Adam the arrogant

October 29, 2016

OPINION by KEITH GURNEE

Just when I thought I had heard everything I could about San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill, up pops another one… and a big one! The latest CCN revelations about his attempted pay-to-play shakedown of the Home Builders Association of the Central Coast (which was thankfully rebuffed by the organization) is nothing less than astounding.

Just think about this latest strong-arm tactic he has resorted to:

·  First Hill complains that the organization donated equal amounts to him and his opponent Dan Carpenter, thereby infuriating him because of his close association with two of the biggest developers and members of the organization– not to mention his biggest contributors in San Luis Obispo County– Gary Grossman and Angelo Mangano.

·  Then Hill refuses to meet with the Government Affairs Committee of the organization because it failed to contribute more money to his campaign despite his demands to do so.

·  Then he threatens the organization that he would target those project sponsors who did not contribute enough to his campaign during supervisor hearings, and that he would “appoint a new Planning Commissioner who would oppose new housing.” Whoa!

·  Hill then asks certain members of the organization to fire its Executive Director Jeff Eckles, to terminate their membership of the association, and asks them to send him more money for his political campaign.

How can Hill get away with this? Has he no shame? Has he no sense of decency?

How can those who have even been his supporters tolerate this behavior? If this is not an act of political extortion, I don’t know what is. Where is the District Attorney or the County Counsel’s office? What will be the next shoe to drop?

To Jeff Eckles and his board, thank you for standing up and showing the type of political courage for refusing to buckle under to the power that this belligerent bully is so determined to hold onto. The amount of your donation to Dan Carpenter should put an exclamation point on your refusal to abide by this pay-to-play scheme.

To Hill’s henchman Tom Fulks and the San Luis Obispo Tribune, both of whom have endorsed Adam Hill so far, are you listening to this? Is this the type of person you are really recommending that we vote for as elected officials? Would you really foist such a troubled individual upon the electorate of this county? Please search your souls, think again, and consider retracting your previous endorsements that reflect so poorly upon you.

And finally to Dan Carpenter, you owe a huge debt of gratitude to your opponent Adam Hill for giving you the ammunition you need to defeat him. Just do it.