The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Political Action Committee endorsed Meuser for the California Senate. They stated “We believe you will be an excellent representative for taxpayers and look forward to working with you in the years ahead.” Meuser is honored to have received this endorsement. Meuser stated “It is time for the citizens of Contra Costa and Alameda counties have a representative who will fight for the taxpayer.”

DeSaulnier has been an Assemblyman or a Senator representing Contra Costa for the last six years. During these years, DeSaulnier has received an F grade each year. According to Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association Report Cards, DeSaulnier has been one of the worst representatives for the taxpayers. DeSaulnier’s grades are as follows:

2007 – 3.4%

2008 – 12.3%

2009 – 0%

2010 – 15.2%

2011 – 14.9%

2012 – Not yet released

Average grade 9.16%

After seeing DeSaulnier’s voting record, Meuser replied “This year the choice is real clear for the citizens of Contra Costa and Alameda county. Do they want a representative who works for the taxpayers or do they want someone who works against the taxpayers.”

Meuser is an attorney based in Walnut Creek, running against incumbent Mark DeSaulnier who is seeking his second and final term in the California State Senate. For more information on the Meuser campaign visit www.MarkMeuser.com.

Congressional candidate Ricky Gill, running against incumbent Jerry McNerney (D) in California’s 9^th District, which includes most of Antioch, was one of a handful of Congressional candidates from across the country who were given the opportunity to speak at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida on Tuesday.

Gill delivered the following remarks, yesterday:

“My name is Ricky Gill, and I am humbled to stand before you today as a Republican nominee for Congress – and a proud son of California’s San Joaquin Valley.

My parents immigrated to the Valley from India and Africa with only their love for each other, a strong work ethic, and the enduring desire to pursue their American Dream.

We all work hard in the Valley, and we’re proud to live there. But today we face crippling unemployment and foreclosures-even the bankruptcy of Stockton, our largest city. Young people leave — or drop out of school to help their families make ends meet. Our friends and neighbors are suffering.

But the Valley is a cautionary tale of failed policies, not false ambitions. No one in this country dreams of dependency; no one hopes for mediocrity. We are ready again to seize the measure of our ambitions – not because the government says we can, but because we believe we can.

We need a new generation of leadership to chart the path – to fight for policies that create jobs, rather than red tape — and to help small businesses succeed, rather than helping green energy companies fail.

Like you, we Valley folks are tough, independent, and faithful – and we are ready to rebuild our American Dream.

Thank you, and God Bless America.”

To see a video of Gill’s speech on C-SPAN’s website, click here.

Gill is a 25-year-old, recent law school graduate from Lodi. If he wins, he’ll be the youngest member of Congress.

For more information about C-SPAN’s election coverage, please visit their Convention Hub at http://www.c-span.org/RNC/.

Ricky Gill speaks at Antioch headquarters opening

By Allen Payton, Publisher

Ricky Gill, Republican candidate for Congress against Democrat incumbent Jerry McNerney, chose a location in Antioch for his Contra Costa campaign headquarters. He and his staff held an opening attended by about 25 volunteers and supporters on Saturday, July 22.

“We have the opportunity to send a fresh face to Washington,” Gill said. “Let’s send a message to the national political scene. We can make history. I’ll be the youngest member of Congress and the youngest Republican elected to Congress since the first World War.”

The 25-year-old, Lodi native is running in the newly created 9th District which includes most of Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Byron and Discovery Bay, as well as Stockton and most of San Joaquin County.

The campaign headquarters is located at 5109 Lone Tree Way, between Hillcrest Avenue and Vista Grande Drive.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

The Antioch Unified School District’s ballot measure to provide funding to improve Antioch High School failed by about 40 votes.

The parcel tax needed a 55% majority vote to pass and 4,597 yes votes or 54.4% in favor versus 3,854 no votes or 45.6% opposed.

Prior to the vote being certified, School Board Members Walter Ruehlig and Joy Motts said they weren’t sure if the district would seek another ballot measure on the November ballot, if Measure J failed.

Discussions by the full board will take place at their meeting following certification of the election.

The measure would have approved $59.5 million in new bonds for the district. Most of the funds were planned for improvements to Antioch High. However, some of the funds were slated for improvements to Antioch Middle School.

No campaign was run, following the advice of the bond counsel, according to Ruehlig and Motts. That was, they said, because the last bond measure passed without a campaign, either.

One key factor in its defeat could have been the neutral position taken by the teachers union, due to their opposition to the district wanting to relocate their offices to where Prospect High School is located, now.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

Filing for the November elections for local office opens on Monday, July 16 and closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, August 10, unless an incumbent fails to file for re-election. In that case, the filing period is extended until Wednesday, August 15.

In Antioch, now that Measures L and M both failed, the positions up for election in the City are Mayor, the council seats of Council Members Brian Kalinowski and Mary Rocha, as well as City Clerk and City Treasurer.

Rumor has it that Kalinowski will not seek reelection, but Rocha will be running, again. She will have served 32 years in office in Antioch, both on the school board and council at the end of this year.

Three candidates have been discussed for the Mayor’s race, including the incumbent Jim Davis, Councilman Gary Agopian and former Mayor Don Freitas, who after losing to Davis in 2008 might be making a comeback. But, Davis may opt to run for Council, instead.

