For those of you not privy to Rocklin City Council Drama – Councilmember Diana Ruslin abruptly resigned and moved to Georgia. The vacancy was filled last night.
I had written a short vignette about the race on 8/19 pending the outcome of the appointment drama:
This is a truly bizarre situation. Diana Ruslin moved to Georgia, opening a seat up for an appointment as the vacancy occurred after the window to declare a two-year-seat election. Several of the existing councilmembers have made it clear their preference to appoint Ken Broadway to the vacant seat.
Broadway was considered the top candidate for the ensuing election, before Ruslin’s move.
George Magnusen retired as well, ending his long tenure on the Rocklin City Council – a move that all but guaranteed Broadway’s election.
The lack of clarity has brought several candidates in to the race, liberal democrat Mike Mattos whose whole campaign is centered around public transit, a Michelle Vass who lives in an apartment and community activist and Republican Activist Joe Patterson.
Some in Rocklin are upset over Patterson’s entry in to the race. With Ken Broadway seemingly due to be appointed on 9/14 – Patterson’s entry in to the City Council Race gives the voters a sane alternative to Mattos who would have been a near shoo-in without another viable alternative.
Your Candidates are:
Incumbent Republican Dave Butler
Incumbent Republican Greg Janda
Republican Ken Broadway
Republican Joe Patterson
Republican Michelle Vass
Republican Mike Mattos
Ken Broadway indeed got appointed last night DESPITE being on the ballot. Should Broadway win in November – it would open up ANOTHER seat to be appointed – more on that in a second.
What I find confusing about this is that Ken Broadway had been positioned as the heir apparent to the seat everyone expected George Magnusen to retire out of. Broadway was raising money and support. By appointing Broadway to fill a vacancy were his allies on the council saying that they lacked confidence in Broadway’s ability to win a campaign?
Even more bizarre is that they could have had their cake and eaten it too. Bill Halldin had indicated interest in getting that appointment. This is the same Bill Halldin that ran for Assembly after several others in local government opted out. This is the same Bill Halldin that took one for the team so to speak – at significant personal expense as I know he is in debt from his campaign.
As I learned, there was an apparent fixation on appointing Ken Broadway and as a result, Bill Halldin never applied for the vacancy.
Now you have a dynamic where if Ken Broadway mounts a campaign for a second seat on the Rocklin City Council – the other candidates will rightfully be able to claim that the “Good ‘Ol Boys Network” are trying to set up a second appointment. This is NOT the narrative you want in the Donald Trump election cycle.
This is why the lack of situational awareness baffles me. Beyond abandoning Bill Halldin, they set Ken Broadway up for failure. IF he campaigns, then he is a tool of the Good Ol Boyz to control two seats and if he does not, then it looks to the seasoned observers that they rescued him from having to run (and potentially fail a second time) a campaign.
For this blogger – the situation makes my life easier making picks for Rocklin City Council. Win or Lose (in 2016) Broadway is still a Rocklin Councilmember, therefore he does not need the support of this blog as his now real position on the council fulfills my commitment to support him.
I helped elect Greg Janda to Rocklin Council in 2012. Short of Janda committing a felony, he will have my support and endorsement as long as he wants it. Greg Janda is very well liked and I respect the way he has approached dealing with the community. In his 4 years on the council, I’ve heard nothing but good, even glowing reviews of who he is as a person and what he has done on the council.
I committed to Dave Butler when I had breakfast with him that I would support him. Therefore, I am honoring that commitment and endorsing him at this time.
All that said – I will be enthusiastically supporting and doing what I can to elect Joe Patterson to Rocklin City Council. I encourage those of you reading to do the same. Joe Patterson will be a breath of fresh air for Rocklin. His connections to real people as well as his experience dealing with people of all types in the political spectrum are exactly what Rocklin needs.
All this, and he is at least 10 years of age younger than the next youngest incumbent on the council. You can find out more about him here: www.joepatterson.com
To be continued…
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I don’t live in Rocklin or know any of the candidates but what does living in an apartment have to do with anything? Are you suggesting someone who lives in an apartment isn’t qualified to run for office?
@SCA: When your opponents all have mortgages, long-established residency and careers – it is indeed an issue. Now, if this person has been in the same place for 10ish years, no it would not be. Thanks again for reading.
Query, you express the need for government transparency, yet you endorse Joe Patterson. According to his occupation he has listed himself as a local small businessman, but in reality, he is employed by the State of California’s Gaming Association. His position is to establish gambling card rooms throughout the State. Isn’t this vital information that the public should be made aware of? And are there any ulterior motives, like setting up a gambling room in Rocklin.
Also, Mr. Patterson is for local businesses. Would the above be considered in that pursuit? in a buying survey 68 to 74% of the time, he uses on-line purchasing and mail ordering. So when does his supporting local businesses come into play?
One more query: how many City Council meetings has Mr. Patterson attended to learn the process and get to know the City Council?
Blogger’s Notes –
Bill – it is obvious that you have attempted to engage in negative opposition research against Mr. Patterson. If you decided everyone who shops on line is disqualified, you could eliminate 2/3 of the population.
As to the card room thing? It is illegal to put a Car Room in Rocklin – I won’t tell you why, but it is easy to find out why if you do real research. You probably need to refine your smears before you use them.
“Businessman” is a generic ballot designation that has been upheld in court many times. You don’t have to like it, but it is far from dishonest. I’d suggest that your future queries be a little more defined. Thanks again for reading
Hi Aaron, Per our previous discussion, I have been a Republic since 1972. I would appreciate it if this error was corrected. Thanks, Mike Mattos
Blogger’s Note: Done.
Blogger’s Note: The below comment is an example of the obsession the Rocklin Good ‘Ol Boys Network has with Joe Patterson. My direct answer to this is simple, anyone who has friends anywhere can and should call them for support. If the good ‘ol boys network in Rocklin has put out an edict that no one local is to support Mr. Patterson then he gets to go where he needs to in order to fund his campaign. That said, my intelligence on the ground shows that Patterson has a ton of Grassroots support. This makes him the Rocklin equivalent of Donald Trump – I am also glad to see that some are nervous as a cat on a hot tin roof about his candidacy.
Last note – the quip about the cardrooms. This is the number one lie being spread. It is illegal to build new card rooms in California. Those that existed in 2011 are it. The Good ‘ol Boys in Rocklin are using that canard against Mr. Patterson. It is sad to see people that I have known for a long time not doing their homework before making campaign assertions.
According to Patterson’s 7/21-9/24 campaign contributions report, 66% of his contributions came from donors outside Rocklin–LA, the Bay Area and Nevada–including $2,000 from Los Angeles gambling executive Roy Choi, General Partner and CEO at Knighted Ventures LLC, an entertainment and gaming investment company headquartered in Emeryville. Why? What interest do these out-of-towners have in Rocklin’s city government?
I am not part of any “old-boy network” and wouldn’t know about any “edicts.” The above is public information available to anyone at city offices. Although Joe likes to think I’m somebody’s puppet, my antipathy is voluntary and based solely on personal evaluation of his past positions and tactics.
Besides, you ignore the obvious: WHY are new cardrooms prohibited, and WHY is Patterson downplaying his association with them by choosing “small businessman” instead of “non-profit association director” or “card room lobbyist” as his ballot designation? The Trump analogy is fitting. Carry on.