The Sonoma County Young Democrats have endorsed Susan Harvey, a qualified and ethical planning commissioner in Cotati, to replace Barich. We believe that a public official should be an individual of character. Mr. Barich’s actions have demonstrated not only a lack of character, but a lack of integrity.
The Sonoma County Young Democrats support the recall. We support Susan Harvey. We do not support George Barich, or his incredibly inappropriate behavior while on the Council. His latest stunts have done nothing to improve his reputation in our eyes, nor those of the community.
The blog post shown below discusses the constitutional merit of the Cotati recall process, and is not specific to the current recall. This post is not reflective of the official position of SCYD, rather, it is an expression of an individual member's opinion, which is valued and protected. However, as above, the position of the Sonoma County Young Democrats is in favor of the recall.
If there is any confusion on this matter, please contact chair@sonomacyd.org.
Cotati's Recall Procedure
By Kim OJ (please note disclaimer above!)
On November 17th 2009 Cotati will be deciding whether or not to recall City Council Member George Barich and replace him with another candidate. Barich is now walking Cotati, knocking on doors in what looks like a losing battle to retain his seat. Barich needs 50% of the voters to vote "NO" on the recall, despite the fact that he was elected to the city council with only 16.4% of the votes, and the two candidates who finished ahead of him in the 2008 race each got 20.2% of the votes.
One of the most fundamental aspects of Democracy is the protection of minorities from the oppression of the majority. This is expressed in the value of fundamental and equal rights, rights which cannot be repealed by majority decision. This is what the Bill of Rights represents. This should also mean equal right to democratic representation. The way city council elections are conducted in Cotati allows minority opinions a chance for a voice on the city council. George Barich is that minority opinion on the Cotati City Council, who notably stands out from his fellow council members with his fiscally conservative opposition to federal stimulus money and the proposed sales tax increase, which would help Cotati's budget problems. But if Barich can be recalled by simple majority, the minority that he represents has been robbed of their equal access to representation.
The way recall works essentially means that any elected, who is not part of the majority, could be recalled and replaced by a majority approved candidate. It is a problem very similar to the Gerrymandering of districts where minorities are isolated to favor the ruling majority. The democratic problem becomes even more apparent when you look at potentially absurd election results. There are 3 candidates running for George Barich's city council seat, which means that one of them could be elected with as few as 34% of the votes. Thus Barich could garner more "NO" on the recall votes (e.g. 49.9%) than the top replacement candidate, and still be recalled and replaced by a candidate with fewer votes.
Recall George Barich
George Barich
Alternate Candidates:
Linell Hardy
Susan Harvey (Endorsed by Sonoma County Young Democrats)
Eric Kirchmann
21 comments:
Where are all the comments from the past blogs. Have you just taken the first ammendment and threw it out the window. I thought democrats were above that. As a Democrat that lives in Sonoma County, i would urge you not to be scared, and to repost the blogs, so it doesn't look as if you are scared of this recall.
How in the Hell did I misrepresent the position of the article posted by Kim OJ on your website? What an irresponsible claim to make. No one has stolen your logo for commercial use ! No intellectual property has been stolen or used for monetary gain. This is an absurd allegation floating around. Your website is newsworthy as it gets and should be treated as such.
Weeks ago, I simply put a link to your website on my website for all to see that some Democrats can see past their politics and see the silly recall for what it is, undemocratic. For weeks, your blog post on this subject remained unchanged as the comments came in one by one. I was so impressed by Kim's fair reporting of this story, I was considering attending your next meetings to say so and commend your group for adhering to democratic values and fair play.
No one has ever claimed that your organization has endorsed George Barich, and no one will if I have anything to say about it ! I am not seeking your endorsement and never have in the past. I don't seek endorsements. But sometimes, they seek me. To this day, I never figured out how The Bohemian ever endorsed me in years past... But they did.
Looks like your chairperson needs to be re-educated on the dangers of propaganda before more damage is done to your organization.
I feel bad about Kim OJ, (the author of the original post), who I believe I had the pleasure of meeting in Cotati while walking door to door. What a wonderful young man, and I was delighted to chat with him at length at his doorstep about politics. His original post was fair and he should be considered a credit to the Young Democrats for calling it as he saw it.
Most of my support in Cotati is coming from moderate Democrats who have read Kim's original post before it was butchered by the organizational leadership. I want to thank all the Democrats who called me on the phone or emailed me with their support and kind words of encouragement.
I think I am owed an apology because I have represented your website honestly and fairly. The community is owed the opportunity to read the post as originally posted and all the public comments that have been erased to date.
