By Sandra Weaver, San Clemente
It appears that if you want to win a seat on the San Clemente City Council you need to have a big sign and be first on the ballot. It is size and location, location, location that matters. To date, we have had a letter to the editor in the SC Times suggesting that “what matters most in winning a San Clemente council seat today is not a candidate’s qualifications but rather the size of his or her campaign sign. He referred to the last election when Jim Evert won over Joe Anderson. Now two candidates with the same name are fighting to have their name placed first on the ballot. Councilman Bob Baker, who filed first chose No. 1 while contender Bob Baker chose No. 0 (tricky huh?) After much hullaballoo, it was decided to determine placement by luck of the draw. So what else do we know about these candidates? The incumbents have their big showy freeway sign while two contenders squabble over numbers.
I think I’m smart enough to know who I am voting for even if they do have the same name. That is, if either of them gives me a reason to choose them. I also don’t care much about freeway signs, but that’s just me. I prefer to learn what the candidates stand for, what their vision is for San Clemente and how they propose to move towards it. Specifically, I’d like to know what they plan to do about homelessness here in our city and how they can support new and existing businesses. I will be at the council forum September 27, to ask some questions.
