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Why SLO needs a new mayor

July 18, 2018

Taking out papers at the SLO City Clerk’s office with campaign Treasurer Mike Clark, City Clerk Teresa Purrington, Keith Gurnee, and Campaign Co-Chair Terry Connor.

OPINION by T. KEITH GURNEE

As a long-time resident of San Luis Obispo, I cannot recall a time when we’ve had a mayor and city council so out-of-touch with its citizens. Once considered the “Happiest Place in North America,” San Luis Obispo is anything but happy these days.

Back in 2016, Heidi Harmon was elected by the slimmest of margins over previous Mayor Jan Marx. Many chalked up her surprise victory to the community’s fatigue with the prior mayor. For that reason, many voted for her without knowing where Harmon stood on the issues.

Since then, Harmon has governed as something of a political gadfly, out to change the world by advocating radical changes to one of the finest, high-quality small towns in California. Having talked with many of those who voted for her in 2016, they now regret their choice and are looking for an alternative.

As the first and last Cal Poly student ever elected to the San Luis Obispo City Council, I served in that capacity for 6 ½ years and accomplished much during my tenure. Since then, I have enjoyed a long career as a professional planner and urban designer with extensive experience working with local governments. As such, I am presenting myself as the type of experienced candidate that voters are looking for.

Let’s face it. It’s clear that San Luis Obispo needs a mayor who will:

  1. Actually listen to our residents.

2. Protect our historic neighborhoods.

3. Hold Cal Poly accountable for its impacts upon our community.

4. Expand our greenbelt and carefully manage our natural resources.

5. Bring fiscal responsibility back to City Hall.

6. Represent all residents of the community rather than just an ideological few.

7. Strengthen our downtown in keeping with its scale, character, and heritage.

8. Bring to the table an extensive body of experience in urban planning and design.

9. Govern with competence and compassion.

10. Provide a vision that respects the high quality of life for which San Luis Obispo has long been known.

Come Nov. 6, hopefully voters will agree that we need a vision for making serious changes in our city’s governance. It’s time to bring common sense and balance back to City Hall and to do things with and for our neighborhoods rather than to them. As your mayor, I pledge to do just that.

Together, with your support, we can do this…for our neighborhoods!


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Clean house please. We’ve turned into a social justice kookville.


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Someone more moderate please


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Folks,


I support Mr. Keith Gurnee!


Not only is Keith Gurnee an outstanding citizen capable of pulling our city together, it would also remove the incumbent from doing further damage to our beloved San Luis Obispo.


Mr. Gurnee will govern with a steady hand, including citizen input and make informed decisions for the best interests of all residents. His prior experience on the council, and his significant experience in public service will prove invaluable in helping to get our city government back on track. As it is now, the city council has an ideologically liberal bias, and it colors every single decision they make.


Mrs. Harmon ran for office on a promise to listen to the taxpaying residents, but she has marshaled her leftist city council mates to vote themselves pay raises, embrace ‘sanctuary city’ designation, order the police department to go easy on criminals, and they have refused to deal with the city worker pension crisis in a timely fashion.


Voters need to understand that we need to change this entire council. As bad as Heidi harmon has been, she has been assisted by Dan Reviore, Carlyn Christianson, Andy Pease and Aaron Gomez AND THEY ALL NEED TO GO.


Lastly, unlike the mayor and her fellow council members, Keith Gurney would not accept campaign cash from out-of-town developers. If you object to all of the huge new buildings which will ruin the downtown district for years, VOTE FOR A NEW CITY COUNCIL not tied to the corruption of dirty campaign donations.


Vote Keith Gurney for SLO Mayor in November!


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You are absolutely right on.


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HHH (Haughty Heidi Harmon) deceived a number of folks with her holier than thou liberal front, but she has proven to be a profound disappointment to good hearted and well intentioned SLO folks who wanted out from under the yoke of Jan Marx playing footsie with the high and mighty city manager and big time developers. New boss same as the old boss. They refuse all input from locals and cater to the fat cats. The whole council does it, reject them all every chance you get.


3

Ditto


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Heidi Harmon never seemed to understand the main reason she was elected was due to a desire not to re-elect Jan Marx, because people didn’t like her way of running the city. Then what did Mayor Harmon do, took those same attitudes Marx had and put them on steroids and it might be true to say she is even more disliked than Marx now.


3

We are so sorry that we voted for Heidi Harmon who only beat Jan Marx by 46 votes. We were ignorant and got tricked! She is using her position for her narcissistic self-promotion and obviously does not read the staff reports or represent residents.


Attending City meetings would have helped her know what was really going on in SLO and she would have known how to run a meeting, read a staff report and do some analytical and critical thinking. She’s in way over her head. Staff and their developer friends are running things and residents wishes are virtually ignored. We went on a Walk with the Mayor and it was a sham!


We hope that you win and are able to help us take back our City, Mr. Gurnee before it’s just like so many once nice cities to the North and South of us..


Council member Carlyn Christianson voted for 22 Chorro and told residents to get used to tall buildings (4 stories) because that’s what Foothill Blvd. will be from one end to the other. We are hoping that they name the building “The Carlyn Christianson Building” since she advocated so strongly for it. She must also be voted out of office to have any chance of saving our town.


Please join us in voting for Mr. Gurnee for Mayor of San Luis Obispo. Let’s take back our city!


3

You have my vote. San Luis Obispo is on the way to becoming a place where no one will want to live; it will probably happen within the next decade. You will also need the help of new council members who share your vision in order to save our city from the self-centered crowd that now holds those seast. Let me know where I can send a campaign donation.


3

Hi Keith, if you need help,I will be happy to provide it.

Send me a contact number.


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