Thank you,
George Barich,
Cotati City Council Member
The loss of the comments was my mistake and unfortunately I could not retrieve them. I apologize to all those who took the time to comment.
Thank you for your comment George. Unfortunately a lot of people who found my original post through laughablecotati.blogspot.com confused my opinion with that of the Sonoma County Young Democrats. Probably because of the young democrats logo featured there.
You will find my original post is intact inside the blue box above.
Poor misguided, gullible young girl. Our Democratic process is about exploring alternate views and viable solutions. I'm curious to know if you could even cite any of George's misdeeds from memory, or have ever taken the time to actually listen to him. The man makes sense to me, and I come from a long line Democrats with illustrious records of public service dating back to the Kennedy Era. In fact, my father served under JFK directly, and until his death, was a great personal friend of Lynne Woolsey, Willy Brown, Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pelosi...as well as many other staunch Democrats that you would, no doubt, need to Google to discover. The fact that you were caught off guard is evident in the haste you demonstrated trying to spin and back-pedal on something that you thought innocuous and supportive of your own political ideology. Quite frankly, it's sad to see you twisting in the wind like this. You've empowered George and the cause in the process. Maybe over time you'll mature enough to learn that representation is about choosing the best person for the job, not simply toeing the party line and blindly parroting the propaganda being spewed by zealots. Unfortunately, the two alternate candidates you've chosen to endorse are weak, dispassionate, and of questionable character themselves. And yes, as a long-time, and very involved citizen of Cotati, I've taken the time to objectively discover that for myself. If George wasn't the best person for the job, I wouldn't be his supporter. He's a better alternative for Cotati who, even with his antics and unorthodox style, is definitely the lesser of evils.
In the future, please reserve you indignation for something you actually understand.
Regards,
phil maher
George Barich has a long history of twisting the truth and directly lying to the public. His campaign literature specifically stated:
“George Barich will not accept any salary or benefits if elected because representing the people of Cotati is it’s own reward.”
No qualifiers or "maybe later" claims. He will not take them ever. But he absolutely does.
City Finance records show Barich immediately signed up for every benefit available as soon as he got into office- costing more than any other Council member. His salary sits on the city’s books ready to be taken from an account whenever he asks. Deferring a salary isn't refusing it. It's more like having a city maintained savings account.
Total for Barich from the city's coffers- almost $12,000 to date. Why would you believe anything this man says?
But the real hypocrisy - and what tells you the most about his lack of moral and intellectual integrity- is George Barich's answer to the recall printed in the voters pamphlet. As Kim has since learned, 10 years ago Barich himself strongly supported the recall of 2 Council members whose views he disagreed with. Barich thought it was fine to spend thousands on a recall then even though there were mere months left in the terms of his targets. He thought it was OK to recall people for their differing views.
But it's not Ok to recall him for his unprecedented actions including fraud on the public in his campaign claims, malfeasance, and just plain bad judgment that proves him unfit for office in the eyes of 1045 petition signers.
Finally, Barich's totally deceptive nature is made apparent here in his very own words where he admits that laughablecotati.com - where he linked the Young Democrats blog is in fact HIS website and not that of Jeffrey Lewis who he transferred the site to on June 15. For months he has claimed he has nothing to do with that website when people have asked to have their names removed.And no doubt he'll now try to say he made a mistake, misspoke, or give another one of his usual lame excuses.
But that slip of the Barich computer keyboard for once tells the truth. Proving that George Barich can't be trusted.
When one reads literature it is easy to assume it is connected to the host site as it would follow that if an organization allows a posting that they support it or at least allow it. I found the article interesting and informative and appreciated the perspective of the George Street Author. I further appreciate that the author lives or lived in Cotati. It appears that the blogspot is now hosted out of Arizona. I suggest that the Yale Daily News Thursday 11/1/07 be cited as it deals with "Blackface" on the Yale Campus where your esteemed Chairwoman attended when not at Pepperdine- these institutions of Liberal Democratic thought yield interesting antics per the article by Sharifa Love and Joshua Cox but I digress: The Chairwoman contends that all young democrats are for the recall and support and endorse Susan Harvey for council due to her experience and integrity. I have no issue with Ms. Harvey's integrity she has always been pleasant in interactions. I do however question her experience as a Planning Commissioner due to her short duration of appointment she has attended how many meetings? Voted on how many projects? Been concerned with what weight of decisions? I ask as more meetings have been canceled than attended in the past ten months due to lack of actions by the Planning Commission. I must ask what depth of community involvement and governance was illustrated by candidates in the past five, ten, or twenty years. I ask because the candidates you promote and endorse have what levels of experience and community involvement? Of course I ask because you did not support or endorse a candidate with nearly twenty years of Governance experience who has served longer than any Cotati citizen in elected office and who has also volunteered for countless community functions, activities, commissions, etc. I also have volunteered, produced and served as President of the Cotati Accordion Festival a world class event which benefits all, especially our youth groups. I have to wonder what you consider in your slanted endorsements and statements and I guess should add that George Barich has never attended the festival but then neither has Chief Robert Stewart or perhaps any young Democrat. It is sad how political some people make local races and I guess I must rethink my support of the Democratic Crab Feed which i have supported and contributed to for years while others were too busy or even perhaps too young. My point is clear I guess reflect a bit before jumping or making decisions capriciously... I have been active for twenty plus years while others had other interests. If this is twisting the truth then so be it. I am disappointed by the level of politics verse common sense at play here and fail to see any sense of community.
