I had been planning to post on this blog who the two remaining candidates I would be voting for in the November 8 election for the three seats coming open in that election, due to term limits.
I was holding off publishing my second vote until I was comfortable with my choice of who I would give my third vote to.
Some things have changed and some things have come up so I decided to disclose which candidate would get my second vote and then I will opine and comment about 'issues' and troubles I am having deciding which candidate might receive my third vote.
I can not and should not be any surprise to anyone that my second vote will go to Planning Commissioner, Mr. Jim Knight.
Jim was my third choice during the last election cycle when we were only allowed to vote for two candidates and I was very pleased to see Mr. Knight entering this year's election.
The campaign Web site for Mr. Jim Knight is:
Like my first choice of Mr. Dave Emenhiser, Jim has many years of experience working to better our community, surrounding communities and many areas, both close and far away.
You will learn by visiting Jim's Web site that he has talent, intelligence and experiences in how city governments should and do work to better the environment, in all types of ways.
Jim has experience as a developer yet he understands there are limits to developments within differing areas and unique environments like we have here in Rancho Palos Verdes.
Jim Knight also addresses his concepts of 'fiscal conservancy' as a way to also help protect what we have in our city.
Jim Knight has been a Planning Commissioner and a chair of that group and that is one stepping stone that many find important in who they might support moving on to the elected office of Council member.
I have always found Jim to be a 'straight arrow' whether I agree with him or not.
I find one of Jim's greatest strengths is his concern and involvement with protecting our natural environment. I have not found any candidate with more 'street cred' in the protection of our lands, the sea and the air, than Jim has demonstrated for a very long time.
Jim Knight knows Rancho Palos Verdes.
To understand that Jim was central in discussions, debates and voting with the Long Point redevelopment plans/Terranea, he also worked untold hours to help with all aspects, including approval of The Marymount College Facilities Expansion Project.
We have lots of great leaders in our city. Some of them, like Jim stated in the trenches and dealt with landmines, accusations, criticism and heated discussions and debates on two of the most controversial development issues in our city's history.
Jim has earned the respect of many in our city by stepping up and truly representing all of our residents and almost all our business owners using honest, knowledge, leadership skills and a love for our area of the greater Los Angeles Basin.
I had made up my mind to endorse and vote for Jim, some time ago. I thought I would hold off my endorsement until after the September 7 Forum.
Since I had hoped that forum would have been canceled, holding off my endorsement until September 8 became a problem for me.
I feel voting for Mr. Dave Emenhiser and Mr. Jim Knight would allow the best possible new City Council membership, beginning in December, 2011.
Jim's Web site lists him as being a 'fiscal conservative'. I hope and expect that he will be a Council member who is unafraid of discussing and possibly voting, without fear of criticism from those who oppose any new taxes, fees or increased fees, should the need for those warrant. I appreciate that Jim will go to bat for controversial issues without fear of attack from groups like Tea Party members and those far to the conservative side of the political spectrum.
I also changed my mind because of a real problem I am having in finding out which candidate, if any, would get my third vote.
I am afraid it may take many days after September 7 for me to decide which of the remaining candidates I might vote for. I have not closed the door to simply voting for two of the eight candidates and sitting out my third vote, although I'll probably hate doing that.
Originally I was considering providing my three votes among a group of four candidates.
Since I have now endorsed Mr. Dave Emenhiser and Mr. Jim Knight, my remaining vote was slated to head towards either former Mayor Susan Brooks or former Mayor Ken Dyda.
I have heard through grapevines and 'little bunnies' that more folks are considering the candidacy of Mr. Jerry Duhovic as someone I should look at.
I now need to admit that I have not really taken much interest in Mr. Duhovic's campaign because I still align him with the three other candidates, Mr. Eric Alegria, Ms. Dora de la Rosa and Ms. Cynthia Smith.
I can and will formally throw out the campaigns of Ms. Cynthia Smith and Mr. Eric Alegria. I find what tiny information I can glean from the candidacy of Ms. Cynthia Smith to be alarming and quite secretive.
With Mr. Alegria's campaign, even though Mr. Alegria has received the endorsement of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, this race is not political party affiliated and it appears from Mr. Alegria's Web site, he has not posted that endorsement, there at this time.
Another aspect of the candidacies of Ms. Brooks and Mr. Dyda is my concerns about the fact that both of them have served our city VERY WELL as Council members and Mayors.
I am the kind of 'lefty' that appreciates opportunities for those who have not served as Council members and to endorse either one of them would mean I would be giving up on having someone come aboard the Council membership train, for the first time.
Perhaps my; Let others have the chance to serve is still quite powerful.
Mayor Susan Brooks continues to be the top campaign contribution receiver. She is the only candidate, to my knowledge, that has opened up a headquarters office on Western Avenue or anywhere else in our city.
I fully expect that with or without my vote, she will be one of the three 'new' Council members taking a seat this December.
Both Mayor Brooks and Mayor Dyda have proven track records of service, experience and love in and for our city and its residents and business owners.
However, I have some real issues that I am very concerned about, with both of these candidates.
I am not going to elaborate on my concerns at this time because I still need to hash things out, in my own mind.
I have asked others to help me consider which of these two candidates gets my third vote. I have received some help, but all opinions are welcome concerning these two candidates and Mr. Jerry Duhovic, too.
For one of the six candidates I have not endorsed, I have found the bad outweighs the good, sadly. And just about every day the distance between the bad and the good grows, again sadly towards the bad.
Last week I actually honestly began pondering whether I might just simply not vote for a third candidate. I hate, hate, hate that idea because if I have votes available to give, then I should mark my ballot.
When there are no choices in a race, I don't vote. I don't live in Russia, China, North Korea, Cuba or Venezuela so I have the right to vote in races where there is more than one candidate.
For all those out there is ridiculous-land, this election is NOT about 'Democrats versus Republicans' and it must not be!
The very fact that I have been considering the campaigns of Mayor Dyda, Mayor Brooks and now Vice Chair Duhovic means this very progressive 'lefty' has been willing to consider registered Republicans. So, let's not have anymore to do with this being a 'Democrats versus Republicans' election. Get over that!
Really, if you can help me with my quandary about my third vote, please write to me at:
mrichards2@hotmail.com with your opinions, or you can leave a comment to this post that would probably become public.
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