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Could Los Angeles style politics invade San Luis Obispo County?

December 24, 2025
T. Keith Gurnee

T. Keith Gurnee

OPINION by T. KEITH GURNEE

Apparently, according to San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson, it can’t happen soon enough.

Gibson’s recent endorsement of Los Angeles denizen Jim Dantona to take his seat on the SLO County Board of Supervisors in 2026—and his subsequent boosting of Dantona as his legislative aide bankrolled with county taxpayer revenues– it sure looks that way.

Before Dantona became the executive director of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce, he was up to his eyeballs as a lobbyist in Los Angeles who served three powerful Los Angeles City Council members over the years. The last councilmember he worked for was Council President Nuri Martinez who had to resign in shame after being recorded making racist remarks at a working meeting in Los Angeles.

Since leading the SLO Chamber, Dantona has been a busy boy. But not in a way that has made San Luis Obispo better.

Behind the scenes, he has been one of the leaders of the charge to bring hundreds of off-shore wind turbines — and the coastal industrial facilities needed to sustain them — to our scenic Central Coast.

With recent articles in the Tribune extolling the virtues of our waterfront communities like Pismo Beach, Morro Bay, and Avila Beach as some of the top attractions in the nation, one would think that turning them into unsightly factories would take them off those lists.

We need to remember how heavily dependent the chamber is on city funding in order to exist. It doesn’t have the stones to fight city actions that have demeaned what was once a great community.

The chamber’s failure to strongly oppose the SLO City Council’s action to increase downtown parking fees is crippling our downtown. Add to that, supporting tax increases (Measure G-20), turning our local streets into nonsensical and outrageously expensive obstacle courses, and increasing density in our neighborhoods have all happened with the acquiescence of the chamber.

Wake up! We need to recapture what our city and county have been to those of us who have lived in and loved this place. What we don’t need is the influence of a lobbyist from Los Angeles— a city that has overtaken San Francisco as the most dysfunctional city in the most dysfunctional state in the nation.

 


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Cal Poly President Armstong’s right-hand woman, Courtney Kienow, posted a selfie of herself, SLO Mayor Erica Stewart and Jim Dantona in front of City Hall.


https://imgur.com/a/n99B1lQ


Kienow said that Cal Poly and the City are “joined at the hip” during testimony at a Council meeting. The only way to change the situation to elect someone who isn’t afraid to push back against the status quo.


4

I’ve said this many times: gibson and others are trying to turn SLO County into southern California north. His support of dantona is an excellent example. Supporting a carpetbagger from LA for SLO County Supervisor is a slap in the face of people who have lived and worked in SLO for decades. We do not want or need LA politics here. Vote no to a LA carpetbagger.


67

Existing infrastructure, public services and social needs brought upon the community. Someone is pushing for another big pay raise.


26

“…increasing density in our neighborhoods…” You say that as bad thing, why? Would you rather have single family homes? Where? These large condos popping up on Orcutt road and Monterey, amongst other places, will help bring in property tax. I mean without robust property tax, how else does SLO propose to pay for it’s THIRD empty parking structure for consumers to park at while visiting the dead business corridor on Higuera St?


-53

Because the new tax base generated by high density development can’t keep pace with new demand put upon the existing infrastructure, public services, and social needs brought upon the community. Development that is consistent with existing community standards is much more cost effective and will also preserve what makes our region special.


61

I’ve been studying how other cities in the state are dealing with the difficulty of responsibly increasing tax revenues without destroying a town’s charm, and that is to focus solely on the establishment of lodging facilities such as motels and hotels. But, greed will ultimately prevail as we all know, and civility will rest among the angered citizens which will ultimately result in increased revenues due to crime.


-2

Economic studies clearly show housing does not provide sufficient tax revenue (e.g., property tax) to support the cost of needed infrastructure and services (e.g., police/fire). I predict that in 10 years, local government will cry that their sewer plants and water availability cannot service the increased housing/population and moratoriums will prevail.


53

Exactly. And the primary reason why infrastructure is so expensive is California’s regulatory framework is so burdensome and out of proportion with the rest of the country that communities can’t afford to construct what is required.