As a lifelong Democratic Party member I offer the following:
You folks have a lot to learn about
fact checking and not getting sucked into the Cotati cabal who think they know what is good for Cotati whatever that is because some of them have been responsible for taking Cotati the brink of bankruptcy by their spendthrift ways or support of projects that Cotati can't support. I don't know who is influencing you YD's but the Orchard Gilardi duo has done a lot more to take Cotati near the brink than George Barich ever has.
Some of us believe since Gilardi has supported Susan Harvey with $$$$ in the past and perhaps cuurently, that she is a handpicked candidate to get a majority once again of Gilardi, Orchard, Harvey.
As for Joan Simon and her nasty vindictive rantings, she has had a personal vendetta against Barich for sometime and is feeding off of Barich's political mistakes to the point of lunacy.
Where they get their figures as to him costing the City of Cotati thousands of$$$$ is beyond the pale.
Why don't they get figures as to how much other longtime city council members have cost the city
to be fair about it. Also, yes on recall folks are making the city pay 25K for the election, money it doesn't have supposedly. The supporters of the recall said from the outset they would pay the city back. Give me a break.
What gets lost in all accusations is the truth. The old axiom that the bigger the lies the more people believe is an old tactic dating back to an evil time and was
honed to perfection by a nasty regime. Like then, it wouldn't surprise me if it works in the yes on recall campaign. Threatening businesses with boycotts if they don't take down No on Recall signs
smacks of mafia like tactics when they are supposedly for free expression.
Yes YD's you are not in Cotati to see both sides and you're obviously influenced by some powers that be here in town. Not very objective, not so wise. You can fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can'y fool all of the people all of the time. You guys are fooled.
Support the Cotati Recall
As a Young Democrat, I fully support the Cotati Recall. The unethical and corrupt actions of Councilman George Barich have clearly demonstrated he needs to be removed from office. The Recall process was established as a democratic tool to remove corrupt elected officials that abused their position through unethical behavior. Because California election law mandates that communities garner signatures from the voting population, it is evident that considerable levels of Cotati residents are also deeply concerned about Councilmember Barich’s recent behavior.
Mr. Barich’s actions since elected have repeatedly demonstrated a substantial lack of ethics and misuse of public resources.
To name just a few reasons why Mr. Barich should be recalled:
1) the unauthorized misuse of the Sonoma County Young Democrats name and logo on campaign materials
2)the unethical misuse of official City letterhead without Council approval and in opposition of Council’s official position
3)the abuse of power in costing the City $28,000 in staff time in the first 3 months of the year alone, three times that of all other Councilmembers, during a time of severe budget cuts
4)the unethical use of campaign signage in clear, blatant violation of City ordinances (Moving it around to avoid a fine is just plain unethical, sleazy, and desperate)
Granted I do take issue with other character flaws that Mr. Barich has demonstrated, but do not feel it is relevant to the recall.
Some of the commenters above seem to think that their years of experience as political activists afford them more credibility in their decision-making process over the Sonoma County Young Democrats. The large majority of SonomaCYD’s members are educated, politically active, and engaged in our communities. To say that our endorsement process lacks credibility proves that the accuser is unaware of the research and subsequent group discussion that goes into our decisions.
Lastly, I find it suspicious that Yes on Recall signs continue to disappear at an alarming rate while simultaneously being replaced by opposing signage. Very suspicious! I would hope that Mr. Barich and his campaign would look into this, immediately instructing any supporters to stop such illegal activity. But alas, I’m sure I will continue to be disappointed by his actions since he has yet to demonstrate ethics or morals (2 very important criteria I require when choosing a candidate).
