I’m still fuming about yesterday’s Signal article in which a now elected public official teamed up with her husband and threw mud at her defeated rival the day after the election.
Truly, the Colleys showed no class:
She entered the race for Newhall Water board with a clear objective: stop Michael Cruz, a candidate with union backing, from bringing unions to the Newhall County Water District.
“I was a bit concerned over Mr. Cruz boasting over his union support,” Colley said.
The “boasting” occurred during a trip to Sacramento attended by Cruz, Colley and nearly 70 other Santa Clarita Valley political and business leaders.
“I don’t think (unions) have any role in our water issues,” Colley said.
…
“The political reality is that (unions) financed his campaign. They would expect him to unionize (Newhall County Water).”Cruz said he views the comments as an insult to him and other civil service employees.
“He’s not just insulting me, he’s insulting the sheriff’s department, the fire department and all the employees at Santa Clarita City Hall,” Cruz said.
The anger is made all the more potent when considering the fact that Kathy Colley admitted her ignorance about all things water during the campaign and the fact that she didn’t really campaign at all. Yet voters put her into office.
Fine. I could accept that. I could accept the fact that the Colley name carries a certain cache among some voters in town and that’s the reason she beat Mike Cruz, who, you know, actually knows something about water issues and campaigned hard.
But I can’t accept a victorious candidate trashing her opponent after the election. Then again, I suppose that’s par for the course with the Colleys. Back in 2006, Ed Colley called former City Councilwoman and retired Naval Officer Jan Heidt “bitter” after she complained about Colley’s Army son sending out Colley campaign literature for free courtesy of the US Military in Iraq. Colley won that race but felt it necessary to criticize his opponent after that election too.
It’s tempting to draw big generalizations about Santa Clarita after reviewing the NCWD race: the crass nepotism of the business and government ‘elite,’ the vast apathy of its voters, the need for better media to report these kinds of things and pursue them, but in the end, there’s just no accounting for people who lack class and dignity, even when they are victorious.
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Such a lack of couth on the Colley’s part and apathy of voters.
I sure hope the truth will prevail in the April elections by actual newspaper coverage of the canidates qualifications and voter participation.
Yes!TimBen in 10!!
I do not think the average voter in this town actually reads anything but the sample ballot. What we need is a higher level of voter turnout and that is an issue that I do not think anyone has a clear idea of how to achieve. Colley should be ashamed of such an insult after the election. Mike Cruz has more integrity than she will have in her entire life, and I am saying this as a card-carrying conservative Republican. Cruz should have won and she knows it.
And if she does not bone up on water issues? Can anyone say “recall?”
Okay reading that Signal article I had to take a second take to make sure the web browser wasn’t on http://www.theonion.com.
I think I am going to run for the Board of Equilization, there is enough info on wikipedia for me to figure it out once I get elected.
Samuel Adams:
If, and I agree, the average voter is rather casual and ill-informed in the SCV, how does raising the voter turnout solve this problem?
It is not raising voter turnout overall, it is raising educated voter turnout. And that is a problem.
Great commentary, Jeff. I assure you, if you actually knew Ed and Kathy, you would really understand just how upsetting it is to have both of them as elected representatives. We have hit rock-bottom with these two.
Ed seemed to think that just because he is Ed Colley, he should be exempt from obeying the law. That was bad enough, but to actually enlist the help of his son in an illegal action while his son was still in the military, that sums up Ed and Kathy’s lack of integrity and family values pretty well.
I don’t think we should need to wait until she is in that position, I think we should start a recall petition on Kathy Colley NOW. With her husband on CLWA, Kathy Colley shouldn’t be allowed on the Newhall water board.
Good commentary Jeff. Not only Jan Heidt complained about Ed Colley’s son using the free military mail. I also sent a letter to the Army Inspector General.
Sad that the Colleys are in local politics and just goes to show you how screwed up elections are in this community. Both an educated public and better turnout are required. Folks need to stop taking the prettiest glossy flyer to the ballot box and instead listen to the candidates. Perhaps this latest event will spur folks on to become more educated and involved.
