Kristin Gaspar, the Encinitas mayor who is running for a seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, raised nearly three times as much money from individual donors as her opponent, incumbent District 3 Supervisor Dave Roberts, during the latest three-month filing period, financial disclosure forms show.
Gaspar collected a total of $145,290 between July 1 and Sept. 24, compared to just $54,904 for Roberts, whose freshman term has been marred by allegations of sexual harassment and illegal use of taxpayer funds – resulting in three claims by former staffers that cost county taxpayers $310,000 to settle.
So far this year, Gaspar has raised a total of $333,168 in cash contributions, not counting a $50,000 personal loan.
Contributions during the most recent filing period include $500 from Jim Desmond, the mayor of San Marcos; $500 from Martin Garrick, the former state Assemblyman and Reagan Administration official; $250 from former state Assembly candidate Sherry Hodges; $850 from Rancho Santa Fe investor William Lynch; $400 from Encinitas City Councilman Mark Muir; $750 from Leon Parma, a close personal friend, advisor and frequent golfing companion of former President Gerald R. Ford; $250 from former Escondido Mayor Lori Pfeiler; $300 from Vista Mayor Judy Ritter; $750 from former San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders; $250 from Carlsbad City Councilman Michael Schumacher; and $100 from Poway Mayor Steve Vaus.
Roberts, by contrast, has collected $236,079 in cash contributions so far this year. He also has loaned his campaign $75,000.
Contributions during the latest filing period include $250 from Julie Norby, a principal in the Solana Beach School District and wife of consultant Peder Norby, once mentioned as a potential supervisorial candidate himself; $250 from Patricia Boaz, executive director of the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy; $200 from San Dieguito Union High School District trustee Joyce Delassandro; $300 from Qualcomm founder Irwin Jacobs; and $100 from environmentalist Diane Nygaard of Preserve Calavera, a leader in the fight to stop a mall project in Carlsbad.
Gaspar also outspent Roberts, although by not nearly as wide a margin. Financial disclosure forms show that during the July 1-Sept. 24 filing period, her payments amounted to $86,046, with the largest chunk, $46,149.47, going to Revolvis Consulting for not just consulting services, but also campaign literature and paraphernalia, campaign advertising, phone banks and website services. Golden State Consultants, which specializes in fundraising, received an additional $15,069.04.
During the same period, Roberts spent $69,698.39, with most of the money going to consultants such as Kennedy Mendoza Consultants ($16,000, plus another $4,000 owed), Gary Gartner/Gartner Public Affairs ($5,000), Jonathan Parker ($7,258.06) and Matthew Rice ($4,436.94). Roberts also paid Tulchin Research $14,160 for polling data.
Each contender also is benefiting from independent expenditure support from political action committees, or PACs.
Thomas K. Arnold is a veteran San Diego journalist who throughout the 80s and 90s wrote for the San Diego County Edition of the Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Reader and San Diego Magazine. He has won numerous awards from the San Diego Press Club and the San Diego Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Arnold is currently publisher and editorial director of Home Media Magazine, a weekly trade publication serving the $20 billion home entertainment industry. He is a former City of Carlsbad planning commissioner, editorial editor and editorial writer for U-T San Diego, and columnist for U-T San Diego and the North County Times.
Most articles by T.K.Arnold usually reflect professionalism as a journalist, so I was surprised as I read this column, I found some cause for disappointment. As author, I was surprised Arnold chose the primary content in first sentence of second paragraph about incumbant Dave Roberts was framed in a way it contained an unnecessary smear upon Dave Roberts’ performance during the first term as Supervisor in District 3, which many consider no longer relevant, or meaningful.
Many supporters of Dave Roberts reasonably argue how although certain allegations made by Roberts’ staff during the first term were unfortunately neither ever proven or disproven, Roberts’ record sustained irreparable damage, yet he was unable to have been exonerated of claims made against him. Roberts did not seek settlement, however Board of Supervisors instead chose settlement of unproven claims by three (3) former members of Dave Roberts’ staff, which incurred cost to taxpayers of $310.000. So, instead of the possibility of applying other potential options, like possibly applying efforts on mediation, or other possible outcome including mediated settlement, possible reduced charges, or finding innocence by Roberts of wrongful conduct, the unfortunate sequence of events left Roberts’ first term performance irreparably damaged, his reputation and record marred.
Although none of the alleged claims against Roberts during his first term were either proven or diproven, Roberts’ opponent Kristin Gaspar in San Diego’s Supervisorial District 3 race during 2016 general election has chosen to exploit conditions, by making herself appear to maintain certain moral and ethical superiority over Roberts. In her campaign materials, Gaspar contrasts herself with Roberts, by indicating her record of public service is unblemished, and she emphasizes how the record of public service by her opponent (incumbant Dave Roberts) fails to reflect highest ethical standards, profesionalism and integrity, which she herself maintains.
Gaspar’s own election campaign as Candidate for District 3 Supervisor appears to have relatively little distinguishment, and her specific experience as a first term Mayor of Encinitas has little direct relevance or distinction to demonstrate her personal capability to fully meet challenges of the far larger scale as District 3 Supervisor for County of San Diego, with a far larger scope of responsibility, far larger budget, perform oversight over an extremely larger scale organization, with unique staffing needs. Gaspar’s brief single term as Mayor of Encinitas may serve as an introduction to larger aspirations in public service. However, many stakeholders expect there is an exceptional learning curve, and practical performance time necessary to develop practical skills to perform all public service duties, responsibilities, and roles to effectively represent the far larger District size, far larger population of constituents in District 3, the varied geographic district boundary, demographic distictions, economic patterns, and community identities within District 3 boundaries. As Supervisor in District 3, the position needs to also analyze needs of District 3 in a way that understands and can proportionally balance the needs of residents within other four Districts, represented by the other four Supervisors.
As Supervisor of a single District among 5 Districts in County, it also seems reasonable to expect practical experience and time will also be necessary to develop specific skills necessary to take actions to also represent public interest of all residents in San Diego County, the 5th largest county in U.S.
Personally, I am not convinced Kristin Gaspar is the most qualified candidate to serve as Supervisor in District 3, County of San Diego. As a stakeholder myself in District 3, I have observed Dave Roberts during the first term, and I have found him to perform his duties of District 3 Supervisor extremely capably, especially during the second half of his term. Dave Roberts’ performance is distinguished by having won countless awards, an ability to apply practical skills as a proven problem solver, a creative thinker who brings fresh ideas to the table, apply analytical skills and work collaboratively with partners, volunteers, land use consultants, developers, and members of the public. Dave Roberts has a technical degree in financial management, and during first term Roberts received an award by County Taxpayer Association, for fiscal skills applied to ensure taxpayer funds are wisely spent.
I am very proud of the many accomplishments made by Dave Roberts, including advancements made through simplified permit processing sequences, improved coordination between departments, maintaining quality of life through measurable metrics which contribute to healthy lifestyle, public health and safety, value placed on education, veteran care, and environmental protection.
I appreciate opportunity to respond w/public comment, and do so in the interest of fairness.