This recall is not about ideological differences, but is aiming to restore confidence and integrity to the Cotati City Council.
PS: It is difficult to consider your opinion very credible when it comes to claims of personal relationships with current and former elected officials when you are unable to spell their names correctly.
I claimed no personal relationship with any elected officials. I simply tried to demonstrate a strong Democratic upbringing. I could care less about how their names are spelled (is that really the extent of your criteria for credibility?) I'm pretty sure you knew to whom I was referring. The point is: As I grew up, these people's influence weighed heavily on the opinions of those who raised me. Then I matured and became a Republican. Then I matured some more, and became an Independent, once I realized that my choices from either party had been reduced to a poke in the eye, or a kick in the ass. I felt that nobody represented the true will of the people, and partisanship became the norm. If that's not an ideological struggle, I don't know what is.
George has definitely exercised poor judgment and a lack of people-skills, but I don't feel that anything he's done rises to the level of corruption or a lack of ethics. The entire City Council has demonstrated the same behaviors, now, as well as repeatedly over the past. Nobody is without sin.
If you're interested, I would be more than happy to send you the actual accounting of this purported $28k that I received from the City Clerk. If you can come to the conclusion that the amount is indeed credible, you obviously possess the ability to somehow glean the truth from primarily blank pages...and, you owe me $50k, simply because I say you do. Seriously!pvmaher@gmail.com
I'll also be happy to send you copies of personal letters from other seated council members wherein they've also used the letterhead for sending personal, self-promoting letters. George's letter to Obama was clearly not presented to the President as the official position of the City of Cotati. Besides, do you really think the man cares about George Barich's opinion, or yours, or mine..."Drop everything, George thinks the stimulus is a bad idea." They have entire wings full of letters weighing in on both sides.
Now, as far as the signs go- No on Recall signs have been disappearing at an equal, if not greater clip. I'm not aware of any cases of one being replaced with another. If you know something I don't, please enlighten me. As a core member of George's campaign team, I've personally reached out and offered to help Mark Landman get to the bottom of who's responsible. If it means that we put on Ninja suits and hang out in the bushes until 2am, so be it. The offer was sincere, and it stands. Both George and I have expressly admonished his supporters to leave signs alone. Someone is to blame, but at the same time, I have no idea who it is, and I still believe in making accusations based on facts, not inference. I personally hate the things. They're ugly, and are nothing more than political season yard icons. Hardly worth even thinking about. If someone actually believes that the removal of a sign is going to somehow equate to winning a vote, they're probably not exactly what either of us would consider an "informed voter".
Also, George isn't usurping your logo or claiming your endorsement. Kim OJ's article spoke to the statistical nature of the recall. It was, by all standards, a fair assessment. George did nothing more than give credit to the source, as is common and expected in everything from links to term papers.
Lastly, signage- Cotati's political sign ordinances are currently being reviewed by the City Attorney and Manager. The ACLU has an enormous amount of case law that clearly demonstrates that such ordinances violate both US and State Constitution (you do still believe in that, right?). This is a national issue, and many cities are in the same situation. If you can't find it yourself, again, I'll be happy to set you up.
So listen, open your mind. I'm here for what I believe in. I get upset and am prone to rants, too. But I can assure you that I'm trying my damnedest to do what's right for my town and to run a clean, honest campaign. So yes, for me it is about ideology and fixing what's really broken. We just don't happen to see things eye to eye.
Thanks Jenn
phil maher
I recovered the past comments and will repost them below.
Anonymous said...
Obviously, the Rebublicans and democtats want a fair, and unbias vote. Voting 50.1 % keeps George Barich in office and keeps the minoritys hopes alive. The vote is undemocratic and never should have happened, unless they got half of the cities votes to sign the petition. They barley got the required votes for the recall to move further. What a waste of government money. Shame on you Recall people, shame on you!!!
October 1, 2009 2:11 PM
Anonymous said...
I appreciate that you determined a major flaw in the system. The recall also does not have to use true information they merely need to convince people to sign a petition. The cost of the recall was not discussed and few even read the petition. When people asked for clarification and information they were told "You can vote either way that is your choice at the polling place. Few will come out and many will not vote for both the recall or no recall and vote for the most experienced candidate or best option- the result they will get what they deserve- if they are unhappy they can always recall the next one the same way. Your article states that Barrich is fighting a losing battle. Strange he is backed by Republicans and he seems to be backed by most business interests and home owners based upon his signs. Trouble is he needs 50.1 % and needs to fight rumors, whispers, and the kind of hate people claim he is guilty of. The tactics used in this recall are used by both sides- sad truth
October 1, 2009 4:12 PM
Anonymous said...