The question is where is Don? He hasn’t been seen at any public events, lately, including the July 4^th festivities.

For council, School Board Trustee Walter Ruehlig has announced he will be running for City Council instead of re-election. One other candidate, who has already launched his campaign website, is newcomer Noel Pinto, the Director of Parking and Enforcement for the City of Oakland. Other names being bandied about are former Councilman Arne Simonsen and another newcomer, Monica Wilson who works for Mills College as the Executive Assistant to the Dean of Student Life, is a member of the Antioch Economic Development Commission, Vice Chair of the Contra Costa County Democratic Party Central Committee, is the Treasurer for the California Democratic Party Women’s Caucus, and serves as the staff adviser to the Feminist Democrats (Fem Dems), the Mills College Democratic Club.

As of Monday, July 9, two more candidates for city council have stepped forward. First is Jonathan Hernandez, a self-described “lifelong Bail Agent, ” according to his website (although his campaign Facebook page states “I am a financial advisor by profession”), who announced his candidacy in an email to local business owners. His issues are crime, budget and education. In addition to the Facebook page, he has set up an informational and fundraising website at http://www.indiegogo.com/concernedcitizensforantioch offering a campaign T-shirt, bumper sticker and/or pen for contributions ranging from $500 to $5,000, and another campaign website featuring the skyline of San Diego at http://concernedcitizensforantioch.weebly.com and a donation page with amounts ranging from$1.00 to $1,200 using the City of Antioch Police badge icon next to each contribution choice.

Then, in an email to the Herald from a Dr. Douglas Quinn, dated Monday, July 9, 2012, he shared his intention to run for city council, as well. He has “created a little web page to chronicle the process at facebook.com/drdouglasquinn.”

“I’ll be running a rather low-key candidacy, as this will be my first attempt at running for office,” Quinn stated. “However, low-key should not be confused with non-serious. I fully intend to give Noel Pinto, Arne Simonsen and Monica Wilson a good race. If there’s one thing my background gives me legs for, it’s talking up a storm in public venues.”

On the school board, the positions held by Trustees Walter Ruehlig, Claire Smith and Diane Gibson-Gray are up. Both Smith and Gibson-Gray have said they are running. But because Ruehlig will not be seeking reelection, the filing period for school board will be extended five more calendar days.

Also, this year, the City Clerk and City Treasurer positions are up for election. Appointed incumbent Denise Skaggs told me she won’t be running for the position. Treasurer Donna Conley is expected to run for re-election, although she supported Measure L and wanted the position to be appointed.

For more information and filing forms, check with the City Clerk’s office at 779-7009 or the County Clerk’s office at 646-4166 and ask for Candidate Services.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

Walter Ruehlig

In an email message, today, Antioch School Board Trustee Walter Ruehlig announced he will be running for the Antioch City Council in the November election.

Following is the full text of his email:

After requisite soul-searching and vigorous discussions with my better half, I have decided to run for Antioch City Council. It was a tough decision.

Firstly, I respect and like my colleagues on the School Board. I will sorely miss them and the transformational work we’ve undertaken.

Secondly, challenging times as they are for education, city governance is like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Thirdly, I buck conventional wisdom which says to run in mid term with no held office at stake.

Why, then, run?  Well, the School Board seems on pretty firm footing governance wise. It boasts district-wide  academic performance increases (API) in seven of the last eight years and is a state trailblazer on small career based learning academies.

On the other hand, the Council is losing three term Brian Kalinowski.  It could conceivably lose yet another member, contingent upon the Mayor’s race. Given a shortage of some 30 sworn police officers, a budget down from 47 to 34 million dollars, and a tattered image as the capital of smoke shops the city is at a crossroads. It can’t afford a leadership misstep.

I think I offer a blend of tested governance skills, balanced temperment and fresh, independent perspective. I get along without always going along and seamlessly work with all stripes. Civilly stirring the pot with questions and imagination comes naturally.

Importantly, my wife and I also live by the motto, without fear or favor; not bullied or bought. What you see is what you get; I run on my own merits and bow to no political machines or agendas.

Why announce now? Frankly, I want to give plenty of notice for those interested in possibly replacing me on the Board.

I started my public service 44 years ago teaching English for the Peace Corps in an electricity-less village in Turkey. I have  traditional core values and appreciate a smaller, more hospitable Antioch but realize we can’t turn back the clock. We need vision and a cosmopolitan approach of modeling best practices from other towns that have navigated explosive growth.

My approach is fundamentals. I want to see Antioch once again a destination and not a departure point. My motivation comes from growing up in Great Neck, Long Island where people would drop a note at your door asking you to call them if you ever moved. Getting a home there was that desirable.

My agenda will be reduced crime, particularly runaway burglaries; revitalizing a demoralized business climate and city services and regulating rentals and blight.

We have so many blessings, from our myriad good citizens to our notable community center, El Campanil, Historical Museum, churches, schools, parks, adjacent river, mountain, undulating streets and hills. Yes, we have had some severe bumps on our road but Antioch’s journey holds such promise.

Call me at 756-7628 or e-mail me at walter.ruehlig@gmail.com with your ideas.

I accept this challenge with gusto and would be honored by your support in my quest for the Antioch we all dream of.

Walter Ruehlig

Antioch