41

Tom, PasoCowboy and adustum have got it right and you’ve got it wrong. Between our state legislature and our City Council, they have sullied and abused our well- established neighborhoods. For example:



  1. The State of California that is dominated by one party has spent 10 Years writing and passing laws that aren’t working to produce the kind of housing we need. The ADU legislation (which stands for “Accessory Dwelling Units”) has rammed and crammed our established residential neighborhoods with small, high-rent houses with no parking to serve them. The infrastructure ultimately needed to serve them is not capable to sustain them.

  2. The City of San Luis Obispo has vandalized our neighborhoods with nonsensical and unnecessary protected bike lanes that are abused by bike riders while eliminating over 100 on-street parking spaces in the Anholm neighborhood alone. Biking parents with children in tow routinely blast through stop signs while teaching their kids how to ignore traffic laws. Great example!

  3. The City’s elimination of parking and increasing parking rates downtown while constraining travel lanes is wreaking havoc in what was once a heathy and thriving district. Town cramming with higher density housing is not an answer!

  4. Wake up and smell the coffee!


64

Well put TK, thank you.


35

And don’t forget the city’s lack of enforcement of their zoning codes allowing Cal Poly to inundate our residential neighborhoods near the university with fraternities, forcing permanent residents to move from their life-long homes due to lack of peace and safety. Cal Poly refuses to cooperate with the city on this issue, saying it’s a “city problem,” but the city does nothing to push back. Even the Grand Jury Report this year found the city lacking in their efforts to enforce this blatant violation, but the city council just denied the conclusions and recommendations. Cal Poly has a great deal of influence over this city. It’s concerning that 4 out of our 5 council members and/or their spouses receive incomes or retirement income from university employment. So, it shouldn’t be surprising that they don’t want to do what’s necessary to protect permanent residents from the fraternities illegally operating in single-family neighborhoods. We need to get candidates to run for office in the city and the county who are not beholden to Cal Poly or any other outside area influencers so we can return SLO to its former “happiest place in the world” status which, unfortunately, has been lost.


40

Traffic congestion is my only beef with increased housing, severely diminishing a community of it’s once well-known charm and friendliness toward others. Housing development directly correlates with increased tensions and road rage in towns rhat are overdeveloped.


8

The state mandates localities permit accessory dwelling units (ADU) without parking. Parking around the county, due to increased housing and vehicle ownership, is already evident, and it will only worsen.


5

Keep L.A. 200 miles away.


46

Thanks for pointing out who this carpetbagger really is and the failure of the CC under his dismal leadership.


42

Pension grubbing Gibsons’ been around a long time. Never assume California voters are savvy or even awake enough to avoid the likes of an LA carpetbagger.


43

Waddya mean “could”, Keith? Progressive LA politics have been destroying SLO and SLO County for at least 60 years! After Lynn Cooper, we’ve had a steady stream of progressive Mayors, with but one ripple during Dave Romero’s election, that have decided only the left shall reign in SLO.


The sad ending of La Fiesta, and the abrupt cancellation of Mardi Gras, while “pride day/week/month” is blasphemously established on the Mission Plaza, and the violent antics of BLM is supported and encouraged.


Those aren’t the politics of a city and county that used to be filled with Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Reagan Conservatives, many who had a historical stake in the land, and who made sure the towns and cities fulfilled the needs of their citizens, not their wants. No. LA moved their politics here, and the failed and failing results can be seen.


43

So true Army…


22

The city has a college; two of them. They both take in hundreds of millions in Gov funding, contracts etc. You have two hospitals. You have thousands of students. You have a desirable climate. Complaining about growth, encouraging Nimbyism, and complaining about reducing traffic and making it a cleaner bike friendly town; is a bit dramatic. Against denser housing in the most populated state with a housing deficit, acting as if Slo is immune from outside influence, is a bit naive. This isnt the 1980s, 90s. You have Rich people moving here. Denser housing for regular folks Vs; the Rich and their influence, Cal Poly Powers at be; is the threat. Bike lanes and denser workforce housing ad a complaint, is pretty laughable. Who had ruined Slos asthetic; RICH people. Not regular folks. So, go after Rich Developers, LLCs, Etc.


It seems like this article lobbys like:” slo is for me, not for thee, let them eat cake”.


-37

Do you support someone from LA and who has lived in slo for a few years be on the Board of Supervisors?


LA’s planning is considered one of the worst in the world.


Do you support LA sprawl growth in SLO County?


There are ways to develop without bringing in LA-style growth, planning and politics.


19