San Bernardino Sun Endorses Rita Vogler For 1st District Supervisor , " Rita Vogler Has Earned The Opportunity To Represent San Bernardino County's 1st District on the Board of Supervisors"
Welcome To PaveRoadsFirst.com By Paul Bosacki
The 2 bogus FPPC charges against the Vogler's have been dismissed at the state level. Not any surprise there, where's the Daily Press story? Legitimate FPPC complaints are being filed against Young Homes and S.E.B.A. and their connection to the Mitzelfelt campaign, where's the Daily Press story? You guessed it, there is none.
I am going to be posting pages ASAP on the Registrar of Voters Kari Verjil and her actions so far and why she needs to be fired and prosecuted. Read the 5-14-08 Press Enterprise story below on the Mitzelfelt campaign giving her instructions.
On the Colonies and Young Homes and Mitzelfelts treasurer Betty Presley laundering campaign funds to Mitzelfelt and others, using fake companies and fake political action committee's to hide where the money really came from.
On the San Bernardino County S.E.B.A. Local PAC ID # 1272515 and their multiple violations of the Fair Political Practices Act involving their actions with the Colonies and their political donations to Mitzelfelt and others.
10:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, May 13, 2008
By DUANE W. GANG
The Press-Enterprise
The top aide to San Bernardino County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt pressed election employees over whether Mitzelfelt's opponent in the June 3 election properly filed campaign finance disclosure reports, internal county e-mails released Tuesday show.
Hesperia City Councilwoman Rita Vogler was late filing financial disclosure reports with the county registrar of voters last month.
At the same time, questions arose about whether the campaign should have also filed a copy of financial forms from a committee Vogler established to raise money for her previous Hesperia City Council campaign.
Vogler, along with Hesperia resident Bob Nelson and Hinkley resident Bob Conaway, are challenging Mitzelfelt, who is seeking a full four-year term. Supervisors appointed Mitzelfelt in January 2007 when former Supervisor Bill Postmus left office to become county assessor.
State law prohibits government officials from using public resources for campaign activity.
Paula Nowicki, Mitzelfelt's chief of staff, also helps on his election campaign. She called registrar of voters employees last month questioning whether the Vogler paperwork was properly filed, according to e-mails made available through a public records request.
Nowicki asked employees to double check requirements with the California Fair Political Practices Commission. She also pushed employees to tell the county's public information officer to correct a statement given to the news media, the e-mails show.
"Paula has us double-checking with the FPPC to make sure we really have everything, which I believe we do. She thinks we should have some other forms," Registrar of Voters Kari Verjil wrote in an e-mail to county spokesman David Wert. "I don't agree. I will keep you posted on what I determine."
Mary Lou Mongar, the registrar's manager of candidate and public services, wrote to Verjil about Nowicki's phone calls.
"She is demanding we call David Wert and tell him he has made an incorrect statement in the fact that Vogler's (sic) have filed all of the documents they are required to file," Mongar wrote.
In an interview, Nowicki said she was concerned that false information was going out to local newspapers. "I didn't want the story going to print erroneously," she said.
Nowicki insists that she made the calls from home using between four and six hours of vacation time and was not on county time or using county equipment.
But, Nowicki said, "I know it puts staff in a tough position."
She said she tries to specify with county employees whether she is making inquiries on behalf of the campaign or the county.
Still, Vogler criticized Nowicki over the e-mails Tuesday.
"This is unfortunate. This is such a misuse of power. I am just appalled," Vogler said. "They shouldn't be worrying about campaigns. Even if she is doing it on her own time, she has the title, the power."
Verjil said the registrar's office does not enforce campaign laws and can only inform candidates of the paperwork they must file. Employees regularly contact the state Fair Political Practices Commission when questions come up, Verjil said.
She said election employees treat county workers who also work for campaigns the same as any member of the public.
All five members of the Board of Supervisors have staff that also work on their political campaigns.
Bob Page, the chief of staff to Supervisor Josie Gonzales, sent an e-mail to the registrar's office in April asking whether Vince Laster was an official write-in candidate challenging Gonzales.