Sadly, the recall commitee used actors to get votes by crying on stage/stepes of peoples homes. If George is voted out because people are too ignorant, so be it. I am well versed in the political game. I would never stoop so low to get someone to sign a petition based of lies and misrepresentation. Based on an informal survey l have concluded that if even half of Cotati comes out to votes, George will prevail. Just don't come crying on my doorstep because the little people wern't heard if you didn't vote. George stand fast, and make those liberals who have one thing on their adgenda, to remove you so the Council can have harmony with 5-0 votes. Donm't blame George for trying to make Cotati accountable for thier actions, hell even I see the emperor has no clothes on.
October 1, 2009 8:52 PM
Dorothy Erickson said...
.. this recall is wrong...for more reasons than your original election results .... as well as foisting the cost of this on the citizens of Cotati!
October 2, 2009 8:55 AM
Anonymous said...
Visit www.recallgeorgebarich.com and carefully follow all the links for facts, not spin by Barich's cronies. Visit georgebarich.com and note that his view are those of a right wing extremist.
Also note that the site he links to about the recall is owned by soemone who- when last checked- doesn't vote anywhere in Sonoma County! And includes names of prominent individuals and businesses without authorization. and the blog he links to for "all you need to know" about the recall has no verification. And 90% of the names listed were collected at a bar in town- with no requirement that they had to vote in Cotati.
The article here seems to miss that the 34%( or more) winner to replace Barich could well receive more votes than Barich won last November. And of course it doesn't mention that he won by only 5 votes by claiming to be an "independent moderate" - when last anyone looked he was a member of the Reform Party.
As for the comments here- typical Barich trash talk that can't be verified.In fact:
1. The petition signatures were collected in record time- 6 weeks instead of the allowed 8.
2. Elections are about majority rule- not minority view tyranny. And recalls are initiatives- they require 25% to get on the ballot in a town the size of Cotati.
3. I don't know how the Barich folks know what the 1045 people who signed the petition were told by the Cotati voters who collected signatures- including some who were former Barich supporters. As for cost discussions- that Barich had made demands on City staff time to the tune of $28,000 in just a few months according to city hall records- was definitely an issue talked about since it was almost 50% higher than the cost of a recall. Many signers were able to do the math and realize Cotati can't afford not to recall Barich.
4. Yes on Recall signs are starting to go up and are expected to easly surpass the few and far between No signs- with several Nos posted on empty lot fences or places that let anyone put up a sign. The approx. 25-30 house signs he has up is hardly strong support.
5. No whispers by the yes people- everything is linked on the recall george barich.com website. As for Barich's criminal record- including violating probation by having guns at his home, it can be easily verified by going up to the Hall of Justice. Something he conveniently left off his resume when campaigning.
6. No actors were used by the Yes collectors- just real live Cotati voters that included former Mayors, Cotati Citizens of the year, Barich neighbors (he couldn't get elected to his own neighborhood association board), commission and city committe members, and well known community volunteers. In contrast, Barich apologists contains no one with a record of helping Cotati.
7. Lies by the Yes folks indeed! Barich supporters offer no verification of any of their claims anywhere and the only document linked is an opinion letter by Barich's personal lawyer that was shot down by Cotati's City attorney.
And they keep telling people in print and verbally that Barich refuses a salary- when City Hall records show he gets higher benefits than anyone else and has told the City in writing that his salary is an obligation the City owes him that he can call in any time in the future. When this was brought to open Council session, he refused to publicly renounce his salary. So he just defers taking it now to have something to brag about.
That the Republican Party has claimed that Barich is being recalled because of his vote agsinst taxes is totally false. the petition said nothing about a tax measure adn 85% of the petitions signatures were collected before Barich stopped a vote on a tax measure- taking away the people's right to choose fiscal stability options for themselves.
How come Kim doesn't write about that? The tyranny of the Barich minority preventing the people from voting?
October 5, 2009 1:46 AM
Kim OJ said...
Thank you for representing the yes side here.
The reason I do not mention Barich's tax blocking minority vote here, is that it is irrelevant to the point of the article. Two wrongs do not make a right. Far too often the fear of government have caused us to adapt a system where the minority holds a stunning veto power over government. e.g. the two thirds majority required to pass a California budget and raise taxes. But this is a different issue.
I know very well that Barich is not a democrat, and I would not call him a moderate either, but that again is besides the point of the article, which is about democratic procedures, which need to be fair to everyone.
October 5, 2009 9:52 AM
Anonymous said...
