the legislation that has ended in millions of dollars of legal fees and staff time.

I have been an outspoken advocate of the property rights of our farmers and preserving Proposition 13 for both homeowners and businesses. I was the first candidate who came out actively last summer to champion the water rights of both North and South County residents.

While on the City Council I met twice with current Supervisor Adam Hill to ask him to modify his divisive behavior and strong arm tactics against those who do not share his views. Later, as mayor of Grover Beach I advised him that while I may share his political persuasion I would not support his ongoing problematic outbursts and voted accordingly for a less contentious style of leadership on two local boards.

I was the first candidate to stand up to Adam Hill when I announced my candidacy for his seat in March 2015. I support the expression of diverse viewpoints and understanding of the concerns of all community members. We cannot represent you if we do not know your views and your concerns. While I believe that elected representatives should observe civil discourse, I heartily embrace the importance of questioning the status quo and your right to speak boldly so that we can arrive at the best decisions with all views aired.

I was the first candidate to support the public mandate that Wild Cherry Canyon remain undeveloped. I support protecting Price Canyon and I support the Airport Land Use Commission opposition to building homes in the airport flight path.

Over the past 15 months I have personally knocked on 8,000 doors and attended most of the Board of Supervisor and County Planning commission meetings. I have spoken in many of these meetings because almost unanimously, District 3 residents, regardless of political persuasion, want the Board of Supervisors  to stop approving major development until we secure a sustainable water supply, and adequate roads and parking for existing residents and visitors.

I support the position of Cal Fire on public safety, that in the event of a wildfire or other emergency we could not effectively evacuate residents or bring in emergency vehicles in communities like Avila Beach if large projects continue to be approved.

Unlike the other candidates in this race, I neither solicit nor accept contributions from large developers, nor do I maintain silence in the face of the dysfunction of our special districts and boards. I have been there, in the meetings, speaking proactively about your concerns regarding public safety, infrastructure and accountability.

I am also the only candidate with a proven track record of building and growing successful businesses both at home and abroad. I recognize the frustrations caused by complicated governmental processes and regulations. I understand the complexities of dealing with often entrenched government culture.

It really comes down to knowing who we serve and having the courage and commitment to do so.

Other candidates may talk about leadership, but it doesn’t count unless you’re walking the walk as well as talking the talk. I have been there, fighting for the interests and needs of SLO and South County voters for years, while others have pursued personal agendas and photo ops with the right people in the right places.

As District 3 supervisor, I will work to ensure that policies are based on the best interests of the entire community and are made in a collaborative manner worthy of the trust the voters place in me. I will strive for transparency and full accountability at all levels of local government to ensure taxpayers receive the services they need and are paying for. I would be honored to have your vote.

Find out more at DebbiePetersonSupervisor.com or contact me at 550-4490 or PetersonTeam@charter.net.

Debbie Peterson is the former Mayor of Grover Beach and a candidate for District 3 Supervisor in the June 7 primary.


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Ms. Peterson, I think you are a ‘nice’ person.

I mean, I think you are normally friendly and listen to reason.


My problem with you is that you too often listen to the loud voices of UNREASON, the fascists within our midst, and are often suaded , in a very un-democratic way, to side with those extremists.


To me, you are way too often untrustworthy …and that’s a compliment.


WOW Adam Hill you have grown soft in your haze


You mean since Debbie P is a democrat and you are a democrat that she is not with you as you harm and do pay to play….


You have to hand it to the Governor and majority of members in the State Legislature for manipulating the local politicos. They steal our gas taxes and then tell the local politicos to do their dirty work and raise the local sales tax. What a scam!


And what is amazing is to watch the local politicos wring their hands, cry, roll over and support the increase taxes on their constituents. This is leadership? Debbie Peterson is part of the problem, not the solution…as her close supporter, Mike Byrd stated, there is no other solution.


Well there is another solution! Senator Bill Monning, our ‘powerful’ leader in Sacramento is running for re-election for State Senate, and yet none of our local politicos are asking him to appear before the Board of Supervisors, SLOCOG and the seven cities re what he is doing to get our gas taxes back. Put the pressure on Monning. Know when he ‘feels the heat, he will see the light.’ This is not an easy solution, however, it needs to be done now or this same tactic will be used again and again for other issues. And why not, when it works!


Here are the percentages of $$ from the sales tax going to each city and also to county. Remember this is only HALF of the dollars being raised by the sales tax that will go to the county and cities for road maintenance. Other half goes for state roads and bike paths, trails, etc.


Arroyo Grande 5.9%

Atascadero 10.8%

Grover Beach 5.5%

Morro Bay 4.6%

Paso Robles 11.3%

Pismo Beach 3.7%

San Luis Obispo 16.3%

County 40.8%


Vote Dan Carpenter for Supervisor!


Just the facts


You are so correct. This is a scam and our electeds buy into this because it is easy. Have a backbone and fight back. I have not seen much on that front.