Page sent the e-mail from his personal account.
"I make sure anything that might be campaign related, I do on my own personal time and on my own personal equipment," Page said in an interview.
Reach Duane W. Gang at 951-368-9547 or dgang@PE.com
Postmus aide placed on leave
Assessor's Office declines to say if move related to probe
George Watson, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 04/17/2008 09:16:49 PM PDT
County Assessor Bill Postmus announced today he is putting his top executive staff member and longtime friend on paid administrative leave.
The paid administrative leave for Assessor Adam Aleman is effective immediately, Postmus said in a news release issued today.
"In his absence, the responsibilities of Mr. Aleman will be performed by Assistant Assessor for Operations Harlow Cameron, a 35-year veteran of the Office of the County Assessor," Postmus stated.
The Assessor's Office was raided last week by District Attorney's investigators. Authorities served search warrants, and investigators removed several computers, including Aleman's. His Blackberry also was confiscated, sources have confirmed.
It's not immediately clear how Aleman could be tied to investigators' widening inquiry, which sources say covers a range of issues, from running political operations out of a county department to hiring practices by Postmus' office.
Postmus' decision 16 months ago to give Aleman the post raised some eyebrows, given Aleman's limited experience and age (he is in his mid-20s.)
Nevertheless, Aleman has been a close confidant of Postmus', having worked for the assessor - one of the region's most influential Republicans - for several years. Aleman has served as Postmus' spokesman, both as a governmental official and as a candidate, while also taking a leadership role in the Assessor's Office.
Aleman recently came under some scrutiny with news that the county
paid for some of the classes he needed in order to continue working toward his college degree, which was required for the post he has held for more than a year. One of the classes included a course on ornithology - the study of birds.
He also supervised an employee hired by the Assessor's Office who has spent his career as a political consultant.
Mike Richman was paid $49,200 by the Assessor's Office - a sum just under the $50,000 threshold that requires Board of Supervisors approval.
Richman has worked closely with Postmus over the years. Previously, he had been the executive director of the San Bernardino County Republican Central Committee at the same time that Postmus served as the committee's chairman.
Contact writer George Watson at (909) 386-3884 or via e-mail at george.watson@sbsun.com.
Adviser to Postmus eyed?
George Watson, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 04/15/2008 SB Sun
As investigators continue their inquiry into the San Bernardino County Assessor's Office, one avenue they could be pursuing is Assessor Bill Postmus' decision to hire a career political consultant.
Last summer, Postmus' office hired Mike Richman as a consultant. At the time, Richman was the county Republican Central Committee's executive director and worked closely with Postmus, the committee chairman until last spring.
The deal paid Richman $49,200 during the county's current fiscal year, an amount under the $50,000 threshold requiring approval by the Board of Supervisors.
Richman's deal, which originally was pitched at $36,000 before being upgraded, stated he would help with community outreach and Postmus' monthly newsletter.
Richman's hiring required the Purchasing Department's authorization.
Richman was given an office at the assessor's San Bernardino headquarters. Several county sources said it was highly unusual for a consultant to have such an office. Richman also has a county e-mail address.
District attorney's investigators raided the Assessor's Office last Thursday. They took several computers, including Assistant Assessor Adam Aleman's, but not Postmus'.
County officials remain tight-lipped about the case. Sources say investigators are looking at such issues as hiring practices by Postmus' office, along with whether political operations were run out of it.
Postmus did not return a call for comment
Tuesday. Calls to one of Richman's phones went unanswered.
It's clear that Assessor's Office officials were familiar with Richman's background.
"Recently, Richman was awarded an honor from the National American Association of Political Consultants for his tremendous work on the Michelle Steel for Board of Equalization race in 2006," Aleman wrote on his blog for the Flash Report, an online site that promotes Republican ideals.
Richman reported to Aleman, assessor's spokesman Ted Lehrer said Tuesday.
San Bernardino County assessor's office raided
The D.A. would not disclose the nature of the investigation. Assessor Bill Postmus said his office was cooperating in the probe.
