Pinole Recall Wins; Faux Term Limits Lose
February 6, 2008
Forget the California Presidential Primary results.
If, as Tip O’Neill said, “All politics is local,” then the most important election results for Contra Costans last night were the landslide victory of the Pinole Recall and the loss of Prop 93, the cynical attempt by political insiders to dress up an incumbent insurance policy as term limit reform.
The Pinole Recall victory is momentous as it provides a wonderful example for cities like Brentwood, Concord, Disco Bay, and others where ordinary citizens (see video) were able to stand up to unions, the Democratic Party Machine, their curiously silent County Supervisor and neutered Republican Party, redevelopment interests, and an entitled incumbent, seemingly secure in her sinecure, to take back their City from runaway incompetence and pandering to special interests.
The defeat of Prop 93 is promising as it reveals that the electorate was able to see through the vast corrupt deception perpetrated by creeps like Dom Perata, Fabio Nunez, and their toadies in the Assembly, who, more often than not, get to choose their districts, rather than voters select them.
Video: Pinole Recall campaign makes its case to voters
January 30, 2008
Below see public comment from Jeff Rubin, with CCOP, regarding the Pinole Recall, presented at the January 29th Pinole City Council Meeting. Rubin recounts the common story (in Contra Costa County) of how city councilmembers and Recall targets Maria Alegria and Stephen Tilton are supported by union special interests looking for a big payday from upcoming contract negotiations. Rubin will appear on KPFA-FM 94, Thursday, January 31, at 7:00 a.m. Watch the video of the entire meeting.
Good evening council, staff, and people in the audience and watching on TV. I’m Jeff Rubin. At the January 10 Candidates’ Forum, Maria Alegria said her Form 460s were available to the public, so I thought I’d have a look.
I see where the International Association of Firefighters, the union representing the Pinole firefighters, has given Maria another $3,200 since January 1. That brings the firefighters union’s investment in Councilwoman Maria Alegria for their upcoming contract negotiations with the city of Pinole to $10,700 over the last four years. That’s roughly 16% of the more than $65,000 Maria has raised since 2004, most of it from special-interest groups, some of which, such as TKG Development, have contracts with the city on which Maria votes. Additionally, Councilman Stephen Tilton has accepted $3,500 from the International Association of Firefighters since 2006, including $1,500 since January 1, a period in which he did not declare any expenses. Stephen, why are you accepting money when you’re not spending it?
By contrast, Mayor Peter Murray and Councilwoman Mary Horton have accepted no money from the firefighters’ union, or any other union, during that time.
The Pinole firefighters’ contract expires in a few months. I have heard they will negotiate for retirement at FULL PAY at age 50. Can the city afford to allow ANY employee to retire at age 50, with the possibility that employee will live another 20 to 40 years, while the City of Pinole pays FULL medical benefits AND retirement pay?
Pinole is already in debt. Are Maria and Stephen willing to bankrupt the city to pay back the firefighters’ union for their massive campaign contributions? The city should pay only what it can afford to its firefighters - and to all of its employees. It’s highly unethical when elected officials accept such huge amounts of money - $10,700 for Maria and $3,500 for Stephen - from an organization whose contract they’re going to negotiate and vote on. Maria Alegria and Stephen Tilton have accepted the money. It appears that their votes have been bought. The purchase of political favors cannot - and will not -be tolerated in Pinole.
Both of them need to be recalled.
Pinole Recall group calls for apology and resignation of County Democratic Party Chair
January 14, 2008
In a Jan 14 letter to Nagaraja Rao, Chairman of the Contra Costa County Democratic Party’s Central Committee, and copied to leading area and State democrats and press, the Pinole Recall group (CCOP) asked that Rao a) apologize on TV at an upcoming meeting of Pinole City Council for his wild unsubstantiated claims of receiving numerous death threats from the pro recall group, and b) that he resign from the Central Committee.
Alegria late for Pinole Recall debate; still gets trounced
January 11, 2008
The Pinole Recall debate took place at the Pinole Senior Center, this evening, January 10. Ms. Trego of CCOP debated Pinole Councilperson and target of the recall, Ms. Maria Alegria.
A crowd of 100+ looked on as Political Editor, Lisa Vorderbrueggen, of the Contra Costa Times, expertly moderated the debate before a well-behaved audience that clapped loudly and at length at the end for the Pro Recall side, while a deafening silence greeted Maria Alegria’s closing statement. Read more
And Maria Alegria has the nerve to call Pinole Recall supporters thugs!
December 20, 2007
This nasty hit piece against the Pinole Recall was sponsored by the IAFF, which represents Pinole Firefighters. Not unsurprisingly, the Pinole Firefighters’ contract is up for renegotiation in 2008.
