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Group now collecting signatures to recall SLO County Supervisor Gibson

January 3, 2024

SLO County Supervisor Bruce Gibson

By KAREN VELIE

The race is on in the effort to recall San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson.

County official approved a recall petition on Jan. 2. The Committee to Support the Recall of Supervisor Bruce Gibson now has 120 days to collect about 7,500 signatures.

If successful, the recall for District 2 supervisor could be on a special ballot later this year.

Gibson has faced backlash over his alleged failures to follow open government laws, abuse of power, and his support of raising taxes and increasing fees.

On Jan. 14, the citizens group is hosting a non-partisan signing party at the Atascadero Lake Park from noon to 4 p.m. with speakers, hot dogs, hot chocolate and more. Those who signed the initial request, will still need to sign the petition. Supporters of the recall can volunteer to work with the group.

While the voters will then decide whether or not Gibson stays in office, they will not select his replacement.

In 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that changed the way elected officials in California can be recalled. Before 2023, the recall election permitted voters to select a replacement. Based on Assembly Bill 2584, Gov. Newsom is now charged with appointing a District 2 supervisor if Gibson is recalled.


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Gibson has continually served his community well and that is why he continues to be reelected time after time. This misdirected and idiotic recall effort is being pushed by people who are jealous and want to usurp the power of those who are fairly elected in a democratic process.

Supporting Bruce Gibson is supporting democracy and fairness and a blow against those who would try to destroy our government and replace it with fascistic or autocratic leaders.

Thank God we have Bruce Gibson fighting for democracy and standing up against the bullies and unrepentant audacious liars who would try to destroy it.


-7

The recall process is a democratic process. Voters have the right to reconsider.


Describing those who support a recall as idiots is therefore saying the democratic process is idiotic. How do you jump from a recall effort to fascism and autocracy? Do you know what those terms mean? A recall is the very opposite of fascism.


What are you so afraid of if Bruce always wins?


Frankly, Bruce is a small minded politician from decades ago. He lacks moral conviction and his decisions reflect his lack of character. His petulant behavior during Board meetings is an embarrassment.


5

Tremendous waste of taxpayer money. Absolutely unnecessary. And it wouldn’t be happening if the opposition had a decent candidate to offer in a regular election. This recall effort seems to be fueled by spite and jealousy and grandstanding. And it’s gonna cost us all for no good reason


-3

We can not find a better supervisor than Gibson.

He is smart, easily accesible to speak on issue, work very hard 7 days a week.

To my eyes he is the perfect public servant.

His vision for our county is very clear:make our life better, without concession to special interest groups with narrow concern for the rest of us.


I predict that he will be reelected until he decide to let go.

Thank you for your service bruce.


-16

Better than Bruce? 36,871 are better and yes, that is everyone in his district. Gibson’s lack of integrity is epic. 


11

Word on the street is that the whole recall effort goes away when Gibson sells his soul again when on Tuesday he votes for Debbie Arnold to be the new Chair of the Board. There is no depth Gibson is willing to sink to in order to save his skin. He is an example of the very absence of integrity.


8

Traditionally, the chair of the board rotates on an annual of basis. That’s been considered the fair thing to do. That’s what Gibson has always stood up for.


0

It’s a bum toilet that only half-flushes.


If there were a LOT less partisan caping and a lot more suggestions as to what people would actually prefer to see in county government, this motion of removal and its backers would impress me a lot more. Seems like there are so many here who are focused on putting down the “libs” that they find to be corrupt, they are totally ignoring the number of so called “conservatives” who are obviously corrupt as well.


Illogically, for pointing this out, I am accused of being a Gibson supporter. No doubt by the very people who fit the description above. No doubt, if this movement is successful, they will immediately focus all their ire on whomever Newsom appoints, in similar fashion. And then again, blindly vote for another extremist, who will lose harder than the last, if Newsom’s appointment has it at all together. And continue to complain.


