Friday, May. 23, 2008

Our View: Kelsey, Sanders best Board of Supervisors candidates

Their election may not be the shakeup the board needs, but it would be a step in the right direction.

Merced County government today finds itself at a critical juncture in its evolution. An impending budget crisis, growth issues and a past of head-scratching management missteps have left many voters with a deservedly dim view of what goes on in the corridors of power at 2222 M St.

It's pretty obvious: The Board of Supervisors needs a shakeup. It needs to be populated by elected officials who are good stewards of the public cashbox, not freewheeling spenders who seem preoccupied with feathering their own financial nests (and those of top county managers) through underhanded pay increases and ever richer retirement benefits. It also needs supervisors who will ensure that the needs of the county's average citizens will not be usurped by the needs of moneyed interests with business before the board.

While that shakeup may be needed, it's not going to happen overnight. Three of the board's five seats are up for election on the June 3 primary ballot -- but only two are actual races. John Pedrozo is running unopposed for re-election to his District 1 seat.

Five candidates are vying to replace Kathleen Crookham as supervisor representing District 2, which roughly mirrors the boundaries of the city of Merced. Crookham decided not to seek re-election. John Alexander, executive director of the Merced County Health Care Consortium; John Price, owner of Artisan Construction; Jim Sanders, a sitting Merced city councilman and leader of the Merced Community Action Network; Casey Steed, owner of Steed's Electric Service; and Hub Walsh, a former Merced mayor and the director of social services for Madera County, fill out the field.

In District 4, which covers Ballico, the city of Gustine, Cortez, Cressey, Delhi, Hilmar, Snelling, Stevinson, Winton and portions of Atwater, incumbent Deidre Kelsey is seeking a fourth term; she's challenged by Claudine Sherron, a small-business owner and substitute teacher.

Two candidates stand out. In District 2, it's Sanders. In District 4, it's Kelsey. The Sun-Star endorses Jim Sanders and Deidre Kelsey in their respective races.

District 2

Voters have some excellent options in this election. Alexander, Price and Steed are articulate advocates with a number of good ideas between them. Alexander and Steed appear to be more attuned to the needs of Merced's working class, and Price clearly is the business owners' candidate. All three are political novices who have to start from scratch to build a network -- and that's going to be difficult to overcome given that two political veterans are in the race.

Sanders and Walsh don't need any introduction to voters; they both are well-known and have built up community support. This gives them a leg up on their challengers.

Campaign slogans rarely are anything more than glittering generalities, but Sanders' "real choice for real change" fits neatly with his background as one of the most effective city councilmen in recent memory. Through two terms, he's kept his compass squarely aimed at the needs of real people, and he's not shy about pointing out where the city or county can do a better job.

What this election needs is a frank discussion about the state of the county. Sanders has delivered. He's not afraid to tell you the truth, and we need some tough love right now.

For example, he's been critical of some recent board decisions -- notably those involving pay for supervisors and other county managers. He's also spot on in his assessment that public safety is the most important issue facing the county -- and that fixing the crime problem is linked to job creation, and vice versa.

Sanders is without question the most visible and accessible member of the City Council -- and we think that is a good reference point for how he will perform as a supervisor.

And here's another thing that impresses us about Sanders: He enjoys broad support throughout the community, from Neighborhood Watch groups (which he has spearheaded) to business owners, who see him as a sensible friend who knows that if local businesses prosper, so do Merced's citizens.

We think this reputation is deserved given the tireless work Sanders has done for the community. His day job as leader of the graffiti-busting Community Action Network is an example of his dedication to making Merced the very best and most presentable community it can be.

Walsh has spent most of his professional life as a bureaucrat in county government positions in Merced and Madera counties. He probably would be more of a consensus-builder, but, frankly, that's not what this board needs right now. It needs a leader -- a supervisor who has the people's interests at heart and isn't afraid to offer a dissenting opinion. That person is Jim Sanders.

District 4

We've been critical of Supervisor Deidre Kelsey in the past. Most of that criticism has been directed at her steadfast loyalty to her district and a perceived indifference toward the rest of the county. Four years ago, we endorsed her challenger.

That endorsement was a ghastly mistake on our part. Fortunately, voters were more sensible than we were and returned Kelsey to office with a landslide victory.

They clearly knew what we now realize: Kelsey is the board's steadiest hand and brightest light. While we don't agree with her on all topics, her intellect is impressive and her dedication to the job sets the standard for the other board members.

Kelsey was the one supervisor who raised a red flag during the debate over Riverside Motorsports Park. She voted against the project in the face of intense criticism; today, with the project's flaws well documented, she is a hero.

Kelsey lists public safety and responsible growth as the two most important issues facing Merced County, and she couldn't be more correct. She has said that she will promote responsible growth that protects the county's most important assets: agriculture, rivers, water supply and geography. This stance has often kept her at odds with other more pro-growth board members.

We find her approach sensible. Kelsey is not anti-growth; she just wants to make sure the county's inevitable development does not fundamentally alter the area's agrarian roots, and she's willing to fight to make sure this doesn't happen. That's the mark of a good leader.

Tough love for Merced County

Jim Sanders and Deidre Kelsey are two board candidates who will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. Their election may not represent the shakeup the board needs, but it would be a step in the right direction. They deserve your support on June 3.