By Allen Payton, Publisher & Editor

Although the last time I supported Federal Glover for Supervisor was when he first ran and was elected in 2000, this year, I’m supporting him, again. In 2004, I helped run the late Eric Nunn’s campaign against Glover and in 2008, I supported him in the Primary. Then following Nunn’s tragic death that year, I supported the late Antioch Councilman Gary Agopian against Glover in the General Election. Each time, was because I believed his opponents were more fiscally responsible.

Federal and I worked together well on East County transportation issues, going back 18 to 22 years ago, when he was on the Pittsburg City Council and I was on the Antioch City Council. He has continued to work to bring transportation solutions to Antioch and East County, and on so many other issues, as well.

I wasn’t happy with his vote for the 33% pay raise in 2014, which I’ve written about and told him, as it was a demonstration of fiscal irresponsibility, and slap in the face to both county workers and the taxpayers. But, unlike two of his colleagues on the Board, once the referendum had garnered enough signatures to be placed on the ballot, Glover listened to the people, voted to rescind the pay raise and didn’t continue to argue in favor of it, nor whine that he deserved but didn’t receive it. That’s what we want in an elected official – responsiveness to the people they represent.

While I’ve enjoyed getting a chance to speak with his challenger, Martinez Councilwoman AnaMarie Avila Farias, during the campaign and believe she’s well intentioned, from what I’ve learned she has a big government mindset. That’s not surprising since she works for the County Housing Authority. I don’t believe it’s wise to put government employees in charge of the governments for which they worked.

Plus, I believe she would be more fiscally irresponsible than Glover was with his pay raise vote. Following are the reasons for my viewpoint.

First, is the matter of what appears to be an effort by two county employee groups, the firefighters and Deputy Sheriffs, to help buy Avila Farias a seat on the Board. The Deputy Sheriffs contributed $99,000 and the firefighters contributed $50,000 to an independent expenditure committee to pay for mailers and research to help Avila Farias win.  They also each contributed $10,000 directly to her campaign. Plus, another $2,000 was contributed by the International Association of Firefighters PAC.

In addition, she received another $6,000 from other county government employee groups, bringing the total support for Avila Farias by county workers to $167,000 for the campaign.

I don’t think it’s wise for candidates or elected officials to be beholden to government employee groups, because it will be their interests, not those of the taxpayers, when it comes time for contract negotiations and votes. We’ve had too much of that in the past, and the County is still digging out of the hole of unfunded liabilities due to overly generous employee contracts, especially with public safety personnel, in the past.

Second, in a forum during the Primary, which combined candidates for Supervisor in both Districts 3 and 5, she was in support of every proposed government social program discussed that night. Glover wasn’t in attendance, so it took Brentwood Councilman Steve Barr, who is running for Supervisor in District 3 to ask, “all of these programs sound great, but how are you going to pay for them?”

Finally, also dealing with her campaign finances, as of Thursday, November 3rd, Avila Farias shows her campaign has received a total of $85,707.50, yet has spent $114,924.12 with $32,313.83 in accrued expenses, in other words unpaid bills. While she shows $3,097.21 in the bank, that still leaves here $29,216.62 in debt. If she doesn’t win, it will be difficult to raise the money to pay that off. If that’s how she handles the small amount of funds in a campaign, what can we expect of Avila Farias when she’s making decisions about $1 billion in taxpayer funds?

Plus, most of the money her campaign has spent has been outside of the county, which doesn’t show a commitment to local businesses and job creation.

Glover, on the other hand, hasn’t spent more than his campaign has received in contributions, has no accrued expenses and ends the campaign with $8,571.06 cash on hand, as of November 3rd. Plus, almost all of his campaign expenditures have been inside the county, showing a commitment to local businesses and jobs.

Like many others, I didn’t think Glover would have the strength to run for a fifth term on the Board, following his heart and kidney transplant surgery, last year. But the Supervisor has proved to be quite resilient and he’s made an amazing recovery, thank the Lord.

Also, while I don’t usually support a candidate serving more than three, four-year terms in any one office, as I believe people can tend to get arrogant, out of touch and complacent, Glover has proven he can continue to work hard and is committed to representing his constituents.