By David Kelly, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer April 12, 2008
Investigators with search warrants raided the offices of San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus on Thursday night, carrying off an undisclosed number of computers and files.
The district attorney's office, which conducted the raid, would not disclose its nature Friday. "The search warrants were served and the investigation is ongoing," spokeswoman Susan Mickey said.
Postmus issued a statement saying his office was cooperating fully.
"This inquiry will not interfere with our day-to-day public service, and we are looking forward to a swift resolution," he said. "Taxpayers should know that my office stands ready to assist them and all service will continue uninterrupted."
The former San Bernardino County supervisor has a history of controversy. He was named last year in a state audit of the Victorville-based California Charter Academy, whose founder, Charles Cox, was indicted on charges of grand theft and misappropriation of public school funds.
Postmus accepted $25,450 in political contributions from Cox while running for supervisor. At the same time, Postmus was serving on two of the charter school's boards. He testified about the academy before a grand jury last year.
Postmus, who was elected assessor in 2006, raised eyebrows in 2005 when he and fellow Supervisor Paul Biane negotiated a settlement between the county and Colonies Partners, a Rancho Cucamonga developer.
County lawyers deemed the proposed $77-million settlement excessive, and it was not adopted. Both men had received contributions from the developer or its partners.
A confidential memo outlining the deal was leaked to several newspapers, leading to an investigation by the district attorney's public integrity unit. The leaker was not found, but all five supervisors vowed to take lie-detector tests to help prove it wasn't them.
In his 2006 bid for assessor, Postmus outspent his opponent, Donald Williamson, 10 to 1 but just barely won.
During the campaign, he sent out fliers detailing a sexual harassment claim against Williamson that the county had settled. The mailings included copies of checks the county paid to the women involved.
Biane, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said he could not comment on Postmus because of the ongoing investigation.
With rumors swirling about the district attorney's raid at the San Bernardino County Assessor's Office, elected leaders generally made themselves scarce Friday.
Paul Biane, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors, issued a news release about district attorney's investigators serving search warrants Thursday at the Assessor's Office.
"The county can assure the public that there is no indication either the subject of the investigation or the investigation itself involves or will have an impact upon the efficient operation of the assessor's functions," Biane stated in the release.
He was one of the few officials to comment in any way about the warrants, which district attorney's investigators served at the Assessor's Office just before noon Thursday.
District attorney's officials refused to discuss the investigation, which appears to be linked to a grand jury inquiry initiated in 2007.
But sources in the Assessor's Office said Friday that during Thursday's search, district attorney's officials confiscated desktop computers used by Assistant Assessor Adam Aleman and staff members Sheila Raines, Wanda Nowicki and Mike Richman.
Assessor Bill Postmus' computer was not taken, the sources said.
The Sun reported in late 2007 that Postmus and Aleman had been called to testify before the grand jury. Several sources said the inquiry was multi-faceted.
Investigators were looking at how the office operated, ranging fromthe hiring of employees to whether staffers were working on political matters for Postmus.
Postmus hired people to fill seven of the office's top 12 positions after taking office.
Joshua White, 19, was hired as Aleman's special assistant. White, who also was subpoenaed by the grand jury, recently resigned.
White attended Thomas More College of Liberal Arts in New Hampshire for a year and worked as an intern during Postmus' campaign for assessor.
In 2006, White worked as a volunteer coordinator for the county's Republican Central Committee.
College administrators were surprised to learn White had gained such a lofty position, but said he was a "good worker" and "a smart kid."
Corruption concerns have plagued the county since a major investigation brought down several top officials in the late 1990s, including then-Supervisor Jerry Eaves.
Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles, called the county the "Wild West of ethics."
"Whenever we think about major problems, we think about San Bernardino County because so many things have occurred there," he said.
The number of grand jury investigations, subpoenas and search warrants involving county officials exceeds those in other California counties, Stern said.
He added that the only comparable county is Los Angeles, which has had some small prosecutions at the city level.
"There seems to be a different culture there that people think they can get away with it," Stern said about San Bernardino County.
Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt, whose 1st District encompasses much of the High Desert, was the one public official willing to discuss the case in person on Friday.
Mitzelfelt, who was Postmus' chief of staff when Postmus was a county supervisor, cautioned against immediately linking the recent news to the past, but said he was ready to take action if necessary.
"I trust that the DA is going to thoroughly and expeditiously find out what he needs to find out in the Assessor's Office," Mitzelfelt said. "As a county government official, I want to know what may have gone on as well, so if action needs to be taken, we can take action."
Postmus did not return calls for comment Friday.
Ted Lehrer, his spokesman, issued a news release that said Postmus' office was working with investigators and that the assessor is seeking a swift resolution to the investigation.
"Taxpayers should know that my office stands ready to assist them and all service will continue uninterrupted," Postmus stated in the news release.
The investigation is likely to become a key part of the June 3 supervisorial election.
Mitzelfelt and Supervisor Dennis Hansberger face opponents, all of whom have made it clear that county ethics and corruption are issues they plan to raise.
Hansberger, who did not return a call for comment Friday, has spoken proudly of having been part of cleaning up county corruption.
His opponent for the 3rd District seat, San Bernardino Councilman Neil Derry, has disagreed, saying Hansberger is too entrenched.
If elected, Derry - who declined to comment for this story - has said he plans to call for an independent ethics commission to monitor county leaders.
Mitzelfelt could face a more stern challenge. Not only was he Postmus' chief of staff, he was then appointed by the Board of Supervisors to fill Postmus' seat.
On Friday, Mitzelfelt dismissed concerns about his connections to Postmus.
Since Postmus took over the Assessor's Office, Mitzelfelt said he has only visited it once - to inspect it after Postmus made a budgetary request for a renovation of the facilities.
"If there is a question of any political concerns, there is only the fact that I used to work for Mr. Postmus when he was supervisor," Mitzelfelt said. "If he were being investigated, anything related to my working with Mr. Postmus should be contained to when he was supervisor."
Still, all three of Mitzelfelt's opponents linked him to the assessor.
"I consider them both one and the same," said Rita Vogler, a Hesperia councilwoman. "Shortly after (Mitzelfelt's) appointment, I met with him. At that time, he stated to me that he was very very proud of the work he had done for Mr. Postmus."
Bob Nelson, another candidate and a longtime critic of county corruption, said he was not surprised.
"I have watched county politics for a long time, and I wouldn't expect that the DA would go this far if he didn't have something really strong," he said.
Bob Conaway, another Mitzelfelt opponent, called Mitzelfelt and Postmus "part of one big happy family" of an "old boys network" that continues to look out for special interests.
Mitzelfelt disagreed.
"In the upcoming election, I trust voters will judge my candidacy based on my performance in office and my qualifications," he said.
DA targets assessor
County office served with search warrants
George Watson and Lauren McSherry, San Bernardino Sun Staff Writers
District attorney's investigators served search warrants Thursday at the county Assessor's Office, pushing forward with an inquiry that began over the winter.
The nature of the investigation by the District Attorney's Office remains unclear, but an official with the office confirmed search warrants had been issued and served.
"I can't discuss anything further than that," district attorney's spokeswoman Susan Mickey said late Thursday afternoon. "The investigation is ongoing."
Assessor Bill Postmus did not return a call for comment.
The front doors to the assessor's fifth-floor office in downtown San Bernardino were locked Thursday afternoon, and the lobby lights had been turned off.
Top officials, such as Assistant Assessor Anthony Aleman and office spokesman Ted Lehrer, emerged at times from the shadows to check the lobby.
Employees leaving the building declined to comment.
One employee said Postmus had instructed them not to talk to the media.
At 5:38 p.m., the office issued a statement that read: "Our office has no official comment at this time."
The search Thursday was the latest in a series of public incidents involving Postmus since he chose to run for assessor in 2006, abandoning a successful, albeit contentious tenure as a San Bernardino County supervisor.
Postmus was called by the grand jury to testify in December. At the time, he declined to comment on the inquiry into his office,although sources confirmed that the grandjury had started an investigation.