I can tackle the tax measure for you. If George Barich would have voted for the tax measure to be placed on the ballot, i am sure Cotatians would have passed it. The problem is our vital stores in Cotati would have been gratefully affected by being the highest sales tax in the county. No one would shop here, tax dollars dwindle, and then we are forced into bankrupty.
What Cotati really needs is lower taxes, to promote people to come to Cotati to spend thier money.
We are at this economic hardship because of prior mayors in Cotati. They didn't know how to pack the money away for tough times. Now we stand here with our hands raised waiting to get bailed out again. Most of the past City Council put us in this problem, now they need a bailout. The city Manager with benifits makes over 160,000, the chief of police makes over 250,000, and we have a planning department that costs the city 290,000 per yr. They say they have cut the manpower to the bone, but have they really? George needs to stay in office to clean up and take out the trash. We need fiscal responsibility, not more handouts and wastefull spending.
October 6, 2009 11:28 PM
kanakarican said...
To Anonymous
1. The petition signatures were collected in record time- 6 weeks instead of the allowed 8.
Besides basing your petition upon extreme exaggerations,you boosted up your walk out of anger because he voted down a tax increase in this town....saving us $20,000 dollars from placing this on the ballot alone....no one wants to be taxed anymore than we already are.
2. Elections are about majority rule- not minority view tyranny. And recalls are initiatives- they require 25% to get on the ballot in a town the size of Cotati.
When you base your views on lies to get your signatures, and obvious discourse for any opposition to your point of view, the truth will prevail....there are people who signed that petition who are now aware of your agenda...I know, I've talked to people who signed the petition who are now voting "NO" on the recall.
3. I don't know how the Barich folks know what the 1045 people who signed the petition were told by the Cotati voters who collected signatures- including some who were former Barich supporters. As for cost discussions- that Barich had made demands on City staff time to the tune of $28,000 in just a few months according to city hall records- was definitely an issue talked about since it was almost 50% higher than the cost of a recall. Many signers were able to do the math and realize Cotati can't afford not to recall Barich.
I was approached by petitioners and talked to people who were given the same tired load of lines I was given. And how can his questions cost money if the base salary is already in play? Nice try. BTW Questioning those who work for us in our Government should be encouraged!
4. Yes on Recall signs are starting to go up and are expected to easly surpass the few and far between No signs- with several Nos posted on empty lot fences or places that let anyone put up a sign. The approx. 25-30 house signs he has up is hardly strong support.
Permission was given for each "NO Recall" sign....I personally got quite a few of those welcomed O.K.'s. There you go again...spreading inaccurate, twisted untruths....And have you acted responsibly by paying for this recall or are you just focusing on the expensive signs to get George out of office? ;o)
5. No whispers by the yes people- everything is linked on the recall george barich.com website. As for Barich's criminal record- including violating probation by having guns at his home, it can be easily verified by going up to the Hall of Justice. Something he conveniently left off his resume when campaigning.
More untrue statements. He will and does openly explain your twisted version of truth, which in turn is getting him more "No" on recall votes.
6. No actors were used by the Yes collectors- just real live Cotati voters that included former Mayors, Cotati Citizens of the year, Barich neighbors (he couldn't get elected to his own neighborhood association board), commission and city committe members, and well known community volunteers. In contrast, Barich apologists contains no one with a record of helping Cotati.
Is there some type of social ladder to aspire to? He was voted to be Council by the people. People who believed this town needed a voice that represented theirs....that's what we got...and that's what you don't seem to like. In fact it seems that you don't like it so much that you are willing to do what it takes in spite of what it will cost the citizens of this town.
7. Lies by the Yes folks indeed! Barich supporters offer no verification of any of their claims anywhere and the only document linked is an opinion letter by Barich's personal lawyer that was shot down by Cotati's City attorney.
Barich supporters have effectively given verification to all the outlandish lies that have been spread around like a bad cold.....that is why we boldly take to the streets and continue to vaccinate this town with truth to the viral lies you are spreading
October 7, 2009 10:41 AM
Anonymous said...
It’s an interesting idea: that a recall election leads to tyranny of the majority because it takes only 25% of voter signatures. This could be true if the majority is single-minded and able to enforce its will on the voters.
Cotati voters are, perhaps, of above-average independence and the majority of people who work on electoral politics there are split into at least two minds on almost every issue. So, it’s not actually a problem in Cotati.
In the larger sense, I believe that recalls should have a low threshold because they are an important check on political power. Once elected, even with a 5 vote Barich margin, a politician is invested with the dignity of the office, the inertia of the status quo and the name recognition of public attention.