Furthermore, unlike Avila Farias who has serious challenges working with at least two of her colleagues on the Martinez City Council, and does not have their support in this election, Glover does work well with the rest of the members of the Board of Supervisors. Those two council members are supporting him, instead.

Finally, while we have and will probably continue to have our disagreements on issues, from time to time, and I believe this should be his last campaign for the position, in general I believe he is the better candidate in the election for County Supervisor in District 5. Please vote for Federal Gover on Tuesday, November 8th and keep him on the Board representing the portion of Antioch north of Highway 4.

Dear Editor:

In an election year that has been notable more for wild hyperbole than substantive discussion, even our local races have not been immune from the kind of irresponsible and baseless rhetoric that has plagued those on the national stage.

One case in point. Last week an opinion article written under the byline Selina Button was posted by Mike Burkholder on his East County Today blog, and posted as a letter to the editor on the Antioch Herald news website. The article included false, defamatory, and possibly libelous statements about me, my wife, Argentina Davila-Luevano, and my friend, John Crowder.

The reason for her unwarranted attack? We were quoted in a press release by Rocketship Education as being in favor of their building a brand new, high-performing, elementary school in Antioch. Ms. Button characterized our positive comments as, “an effort to support their own personal financial gain.” She went on to ask, “Were they possibly promised a job by Rocketship?”

For the record, we have absolutely no gain, financial or otherwise, coming our way from Rocketship. Neither have we been offered jobs or anything else. In fact, the only thing we were promised was that people who want to maintain the failed status quo would likely try to smear anyone supporting their efforts…something I didn’t want to believe at the time.

Regardless, we stand by our support of Rocketship. As those who know us are aware, Argentina and I are long-time advocates for children, and particularly for children of color and/or those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged. We see the addition of a Rocketship school as an important step in solving the problem of the horrifically underperforming schools in our city.

Unfortunately, It is clear that those who stand in the way of much-needed education reform in Antioch are willing to make false statements, to bully, and to try to mislead the public about a good organization, Rocketship, that truly has the best interests of our children at heart. They have shown that they are willing to use such unseemly tactics against Rocketship’s supporters, as well.

We’re not going to back down, though. We’ve fought for years for the rights of children. The right to a good education for all is too important for us to cave in. We urge everyone who realizes we need change to get the facts about Rocketship. Their model is working for students around the country. Let’s make sure they have the chance to bring this same success to Antioch’s students, as well.

Angel G. Luevano

Antioch

By Acting Sergeant James Stenger 3604, Antioch Police Field Services Bureau

On November 5, 2016, at approximately 2:08 PM, Antioch Police Department dispatch received several calls regarding a solo motorcycle collision on Hillcrest Avenue at Terrace View Avenue. APD Officers arrived on scene and it was determined that a 49-year-old San Francisco male was riding his motorcycle northbound on Hillcrest Avenue at a high rate of speed.

The male lost control of his motorcycle and struck a tree in the center median of Hillcrest Avenue. The male was transported to a local hospital in critical but stable condition. Alcohol or drugs do not appear to be a contributing factor in this collision.

This preliminary information is made available by the Field Services Bureau. There will be no further information released regarding this case at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Dear Editor:

I just discovered and I am outraged this morning that the Antioch City Council intends to hold a council meeting next Tuesday, November 8th – election day.

My wife Tina and I do not suffer fools well. It is very ironic that not only is a meeting planned, but the agenda reflects an urgency item and two public hearings. I find it funny and convenient that these important matters are squeezed in at times when the public may not be fully available to attend.

I have not reviewed the 2015-2016 calendar completely, but it seems odd that major issues of importance seem to make it to the agenda around the time when citizens are least available.

I urge the City Council to cancel the meeting that is scheduled for November 8, 2016 and reschedule to a date and time that the community can be available.

Some will say that most voters in our county have voted early. But, considering how important and controversial our national election is this year, most will be glued to the news outlets covering the election.

So, in my view, they are attempting to sneak more decisions by us while we are looking the other way.  I am angry, as my wife and I expected the City to have greater consideration for the citizens of Antioch.

Fred Rouse

Antioch

Operation Ceasefire is a problem-oriented policing intervention aimed at reducing youth homicide and youth firearms violence. Began in Boston, it has been adopted by Chicago, Cincinnati and Indianapolis, and these cities achieved reductions in gun homicide of 25 to over 60 percent. In California, Stockton reduced gun homicide by more than 43 percent between 1998 and 2001. The Contra Costa’s District Attorney’s Office has been operating a pilot program in Richmond for several years.