Vote my comments down all you like, it will not change the fact you are not paying attention to who all are screwing you, only those your “team” has decided to center on, to distract you from the whole picture. I am “No Party Preference” and prefer look at the whole picture. It would be highly productive for all of us to do the same. IMHO.


-27

I’ll take your challenge. I would actually prefer a politician who is honest, respectful, accountable, and responsible for their actions. Who is led by solid morals, Godly values, and principles that lead to a person of strong character and integrity.

Someone who communicates openly with the people, who listens and works for the people.

Someone who follows the laws of this nations across the board and holds all to the same standards.

Someone who isn’t beholden to a political party when comes to what’s best for all.

Someone who isn’t beholden to a political narrative or agenda that purposely divides the people for political gain.

Someone isn’t driven by the greed for power and control, by intimidation or threats, or back door deals that line their pockets or their political buddies’ pockets.


There’s just a handful of suggestions. This is the result of our apathy and failures as the voter’s for far too long. We haven’t held them accountable or responsible. We’ve let the politicians have power over things, when it should be the people, and now this cancer is coming home to roost. Not just locally, but nationwide. Time to put the power back in our hands as the founders of this nation intended. We have to start somewhere.


30

Thank you! Well done. My first suggestion for achieving the excellent goals stated here would be to get the MONEY OUT OF POLITICS. It can’t happen any other way, IMHO. The current financial structure is a geed head magnet.


I might also say that a person is entitled to their own spirituality, so as not to be beholden to any special interest group. I would take sincerity of action over dramatic declaration of “faith” any day. There has never been a time in history when a government controlled by a particular religious group was the ” good guys”, hence the separation of church and state in our Constitution, which is to say, following our laws.


But I pretty much agree with you on that list. Our government is meant to be Of, By and For the People. This requires The People to educate themselves, not just listen to sound bites and rhetoric. We need to be responsible in our choices and our behavior towards one another, rather than adversarial in our discussions and debates. Baseless claims and accusations have no place in intelligent, civilized discourse.


Following The Golden Rule when negotiating. Something that simple could bring us together as a Nation. We could become everything we have the potential to be. If we do not, we are in danger of losing everything we have.


9

If our current board majority really wanted to get the money out they could since they have the votes, but in reality they don’t too. What do you suggest when so many people have they hand out and are then beholden to those in power by their handouts? when ever it is mentioned to cut some of the handouts people cry how unfair it is.


6

Well done you just earned your name in my book.

Now let’s find a couple folks who fit your description and run them for public office.

What are you doing for the next 4 years?


2

To be clear, by California’s Constitution, County Supervisor is a nonpartisan elected official. They are not even allowed to state “No Party Preference” on the ballot. Therefore, by your definition they all must be like you state you are, “highly productive and look at the whole picture.” No, the truth is that would be false in both cases.


You did say something of value when you indicated it is important to know what

“people would actually prefer to see in county government.”


As one registered Democrat, I would like to see an immediate recall of Bruce Gibson. Gibson has no integrity, honesty, or ethics. As couple quick examples, 



  • Locally, he votes multiple times to support Prop 13, but when given the opportunity to screw the voters, he goes to Sacramento and advocates for overturning Prop 13 for the sole purpose of raising our taxes. Is the cost of our housing not high enough for Bruce?

  • He claims we are in a fiscal crisis and that we are all going to have to “tighten our belts.” Then he votes to give himself a 26% salary raise. Oh and just so you know, that raise will be included in his pension.

  • As Supervisor and a married man, he had a sexual affair with his employee, once discovered he moved the employee to a different department, and they both continued their employment with the County as if nothing happened. Hypocritically, he then votes to terminate the CAO for touching two women on the back. If touching two women on the back is the standard for termination of employment, then Gibson should have the ethical integrity to resign his position for his actions were truly egregious. 


So for a start, I would like to see a Supervisor with integrity. 


14

Where do we sign up?


18

This is abuse of the recall system. Continued stunts like this should result in having the laws changed to prevent this assault on democracy. It’s a horrendous waste of time and money in support of spite and misdirected antipathy.


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