Jim Hackleman, an assistant district attorney with oversight of the Public Integrity Unit, declined to comment then, saying, "The grand jury is a separate, independent entity and they make their own decisions into what they are going to look into."
Hackleman also was unavailable for comment Thursday.
Postmus spent more than $1.5million in 2006 to defeat Don Williamson, the incumbent assessor, who like Postmus is a Republican.
The new assessor was called last summer to testify before the grand jury in an investigation into financial disparities at the now-defunct California Charter Academy, a charter school with which Postmus had close ties. Postmus has said if convictions are made in the case, he will give campaign contributions from the academy to charity.
Postmus gave a six-month severance package to Jim Erwin, who resigned in October and then received what appears to be the biggest separation deal ever given by the county. Erwin, one of Postmus' two assistant assessors, had no experience in the field and only worked for the office for 11 months.
Postmus approved a request by Aleman to have the county pay more than $8,000 for his college classes, which included ornithology - the study of birds.
Do what you can to help her get elected- the High Desert-You and Your Family will be better off when she is the First District Supervisor. Fill out the endorsement form and make a donation if you can, every penny counts between now and June 3rd. Try this link to view the State of the City video for 2007 when Rita was the Mayor.
The missing 5 years 1995-2000 from Mitzelfelts biographyon his web site were spent working as the Deputy Director for the Baldy View Chapter of the Building Industry Association-BIA. His job title in 1997 was Director of Government Relations for the Building Industry. To quote the story below from the BIA Inland Community Buider Spring 2007 - "and in the private sector as an executive and governmental /legislative policy analyst and advocate for the Building Industry Association of Southern California."
FORMER BIA DEPUTY DIRECTOR MITZELFELT APPOINTED 1ST DISTRICT SB SUPERVISOR
SAN BERNARDINO, CA - The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors in January appointed former BIA Baldy View Deputy Director Brad Mitzelfelt to serve as the supervisor representing the County's first district when his predecessor Bill Postmus was sworn in as County Assessor. Mitzelfelt served as BIA Baldy View deputy director between 1995 and 2000 before he was selected to become the newly elected Postmus' chief of staff. Both Mitzelfelt and Postmus are both past recipients of BIA Baldy View Good Government Awards.
A Victor Valley native, Mitzelfelt will represent the 17,000 square-mile First District which includes roughly one-fifth of the county's 2 million residents and encompasses the bulk of its vast desert region, including the Victor and Morongo valleys.
"Brad's selection is a great victory for all San Bernardino County residents," said Baldy View President Todd Tatum of American Housing Group.
"His long career in public service from serving his country in the Gulf War through two decades of serving his state, the building industry and his county gives him an almost unparalleled depth of experience and knowledge. "We at the BIA feel that Brad is a worthy successor to Bill Postmus and a worthy peer for the finest supervisors in the state."
Mitzelfelt holds a bachelor's degree in Business and Management from the University of Redlands and a certificate in Economic Development Management from the University of California Riverside Extension. Supervisor Mitzelfelt served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Middle East in operations Desert Shield and
Desert Storm. He also served as Chairman of the Victor Valley Transit Authority, and in the private sector as an executive and governmental /legislative policy analyst and advocate for the Building Industry Association of Southern California. *****
In another story that has disappeared from the Daily Press archives Mitzelfelt talks about quaility of life in the Victor Valley, even though he lives in Wrightwood. It's worst then it was then, and he still says.. "water should not be a tool to limit growth, because we need growth."
Mitzelfelt sets priorities for H.D.- VV Daily Press- Ryan Orr
Supervisor reveals his plans for 1st District to Baldy View chapter of the Building Industry Association
February 15, 2007 VICTORVILLE — In his address at the High Desert Building Industry Association luncheon, Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt spent his time talking about the quality of life in the Victor Valley and not about building.
Mitzelfelt said that he had a lot of housing statistics but skipped over them to focus on strengthening the war on gangs, relieving transportation concerns and increasing tourism.
“He spoke on the big picture,” said Todd Tatum, president of the Baldy View chapter of the Building Industry Association, which hosted the event.