“We have been monitoring the success of Ceasefire in Richmond since I chaired the Public Protection Committee,” of the county, said Supervisor Federal Glover. “There has been a significant drop in violent crime in Richmond and we want to spread the program countywide.”

This strategy, based upon extensive research and experience, has evolved from a primary focus on deterring serious gang and youth gun violence, to a comprehensive approach that combines deterrence with workforce training, employment, and other services.

According to the Northern District of California U.S. Attorney’s Office, “The Operation Ceasefire model is being used in California under the program name Safe Community Partnership (SCP). The SCP is a partnership among the Governor’s Office, private funders (including the California Wellness Foundation, the California Endowment, and Kaiser Permanente, Community Benefits, Northern California Region), the Public Health Institute, and six California cities (Modesto, Stockton, Oakland, Salinas, Oxnard and Union City). These partners are working together to implement an evidence-based, data-driven approach designed to reduce serious gang violence in the near term and on a community-wide level. In addition to Oakland and Salinas in the Northern District, East Palo Alto, Richmond and Union City have been added to the Safe Community Partnership/Operation Ceasefire program.”

Contra Costa County is searching for a coordinator for the Ceasefire program, which will be run out of the County Administrator’s Office and work across the various county departments, including the District Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office, Probation and Health Services. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) has been issued for individuals interested in the position of coordinator.

Interested individuals can view the RFQ at: http://www.cccounty.us/2366/Services-­Programs

Final responses will be due at 651 Pine Street, 10^th floor, Martinez, CA 94553 by noon, Nov. 17, 2016. Questions about the RFQ can be submitted to lara.delaney@cao.cccounty.us by 12 p.m. on Nov. 7, 2016.

“Reaching out to these gang members, or people who are thinking about joining a gang, might make them think twice before they break the law or commit an act of violence,” said Glover. “Ceasefire will help reduce incarceration and, in the end, reduce the social and financial costs for our society.”

For more information about Operation Ceasefire, click here.

Assemblymember Jim Frazier, whose 11th Assembly District includes much of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, has called upon a state board to reject a change in water rights as proposed by proponents of the Delta twin tunnels project.

“My constituents expect to be protected by the State of California,” Frazier said in a six-page letter to the State Water Resources Control Board, which is considering a petition to divert water from the Sacramento River into the tunnels that would be built by the California WaterFix Project. frazier-waterfix-letter-nov-2016

The project requires a change in water rights. A petition for that change was filed this summer by the state Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which want to ship water to Central and Southern California by going around the Delta via twin tunnels.

With public hearings on the petition continuing this month and into the new year, Assemblymember Frazier denounced the proposed diversions, saying they would “devastate Delta communities that rely on a healthy Delta environment to ensure a thriving local economy.”

Frazier asserted that the WaterFix Project does not meet the requirements of the 2009 Delta Reform Act, which established the co-equal goals of providing a reliable water supply while protecting, restoring and enhancing the Delta – “in a manner that protects and enhances the unique cultural, recreational, natural resource and agricultural values of the Delta.”

“This language was not just provided as an idle consideration for the administration, but represents a high-level declaration of policy that must be satisfied,” he wrote.

Frazier criticized the WaterFix Project, stating that it does nothing to increase or ensure a reliable water supply, nor does it take into consideration that the water it proposes to take is needed by those who live and work in and around the Delta. The diversions, he said, will endanger the livelihoods of those who depend on Delta farming, fishing and tourism, as well as the millions of Californians who get their drinking water directly from the Delta.

And a proposal to backfill the diversion by taking water from farmers and communities in other parts of the state is also unacceptable, he said.

“I urge the administration not to take water from farmers and communities around the state to give it to the Delta just so that the administration can turn around and justify shipping approximately the same volume of water to Southern California,” Frazier added.

To contact Assemblymember Jim Frazier please visit his website at www.asmdc.org/frazier or call his District Offices at 707-399-3011 or 925-513-0411. Follow Assemblymember Jim Frazier on Facebook and “Like” him for updates on events and happenings in the 11th AD.