Chief of Administration's Message
December 2006
Political Effort Pays Off
The contentious battle over control of the Rancho Cucamonga City Council came to a conclusion on November 7th with the re-election of Councilmember’s Rex Gutierrez and Diane Williams. In addition, there was the added bonus of Don Kurth being elected Mayor. Kurth defeated three-term Mayor Bill Alexander and handed Alexander his first ever political defeat.
The election was a clean sweep and the second time in two years that SEBA has been drawn into Rancho’s politics, due primarily to the antics of the Rancho Cucamonga Professional Firefighters Association. The fire union has attempted at several junctures to try and convert an apparent 3-2 majority against their issues into a majority that favored giving them greater compensation. Ironically, individuals the fire union endorses are always politically aligned with Mayor Alexander, whose attitude towards the Sheriff’s Department is lukewarm at best, due to his son being arrested multiple times by the agency. Thus, the battlefield was formed once again for this campaign cycle.
The election, successful as it was, still cost SEBA a large amount of money. Even with outside funding to our Local PAC committee, this was a very expensive election to protect our livelihood, and was exclusively due to the antics of the Rancho Firefighters. Beginning Wednesday, December 6, 2006, the new makeup of the City Council will be a pleasant 4-1 supermajority that favors a Sheriff’s contract for law enforcement services. It would appear the new council will maintain this strength for the foreseeable future.
However, long-term planning requires the Association to closely examine the two ill-fated attempts by the Rancho Cucamonga Professional Firefighters at pursuing political agendas that go against the interest of SEBA and its members. The use of the political process by an inexperienced and arrogant group that resulted in thousands of dollars being wasted, is inexcusable to say the least. Between now and the next city election cycle in November 2008, SEBA will explore all means necessary to prevent this type of ill-fated attack from occurring again.
When will the Firefighters figure out that their message of “support our candidates who will give us more,” versus the SEBA message of “Support our candidates who stand for effective government, ” just doesn’t wash with the taxpayers anymore.
It’s hard to believe that police and fire groups who work to protect the residents of the same city can’t work together to further common interests. But there’s always a first for everything.
***SEMI-OFFICIAL RESULTS***
General Election
November 7, 2006
Updated November 13, 2006 – 5:00pm
Mayor - City of Rancho Cucamonga
(Vote for 1)
| Don Kurth |
15,475 |
49.50% |
| William J. Alexander |
14,334 |
45.85% |
| John Kera |
1,397 |
4.47% |
| Write-In |
58 |
0.19% |
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|
Council Member – City of Rancho Cucamonga
(Vote for 2) |
|
|
| |
|
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| Rex Gutierrez |
16,630 |
29.35% |
| Diane Williams |
14,273 |
25.19% |
| Dieter Carlos Dammeier |
8,813 |
15.55% |
| Joseph J. McCaffrey |
4,020 |
7.10% |
| Jim Moffat |
3,543 |
6.25% |
| Nicole Myerchin |
3,162 |
5.58% |
| Luella G. Hairston |
3,116 |
5.50% |
| John R. Lyons |
3,034 |
5.35% |
| Write-In |
67 |
0.12% |
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