Those who wrote the recall laws realized that the ordinary citizens need a way to take away the power they grant a public official in an election. Democracy gives a lot of power to those who are elected to weld that power. But, mistakes happen and we always want ordinary citizens to have the final say. Democracy works as well as it does because it invests ultimate power in individuals with the equal and basic power of one person-one vote.
That Barich is facing recall within a year of his election means simply that he has offended and disagreed with so many people in so many ways that he now has to prove he is worthy of the office he was given. Should he lose by something under 50% of the vote, he goes back to ordinary citizen status. Should the replacement candidate win with something over 34% of the vote, that person will have some time to avoid a recall by representing the voters in ways they approve of.
Your challenge of the recall rules, the low bar to putting a recall on the ballot, is interesting but ultimately dangerous. Raising the bar for recall would dis-empower voters. Whatever the details of Barich’s behavior and the actions of his recall opponents, the recall rules are in place for a good reason and should be defended.
October 8, 2009 6:18 AM
Anonymous said...
Barich never voted against a local sales tax hike. Please try to get the facts right and stop falling prey to the nuts in town. He voted against declaring Cotati in an "emergency" before adopting a city budget that was at that time two month LATE. Had I not seen the city try to hoodwink the community with such a slick move like this "emergency resolution" with my own eyes, I would not believe it possible.
Barich is currently trying to do what he did last October during a budget meeting, lead the town towards a local tax measure the right way without being intellectually dishonest in the process. That's what makes this man a real moderate. He believes in real choices for the voters.
There is an old saying, "Poor plannning on your part, does not constitute an emergency on my part." Barich insisted on first passing a city budget to see where the city stood before declaring any fiscal "Emergency". But city management had a different game plan of deception in mind.
If the people want to really see a real democracy in action, we should have both a sales tax increase ballot measure, and a sales tax decrease ballot measure along side one another so city officials can get a reality check once and for all.
October 8, 2009 8:33 AM
Anonymous said...
The special election to recall George Barich is about a lot more than George himself. Indeed, it is about democratic process itself. Step back for a minute from whether you do or don’t like George and I am unaware of any actual law he has broken. The fact of the matter is that people are chosen by the election process all the time where nearly half of those voting do not like the outcome. That is why we have terms of service after which the people get to vote again.
In this case it is a clear miscarriage of the election process to use one side’s dislike for the outcome in order to change the result. Clearly when it is only necessary to get twenty percent of the vote to get elected when there are multiple seats to fill it makes a recall effort like this one nearly a fait a compli.
So what is happening here is something that every citizen on either side of the aisle should be wary of. The election process is being hijacked because a candidate was elected by due process that is not in favor with some of the electorate. This happens in every election. The only difference here is that the people of Cotati are being asked to be a party to subverting the very principles of a fee and democratic government upon which our society is based.
Be very, very careful when you agree to participate in this exercise because when you do so you are agreeing that the next time it will be okay for the same thing to happen to your chosen candidate.
October 14, 2009 10:19 AM
Anonymous said...
Let me get this straight. Vote for the recall in part, because Barich denied citizens the opprtunity to raise city taxes so everything will be fiscally fine in Cotati.
He denied the people a chance to vote to raise taxes? First Barich didn't block a sales tax vote. He voted against declaring an emergency to place a sales tax initiative on the ballot. The point, and a lot of us who attend council meetings agree, was that Cotati officials should balance the budget
first which has not been done still before raising taxes in a recession which is rediculous in the first place. What great PR for Cotati. Come on and do your small business in Cotati, a town which would have the highest sales tax this side of New York City if approved. Great. As it is, there are too many vacant spaces in Cotati now in case no one has noticed. And some people who wish to do business in Cotati are met with the runaround by city hall, high fees, inspection charges which can have added fees upon a completion inspection and so on. I personally know of a friend who is young and not jaded by current politics who wanted to locate his business in Cotati but became so discouraged with trying to set it up that he will not locate here and now has a dim view about how Cotati is run. He thinks raising sales taxes is a stupid thing to do,especially when trying to attract new businesses.Is Cotati
officialdom even doing that?
Great, keep business out even as businesses leave Cotati. Better hope Reliance doesn't bail or Cotati is finished as a town. Lack of their sales tax would be the nail in the coffin. If some state tax changes don't materialize soon,
Cotati might well go bankrupt anyway.
We are in a time when just sales taxes and dependence on consumers will not support a city like Cotati. There has to be structural tax changes from above to help solve small and large city's budget problems.