The Signal hasn’t helped in this regard although even they did not have the gumption to endorse Colley!
Samuel Adams says: November 6, 2009 at 4:24 pmIt is not raising voter turnout overall, it is raising educated voter turnout. And that is a problem.
It has always been a problem. That is why the founding fathers created the electoral college, to over-rule a bad choice made by an uneducated public.
It seems that those who oppose the Colley campaign should have banded together to run together in the district to inform the voters and limit costs . Certainly if BJ-Gutzeit-Cruz had run together, it may have tipped the balance for Mike . Blame the voters-not the Colleys…they promised nothing…and that’s what you may expect to get.
Ed’s comments on the face may seem pointed and cruel, but in talking to folks about Koegle for COC–”Attorney ” did not poll well either.
Maybe Mikec should get a job at Culligan or Sparkletts to help in the next election.
Mike Cruz got the short end of the stick this time around …no doubt, but he will be better for this experience.
Further investigation by Petz has revealed that Mikec openly discussed using the NWB as merely a stepping stone for a run against state Senator Tony Strickland (Rep). The Colley run and “surprisingly” strong support must be seen in this context, and puts this issue in an entirely new light. GOPers think Mikec is a “nice guy” , but really can’t be expected to take him to the prom.
Name your source Petz.
You know why that doesn’t add up? The legislative districts are going to drawn by a nonpartisan committee for 2012 without regard to party registration. This chances are slim to none that under a blind system Simi Valley and Santa Clarita would have the same Senator. Look at a map, it’s an oddly-shaped district and Santa Clarita is on its eastern extreme. Plus, Mike doesn’t even live in Strickland’s district now.
Petz must respect my sources anonymity, but will say that he was putting some fire to the feet of those who sold out Joe Messina. My source indicated that Colley may have been “beyond horrible” as a candidate , but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
Petz,
That is 100% BS. Why? Easy I don’t live in Strickland’s district.
Petz,
I also wanted to say a couple of more things:
1. If I won a seat on NWCD, I was going to serve the full term, which would end in 2013. If you don’t believe me, contact one of the following: Bob Kellar, Hunt Braly or Scott Wilk…I informed them of the above during and before the campaign.
2. Im a bit disappointed in that you would make an allegation heard from an anonymous source and not have the courtesy to at least contact me “get my side of the story” before you post something like this.
Petz is regretful that Mikec feels that he should have been contacted. It was meant as simple 411 passed on based on my intense questioning of this person about GOP support for Colley at the polls. Colley’s was a stealth campaign and below the radar for even this “informed” consevative. Petz will take Mikec’s word that he lives outside Strickland’s district and that there is no overlap for mischief. Mikec may take comfort in knowing that he is perceived as a credible threat to GOP control of the SCV and not like Luteness-MacFarland who are used to make people believe that we have cometitive elections.
Petz, your source owes you an apology. They are either lying to you or have over-estimated the veracity of their sources. If they were being honest, you couldn’t have received better than 3rd hand information.
Petz is just stating what he was told. He will confront the source because there was an implication that MikeC lived in Stevenson Ranch and Petz remembers being told that Mikec is out CC way. I’m told a lot of Dems live in SR and it is important to hold this ground for Tony.
Full disclosure, I know the Colleys through four years of ROTC with my son. Like them both-but don’t think I would have voted her on to the Newhall Water board.
This is all Sunday morning post game analysis anyway.
Petz, glad their feet will be held to the fire. MikeC is very far from SR. But yes, SR is Democratic, and no, Tony Strickland will not be representing Stevenson Ranch in 2012, so it’s a moot point. No, I’m not 100% sure, but it’s very unlikely. The 19th, at present, takes a very improbably jump over a mountain range, avoiding the San Fernando Valley almost entirely. This was probably done to protect the incumbents at the time. There will be no such consideration in the redrawing.
But note: congressional districts are another matter. Those will be drawn by the Legislature.
Petz and Lucy will remain vigilant and keep a watchful eye on Mikec to make sure there is no chicanery in future years. Mikec can start by declaring that he will run for NCWD at the next opportunity and forego any run for legislative office at the state or national level.