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SLO County Supervisor Bruce Gibson’s ploys aren’t over yet

December 15, 2025
T. Keith Gurnee

T. Keith Gurnee

OPINION by T. KEITH GURNEE

San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Bruce Gibson’s attempt to hire both his wife and his hand-picked successor for District 2 supervisor as his county-funded office assistants isn’t over yet.

After finding that a prior ruling by the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) would prevent Gibson from appointing his wife as a paid member of his staff, she will now apparently work in his office without pay effective Jan. 2026. While this raises a question as to what Gibson was thinking, it’s one ploy down with a big one yet to go.

That “big one” would have our county pay Gibson’s endorsed candidate—Jim Dantona–for his open District 2 seat as his personal legislative assistant by this coming January.

What’s wrong with this picture?

Surely Gibson’s proposal raises a set of serious questions that need to be answered by county staff and the SLO County Board of Supervisors before such an unreasonable request is granted.

1. Should the county use taxpayer funds to pay a salary for an announced but as-yet unelected candidate for a future political position?

2. Would such an action require the county to make a financial political contribution to such a candidate? Would such an action be legal? And has this ever happened before in California, let alone in San Luis Obispo County?

3. What are the positions of the county administrative officer and the SLO County Counsel’s Office on this matter?

4. Was Supervisor Gibson really thinking clearly about such an unprecedented proposal?

5. Perhaps most importantly, what would the other four members of the board have to say about this ridiculous request? Wouldn’t granting it reflect very negatively upon the board?

What should be done?

According to the county’s web site, the Board of Supervisors has a meeting scheduled for this coming Tuesday, December 16,  at 9 a.m. This may be the only opportunity for the board to weigh in on this important issue before the end of this year.

The full Board of Supervisors should use this meeting to pull this item and place it on this agenda for the following purposes:

  • To address and answer the five questions outlined above.
  • Vote to defeat Mr. Gibson’s proposal to retain Mr. Dantona at county expense by the end of this year.

 


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I wonder if the house on Murray @ Broad will be adding a “Gibson wall of shame” to go with the anti-Trump display?


0

Nice rhetorical jab.


“The trouble with our Liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant; it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.” – Ronald Reagan


1

Highly unlikely…


3

Doesn’t the wife working without workman’s comp insurance in a government office cause a liability problem for the county if she is physically or mentally harmed on the premises? Piggybacking on the husband’s health insurance doesn’t address the county’s environment liability. Additionally, the HR department has no authority over the wife’s conduct if friction occurs between her and actual county employees. Would county security allow building access to her as a non employee after public access hours? Are there other current or past SLO County arrangements where non employees or unpaid subcontractors have access to keys/keycards to government offices, parking or similar workman’s comp insurance gaps? It seems like Gibson is testing boundaries to normalize deviation, which is unbecoming.


6

Mr. Gurnee brings hope for rational thinking in government, as in paying attention to the details.


30

Voting used to be fair and just in this county. I used to vote until I discovered the Dominion voting machine was in use at the downtown San Luis Obispo County government building. Venezuela was prosperous until it implimented it’s-original Smartmatic version. Gibson is fully aware of it’s capabilities.


12

Gibson is used to doing whatever he wants! Lets see if this Board has the integrity to pull this item and provide complete transparency to the voters and address the points made.


34

Thank you Keith!! WE appreciate you keeping people honest!


49

Hopefully there is someone on the staff that is hiding the burn bags in a janitor closet somewhere.


16

As much as I hate to say it, the pension-grubbing, corrupt Gibson will move on to higher political office. This is California, home to ill-informed voters and mail-in ballot shenanigans. He’s a shoo-in.


15

What a corrupt scumbag. Wake up SLO County voters. The county has become a joke. Shut down anyone he is politically associated with.


63

Agree. If gibson supports someone for office, vote against them.


33
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