There are a few that are fighting back and as you can see it is not Adam Hill or candidate Debbie Peterson.


Why would I ever ask to tax myself and allow any of it to be skimmed off the top and held over my head then predetermined to be for nothing to do with roads?


What Dan’s pipe organs on CCN seem to miss is that Adam Hill has deliberately gone after Carpenter in order to elevate his stature and rig the election so Dan winds up as his runoff foe. Adam figures that, with a huge Democratic turnout in November, a Tea Party candidate like Carpenter will be far easier to beat than an attractive, articulate female business and government leader who attracts supports from Democrats, Republicans, and independents.

If Third District voters fall into Adam’s trap, they will deserve him for another term.


Buyer beware1 One really needs to look into this SLOCOG snake oil deal. Like most towns that get in financial needs the first thing they do is cry about police and fire service decline. The people give in and the new fee/tax is put in place. So SLOCOG cries roads. Has anyone ever heard them say let’s cut at the top. SLOCOG is not getting the Sacramento money so they want more of our money to keep their lifestyle with high wages and benefits. What would happen to those jobs if there was nothing to work with. So they cry roads. Actually 50% or less goes to road. The remaining funds are for “administration” and whatever the politicians can eek out for their political needs. A portion of the sales tax that you would pay goes to other cities, unincorporated county and even state road repairs.

Like someone said before-enough is enough.


I find it interesting how many folks here are in favor of the continued degradation of our local roads. The argument that we can just wave a magic wand and the politicos in Sacramento will return our pilfered gas tax funds is pure fantasy.


Jim Hill and Debbie Peterson or two people I’ve heard who understand and are willing to address our problem. They agree with virtually everyone that our gas taxes have been ripped off which is unfair. Sometimes life is unfair but the doers adjust to make the best of a bad situation while the whiners just, well, whine.


There are only two choices – approve the tax and repair our roads or don’t. I don’t like higher taxes anymore than the next guy but I clock a lot of miles on our local roads and I dislike the pitiful condition of many of them even more.


And I appreciate Jim Hill and Debbie Peterson for having the backbone to address the issue.


What you are saying without saying it out loud is that the best way is to stop the corruption of southsand but to roll over to Sacramento.


Who is more powerful Sacramento or the people????


I never see the people educated on how Sacramento steals from us.


This is a HOT issue for so many and they way you being that fight is to fight it now and be against the 1/2 cent Self Help County Wide Sales Tax.


SLOCOG hired a consultant to find a way to jam it down our throats with sugar on top. You and Debbie P have bought it and asking for more.


I DO NOT WANT THAT TYPE OF LEADER…IT IS TIME TO PUSH BACK AND TIME TO SAY NO! Enough! So you want your roads fix then start setting in motion the events to stop our money going to Sacramento in the first place.


SALES TAXES always go directly to Sacramento!!!!!!


Get a clue you are all to closed to run this county.


Vote Dan Carpenter in and let the real representation begin….I have not see any in the 13 years I have been here it is all take take take take take from me……………….


You ask, “Who is more powerful Sacramento or the people????” I hate it as much as you do but the answer (for the foreseeable future) is Sacramento. If that can be changed at all, it will take a major, statewide change in the priorities of voters and will take about as long to happen as it took to get that way (decades). We are not even 1% of the state’s population here in SLO County. Even getting through to Monning on this subject (unlikely) would probably make no difference at the state level.


Debbie Peterson is willing to “tilt at windmills” occasionally when justice demands it but there has to be SOME hope that positive results are possible. Otherwise she is wise in tackling problems where she has at least a reasonable possibility for success. I don’t know if you speak for Dan Carpenter on this subject but if he says that he can get them to reverse course on their thefts from local funding, he is at least deluding his supporters and possibly deluding himself.


Hey RonHolt! You would be the kind of guy that would not have answered the call of Paul Revere way back when! So many said the same thing about King George…why fight him…you are “titling at windmills”…you are “deluding” yourself! Wake up everybody…the vast majority of problems are due to Sacramento whether it be the scam of the Self Help County proposal, so called affordable housing, increase in crime etc etc etc. Wake up!


I understand your point but do not agree with it. If we used your logic we would roll over and let Adam Hill and his Cabal continue.


It all starts with one person. Debbie P has never during this campaign gone up against Adam Hill. If she can’t do that then she definitely would not buck Sacramento.


Only Dan Carpenter has pushed back on Adam.


Again what you forget is the goal is to get Adam Hill out. Debbie P is too soft to do this. She does not have the fight in her against Adam Hill. Debbie P has to fight her democratic party to do so. Adam and Debbie are democrats and they are looking like twins.


We need to get the bully out and the best to do so is not Debbie P. You all are wasting your person that has some merits. If you all are so happy with Debbie P then get her elected at Mayor and remove Shoals if you can. If she could not beat him then she cannot beat Adam Hill.


The issue of Sacramento is a mute point when the heavy issue is start with Adam Hill.


My comments were being directed at RonHolt