Payton Perspective: Electing Bonilla is fiscally irresponsible, Glazer offers fresh perspective

If she wins on May 19, it will cost us an extra $1.3 million

Payton Perspective logo 2015By Allen Payton, Publisher

I wasn’t happy with the way the field of candidates was cleared of all Republicans, before and after filing closed in the Special State Senate election in District 7, to help Democrat Steve Glazer, have a better chance of winning. I wrote a lengthy and scathing analysis of how it happened, which you can read on the Herald website, by clicking here.

But, I believe Glazer, who is the Mayor of Orinda, when he told me he had nothing to do with it. So, to sit out the election in protest, as I had considered doing, and allow others to choose for me was just the wrong approach.

I thus had to do make an effort and do some work in considering whom I would vote for and whether or not I would endorse either of the candidates in the General Election, on May 19.

While there’s not much difference between Glazer and State Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, in her final of three terms, under the old term limits, on the moral issues, which are important to me, there are some differences on other issues, such as taxes and spending.

CORRECTION & UPDATE: Bonilla’s record on the Concord City Council, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and in the State Assembly, has been marked with irresponsible votes on spending, including giving herself a 71% pay raise when she was mayor, and rich pay and retirement packages to government workers, such as giving police dispatchers a 21.5% pay raise. Bonilla also supported the 60% pay raise for the Board of Supervisors, in 2006, when it was voted on while she was campaigning for the seat, and which she accepted, once in office. All of this was done at the expense of us taxpayers. To be fair, she did take a pay cut in 2009 along with county employees, of two-percent. (An earlier and printed version of this editorial stated Bonilla had voted for the 60% pay raise, which was incorrect).

While Glazer hasn’t been tested at the state level, he has proven to be responsible with spending as part of the Orinda City Council.

I was concerned he would be, in effect, a man without a country, by being a fiscally conservative Democrat in Sacramento. But, as one of only 40 State Senators, where the margin for a two-thirds majority is pretty slim, he can actually be the deciding vote on a variety of issues, which can benefit our county.

The final issue that did it for me was that if Bonilla is elected to the Senate, there will be a special election to fill the rest of her term in the Assembly. That, according to County Clerk Joe Canciamilla, will cost Contra Costa taxpayers another $1.3 million, assuming both a primary and a general election. That figure doesn’t include the costs in Solano County, which makes up the other part of the Assembly District. That’s on top of the $2 million he estimates we’re spending for the current special election.

Bonilla said she was already planning to run for the State Senate seat, next year, when Mark DeSaulnier would have been termed out. But, he started this game of political musical chairs, when he was elected to Congress, last fall, in the middle of his final term in the State Senate.

But, Bonilla didn’t have to run, this year and by doing so, shows that she places her own political career above the interests of the taxpayers.

She could have either waited, or backed former Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan, with whom Bonilla seems to agree with, more than she does Glazer.

Whoever wins this year will have to run, again, next year if they want to retain the seat. So, Bonilla can just wait until then to run, or run for something else. Better yet, she could take a break from public office for a few years and get a job in the private sector to see what it takes to create wealth and the impacts of the decisions she and her fellow legislators made.

I like Susan Bonilla, and have been on friendly terms with her. But, this is not about personality. It’s about whom we are going to rely on to vote in our best interest in the areas of spending and taxes.

I don’t know Steve Glazer and have only spoken with him on the phone a few times.

But, I believe he is the better choice, this year. If there’s a better candidate, with whom I agree more, next year, I’ll consider them, then. For now, Glazer is the best choice to represent us in the State Senate, offering a fresh perspective and an independent voice.

I’m voting for him for Senate on May 19 and recommend you do the same.


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10 Comments to “Payton Perspective: Electing Bonilla is fiscally irresponsible, Glazer offers fresh perspective”

  1. Rich says:

    I completely agree with this!

  2. Karl dietzel says:

    I can’t believe the the reps are unable to produce a candidate , how will we ever be able to stop the California nonsense ?
    The same applies to the presidential election in 2016.
    I had the chance to meet glazer, and my disappointment was how little he knows about antioch.
    Having said this, he will be my choice too on Election Day

  3. Let’s be clear here: the reason there is no Republican on the ballot is because of political consultants like Steve Glazer who pushed for this crazy “top 2 primary.” He supported it because he knows that the independent special interests who have poured nearly $4 million into his campaign (including $1.6 million from one LA developer) want to make sure that traditional working family-valued Democrats don’t win. This election denies Republicans the ability of voting for a candidate who shares their values. Mr. Glazer has been two-faced in this election — telling Democrats he’s one of them while telling Republicans he’s just like them. Don’t believe it. That’s the reason why leading Republicans (like the GOP Contra Costa DA and leading police organizations) aren’t voting for him, and have called his attacks on his opponent “disgusting.” You can’t trust Steve Glazer, and he doesn’t deserve your vote for this campaign financed by out-of-district special interests.

  4. Marty Fernandez says:

    I trust Steve Glazer and am working on his campaign.

  5. Arne says:

    I’ve known Steve Glazer since he was first elected to the Orinda City Council and have spoken with him several times since he announced his campaign for the State Senate for District 7.

    Clearly, Steve is a fiscal conservative and one who will not bend to the special interests that are supporting Bonilla.

    I have endorsed Steve Glazer as he is clearly the best candidate for the people – not the special interests!! He has my vote and I hope he will have yours as well.

    Election Day is Tuesday, May 19th. So if you are voting by mail, either get your ballot in the mail or drop it off in the red ballot boxes at any City Clerk’s office in the District.

    • Don’t you consider tobacco companies, Big Ag, Monsanto, Dow Chemical special interests? Take a look who is bankrolling Glazer’s campaign? He’s raised little money himself, relying on billionaires and corporations to pay for his effort. He also has been a political consultant to these same special interests — yet there’s no mention of it on his website.

  6. How can voting for Susan Bonilla be “fiscally irresponsible”? She is the ONLY candidate in the race that has voted for on-time, balanced budgets and been part of the team that has helped restore fiscal sanity to Sacramento. Steve Glazer? Zero experience on state budget issues.

  7. Loretta Sweatt says:

    I am voting for Steve Glazer

  8. Julio says:

    Steve: If Mr. Glazer can balance a city budget, and he can, then a state budget is a done deal. City budgets are very difficult just to try to understand so full of hocus pocus. I support Mr. Glazer and mailed in my absentee ballot the day it arrived.

  9. Ignatius Reilly says:

    Steven Maviglio:

    I cannot help but notice you spend an inordinate amount of time posting comments about Glazer in forums and news articles. Don’t you have your hands full running the Independent Expenditure that is viciously and unfairly attacking Glazer? The very IE that is being funded by the unions that want to continue fleecing taxpayers and that is enriching you? I get it, those nice cars and big house don’t pay for themselves, but have you thought about making an honest living so you can afford those things?

Leave a Reply to Arne