Service costs, high salaries, benefits to name a few, and myopic fiscal irresponsibility by councils past(two members, Gilardi and Orchard, spendthrifts who helped get Cotati into this mess long before the economic meltdown are still on the council)have contributed to this fine mess and recall organizeres are costing the city even more in election expenses which they say they will pay back. Yeah right.
I voted for Barich because he is aware of the problem of fiscal irresponsibility and wants to
get Cotati to quit its past financial mistakes and balance the budget.
Now because of a few people who saw the chance to recall him because of political gaffs and the fact they don't like him, spread lies to get the recall ballot measure approved. Recall organizers had it in for Barich long before the events which precipitated the recall effort. Joan Simon and Lisa Moore the former crybaby councilperson and her husband particularly the "town drunk" as he is sometime known are a few folks who hate Barich and have had a vendetta against Barich for a long time.
A vote for the recall will validate
the lies of a cabal which thinks it knows what is good for Cotati but which has altered this special town's spirit and character for over a decade.
A vote against the recall is to support the notion that divergent views should be heard and a tyranny against one councilman should be denied. He was elected with over thousand votes and now a witch hunt based on lies and deception has fouled the character of Cotati even more. Vote no on the recall.
October 15, 2009 12:39 PM
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I just wish everyone had shown the courage to own what they wrote. But, this being Cotati we're talking about, I suppose I understand.
A couple points caught my attention, namely, the conduct of the recall petitioners, and the denial of the voters' right to choose whether to tax themselves.
The problem with the recall people is that they talk AT people, not to them. Sure, I can refute some of the supposed "facts", but why bother at this point? For whatever reason, 25% of Cotati's registered voters decided that a recall was justified. We have to honor that. It's a pain (and you can't even imagine the half it), but it's what it is. As Kim points out, it's statistically imbalanced in relation to the other candidates' requirements, although not a slam-dunk for either side when it comes to recall. We'll find out in less that two weeks. Thank God! This isn't political activism, it's torture.
Some of the posters are absolutely correct. The sales tax measure was never brought to a vote. The vote to declare a "fiscal emergency" was. As evidence of the gravity of such a declaration, we have a virtually unprecedented process requiring an absolute majority, not a simple majority, or a super-majority, as would be required for something like a moratorium, but an absolute belief that there was a grave circumstance where no other option existed in the minds of the staff or Council. All other options were far from exhausted. It's just that the sacred cows of the unionized public sector were being threatened, and political legacies were at stake. Can't do that. No way! Instead of getting tough and making the hard choices, it was so much easier to resort to the playbook of modern municipal strategy. Namely, hire a consultant to justify what you want to hear and do in the first place, then strike fear into the minds of those you want to subjugate. Same old story being played out all over America by cities that behaved like flamboyant drunks at the casino, but that forgot that rent was due, or that the piper had to be paid.
The real plan was basically this: Pass an imbalanced budget that reflects the real story of gross mismanagement, then take a bridge loan (with interest) based on revenue projections that time and time again prove to be overly optimistic. Essentially, back end load the current fiscal year by bringing forward money you don't have, thereby balancing the current budget shortfall and making idiots look like geniuses. Same flawed theory that got us to where we are today on so many levels. Only what about next year's imbalanced budget? More taxes? Doubt it! How about merely postponing what you should have done when you first saw the writing on the wall, before denial and imprudent actions put you squarely into the 11th hour? Probable. The accounting is false, and it's nothing more than a poorly contrived ruse. Sure, give them their out, deny your conscience and everything you ever learned about common-sense, integrity, honesty and give those voters their chance to decide to see things your way. If that doesn't work, hire another consultant to convince them.
"Hope" is a word, not a viable strategy.
For Barich supporters to boldly claim that my life partner Joan Simon has a "personal vendetta" against George Barich is absolutely untrue.
We both actually find George to be soemtimes funny, sometimes charming and occasionally erudite. If there was a "vendetta", she certainly wouldn't have recommended him for some committee seats when appointments were handed out in January. And George himself wrote to Joan as recently as January that he admires her. Hardly personal animosity.
Do we agree with him politically on every issue? Not necessarily- but nothing risable.
What we do not like is his personal attacks on fellow Cotatians, many who have served the city well.
What we do not like is his penchant for holding the city and its citizens up to ridicule.
What we do not like is his inability to separate politics from governance; there is a difference- an important one.
What we especially don't like is his moral laxity concerning various laws and city codes. How can he be a leader and a scofflaw at the same time?
So no, you are wrong. Joan's and my support of the recall is not personal, it is what we both feel is best for Cotati.
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