www.montereycountyweekly.com february 9-15, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 17 The idea that California’s coast should be a public resource was not always a given. Amid concerns that private development would cut off public access, citizen-led Proposition 20 appeared on Californians’ 1972 ballots. ThenState Sen. Jim Mills led a bicycle tour down the coast, from San Francisco to San Diego, to rally support. “It is the policy of the state to preserve, protect, and where possible, restore the resources of the coastal zone for the enjoyment of the current and succeeding generations,” the initiative stated. It passed, creating the California Coastal Commission, later codified by the State Legislature with the Coastal Act of 1976. It would be the job of the Coastal Commission to enforce its principles. In the half-century since, the Coastal Commission has come to wield great influence, with decision-making authority over a region larger than Rhode Island, spanning 15 counties. In recent memory, it’s considered Cal Am’s desalination plant in Marina; beach fire rules in Carmel; affordability deed restrictions for the Moro Cojo development in Castroville; and the American Tin Cannery hotel project in Pacific Grove. The agency is governed by 12 commissioners, with four each appointed by the governor, the Senate Rules Committee and the Speaker of the Assembly. And Monterey County leaders are eyeing a vacancy. The Central Coast region— comprising Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties— has not had a Monterey County representative since 2009 when Dave Potter, now mayor of Carmel, was ousted. He was succeeded by Mark Stone of Scotts Valley (a Santa Cruz county supervisor at the time, later an assemblymember), then Carole Groom, who termed out in 2022 after three terms as a San Mateo County Supervisor. Monterey County held the powerful seat for 40 years until losing it for the past 24. Now there is an opportunity to get it back. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon sent letters on Jan. 17 requesting nominations for the appointment. Each of the three counties has 45 days to submit nominations, by March 3. Rendon then has 30 days to review those nominations and either appoint someone, or ask the counties to send more names. The timing might seem obnoxiously bureaucratic, but it matters not just because it is spelled out in statute. It matters in that Rendon is set to hand the speakership to Assemblymember Robert Rivas, D-Hollister, on June 30. That makes Rendon and Rivas political rivals within the Democratic Party. While local nominees would stand a great chance to get Rivas’ blessing, might Rendon might pass over qualified Monterey County nominees, just because of their de facto affiliation with Rivas? In the coming weeks, each of the three boards of supervisors and city selection committees—a group of mayors from each city within the county—are expected to nominate at least one supervisor and at least one city councilperson or mayor. There is not a limit, which means two Monterey County supervisors who are interested could find themselves on the list of nominees. Those are Chris Lopez and Mary Adams. While Lopez’s District 3 is outside of the coastal zone, he sees that as an asset: “I believe a diverse body of members makes organizations stronger, especially when it comes to protecting our coastlines and guaranteeing access for all residents.” (The Coastal Commission’s purview includes protecting public access for all, not just coastal residents.) Adams is Potter’s successor to the coastal District 5, which she says has more coastal land than any other supervisorial district in California. “I believe the Coastal Commission is the most effective commission we have as far as protecting, and being the watchdog,” Adams says. “The Coastal Commission really has the opportunity to forge the future of our county.” Who is Rendon looking for, geographically or politically? I don’t know. But spokesperson Katie Talbot writes, “The Speaker is looking with particular interest at candidates with a strong environmental record, who support coastal preservation, restoration and access for all Californians.” Whether or not it’s a Monterey County representative entrusted with that mission remains to be seen. Sara Rubin is the Weekly’s editor. Reach her at sara@mcweekly.com. Going Coastal Coastal Commission vacancy means a chance for influence—and politics. By Sara Rubin Stop the Squeal…Squid does not waste time watching right-wing propaganda about voter fraud. Some people spend too much time watching it and now imagine fraudulent voting everywhere. In Pacific Grove the leader of the conservative group PGLIVES, Micheal Gibbs, attempted his own version of “Stop the Steal” on Feb. 1 at a meeting of the P.G. City Council. Gibbs was upset over a council vote on Jan. 18 regarding Mayor Bill Peake’s appointments to the P.G. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force. One of Peake’s picks—Marie Hunter, who in her application questioned the usefulness of the task force and was backed by Gibbs—was protested by other residents as unqualified, as Peake excluded the experienced incumbent Kim Bui. Responding to public comment, councilmembers amended the list, voting to include Bui and in the process excluding Hunter. Gibbs told the council that he and others gathered over drinks to commiserate after the vote on Jan. 18, deciding it had to be illegal since changing the list of appointees wasn’t spelled out as an option in an accompanying report. He demanded a re-vote. Peake replied he believed the vote was proper, then turned to City Attorney Brian Pierik to ask if he had any further comments about the vote’s legitimacy. Without looking up from some work in front of him, Pierik issued a succinct analysis: “No.” Swing and a miss. Move along. Dollars and Sense…One way Squid procrastinates on filing Squid’s taxes is looking at other people’s money. Specifically, Squid took a look at campaign finance forms to wrap up last year’s election that were due to the Monterey County Elections Department on Jan. 31. And Squid’s biggest takeaway: A lot of money was spent on local races. In the race for county supervisor for District 2, where Glenn Church spent $271,508 to beat Regina Gage, he ended in the red and gave himself a $20,000 loan to make things pencil out. He’s also already started a 2026 re-election campaign committee. (Gage outspent Church slightly, $280K. She ended the campaign not only without the supervisor’s seat but $67,768 in debt.) In one contentious countywide race, now-Sheriff Tina Nieto spent $282,904, leaving her campaign $28,422 in debt at the end of the year. Nieto won despite being outspent by over 40 percent with $406,458 reported in expenditures by challenger Joe Moses, a captain in the Sheriff’s Office. But Moses only raised $295,233, which appears to leave him in a very deep hole, as in $111,225 deep. Campaign season might be over, but Squid won’t be surprised to see bake sales (shrimp-flavored cookies?) pop up to help politicians cover their costs. the local spin SQUID FRY THE MISSION OF MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY IS TO INSPIRE INDEPENDENT THINKING AND CONSCIOUS ACTION, ETC. “It has the opportunity to forge the future.” Send Squid a tip: squid@mcweekly.com
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