Since 2004 to June 2007, the IAAF has contributed $6,000 to councilmember and former Mayor Maria Alegria who is up for recall. This does not count monies from the union spent on her behalf in the reporting period from July thru end of this year that will be posted January 8.
This ad is just a small part of Alegria’s $40,000 smear attack on the good folks of Pinole. Selling Pinole taxpayers down the river to public employee unions who know she can help craft a hefty pay increase for them if she survives the recall, sadly, is part of the deal in Contra Costa County.
And Alegria, in her own hit piece mailer, has the nerve to call Pinole Recall supporters, “thugs.”
Amazing.
Pinole City Council schedules recall election for Feb 5
October 9, 2007
The Pinole City Council Tuesday selected February 5, 2008, the date of the California presidential primary, as the date for an election to recall two of its members - Mayor Maria Alegria and Councilman Stephen Tilton. The vote was 3-0, with Alegria, Peter Murray, and Mary Ann Horton voting in the affirmative. Tilton did not attend the meeting.
Alegria has one year remaining on her four-year term. Tilton, who was elected to his first term only last November, has three years remaining on his. The third subject of the recall, former Councilman David Cole, resigned his council seat in August and joined the U.S. Army. A special election to fill the remaining three years of his term will also be held February 5, 2008. The filing period for candidates for the two recall elections - they will be held separately on the same date - and the special election begins October 15 and ends November 9.
Pinole Recall approved
September 25, 2007
The Concerned Citizens of Pinole reports it was informed by Pinole City Clerk Patricia Athenour late Tuesday afternoon that the Contra Costa County Registrar’s Office has certified the recall of Mayor Maria Alegria and Councilman Stephen Tilton. Both petitions were found to have sufficient signatures to qualify for an election.
The county had 30 days to certify or deny the recall. The requirements for a recall are stringent. Petition-gatherers had to collect valid signatures from no fewer than 25 percent of the 8,900 registered voters in Pinole, or 2,225 signatures. Read more
Pinole recall group files signatures with Pinole City Clerk
August 31, 2007
Petitions to recall Mayor Maria Alegria and Councilman Stephen Tilton were filed 8/30 with Pinole City Clerk Patricia Athenour. After examination of the petitions the City Clerk determined that the total number of signatures, on a prima facie count, were in excess of the number of signatures required to accept the petition for filing. Athenour delivered the petitions to the county clerk’s office late Thursday afternoon.
The next step is for the county clerk’s office is to certify the signatures, meaning there are a minimum of 2,225 valid signatures (25% of Pinole’s registered voters). If that happens, a recall election will be held later this year or in January 2008. The Concerned Citizens of Pinole, the grass-roots recall committee, collected 2,521 signatures to recall Mayor Alegria and 2,475 signatures to recall Councilman Tilton. The committee also collected 2,490 signatures to recall Councilman David Cole, who joined the U.S. Army and resigned from the council. Cole’s petitions were not filed. To replace Cole, the city council will either appoint someone to serve the remainder of his term, through 2010, or have a special election to fill the seat. “We’re confident that we have more than enough valid signatures to have a recall election,” said recall spokesman Jeff Rubin.
“We’re looking forward to having a series of town meetings with Mayor Alegria, Councilman Tilton, and those citizens who decide to run against them, so the people can get answers to the many questions concerning the Pear Street Bistro scandal and the firing of a much-respected city manager, Belinda Espinosa.
“The mayor has refused to address any of these questions, preferring to say that the recall is simply ‘personal politics’ and a ‘personal vendetta’ against her. Those are the kind of words politicians use when they have nothing to say, when they don’t want to tell people what’s really going on, or when they are hiding the truth.
“We collected more than 2,500 signatures from people who are not fooled by that kind of talk.
“We’re really looking forward to asking both council members lots of questions in a public forum, in a venue where they can’t hide behind the council podium and refuse to answer.”
Pinole recall group says it has more than enough signatures
August 21, 2007
Concerned Citizens of Pinole announced Tuesday evening that they have collected nearly 10% more signatures than required by law to recall Mayor Maria Alegria and Councilmen David Cole and Stephen Tilton. The group rallied before the evening’s scheduled City Council meeting. With 2,225 the number of signatures required (representing 25% of Pinole’s 8,898 registered voters) the number of signatures collected as of noon Tuesday, August 21, is: Maria Alegria: 2,422; David Cole: 2,408; Stephen Tilton: 2,359. The group is still collecting signatures and anticipate it will have between 2,550 and 2,600 signatures by the time the group submits them for certification next week.
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