“None of us as builders look to the politicians about how the market is doing,” he added.
Mitzelfelt said there has been a 20 percent increase in the cost of public works projects last year.
“Anyone who tries to drive from one end of the Victor Valley to the other knows we have a serious problem,” he said.
Mitzelfelt was comfortable among BIA members, having worked as deputy director for the Baldy View chapter for six years before becoming the chief of staff for former Supervisor Bill Postmus. “Not only does he know the BIA, he knows the High Desert better than anyone else, especially Bill Postmus, because he was up here doing everything,” said Frank Williams, chief executive officer for the Baldy View chapter.
“Being a supervisor is such a different task, he’s going to need a Brad of his own,” Williams said.
Bob Smith, spokesman for Assemblyman Bill Maze, R-Visalia, said that he thought that the people really wanted to hear what Mitzelfelt was all about, and that’s why he spent time talking about what was important to him as supervisor of the 1st district.
Williams said that Mitzelfelt delivered a good message. “It was well received, especially by the elected officials that we had here,” he said.
Sixteen elected officials attended, including Apple Valley town councilmen Scott Nassif, Peter Allan and Tim Jasper; Victorville Mayor Terry Caldwell; Victorville councilmen Bob Hunter and Mike Rothschild; and Hesperia Councilman Ed Pack.
Mitzelfelt ended his address by speaking about something that does affect building, as well as quality of life and is always a high priority in the Victor Valley: Water. He said that in the year 2020, the population in the county will likely exceed 3 million and they are going to need water. He said water should not be a tool to limit growth, because we need growth.
He said that while working for the BIA he always used to joke, “If growth doesn’t pay for itself, than how did we all get here.”
Buying votes
Article Launched: 03/01/2008 Voice of The People San Bernardino Sun
The Feb. 17 article "Lax rules allow huge donations" is one of the more important in months. Thanks to writer George Watson and staff.
Might I start by saying it is incredible that Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt would have us believe that freedom of speech, and its protection, is why he accepts campaign donations in the hundreds of thousand of dollars. Further, it is outrageous that the supervisor would have us believe that the donations to his campaign do not affect his voting.
Mitzelfelt's voting history is a matter of record. The record proves that he has voted in favor, a vast majority of the time, for the developers who fund his campaigns.
The very weak idea that freedom of speech is being protected by accepting campaign millions is ludicrous. Perhaps Supervisor Mitzelfelt would have us believe that freedom of speech is so absolute that he could enter a crowded theater and yell "fire." He could not, and the courts have said so.
Mr. Mitzelfelt's supervisorial campaign is tenuous at best. We must remember that his boss, Bill Postmus, was given $3 million to win the assessor's election, which placed a monopoly on the leadership of almost all of the departments in San Bernardino county. Mr. Mitzelfelt is now trying to buy the electorates' votes with perhaps more than $1 million in 2008.
Quite clearly, it is time for election donation limitations and reform.
Believe it or not, one county supervisor said he had no idea that he had been given $100,000 by a political action committee. He also believes that free speech is absolute.Let's finally take a step to meaningfully improve the reputation of San Bernardino County. Political donation limitations could be the first of several such steps to demonstrate to our children that honesty is foremost in our minds.
AL VOGLER Hesperia
Vogler to take on Mitzelfelt for supervisor's seat
Hesperia City Councilwoman Rita Vogler has announced her intention to run for 1st District Supervisor, and claim the seat currently occupied by Brad Mitzelfelt.
Vogler, who was reelected to a second four-year term in November 2006, picked up the paperwork necessary to run in the June election against. She will be running against incumbent Mitzelfelt, a first-term supervisor who is completing the remainder of the term begun by Bill Postmus, who was elected County Assessor in November 2006.
"It's always been in the back of my mind, ever since Bill ran for assessor and vacated his seat," Vogler said Thursday. "The first district has the perfect opportunity to break away from Postmus."
Mitzelfelt served as Postmus' chief of staff when the latter was 1st District Supervisor.
"I really want to see the county and 1st District be proactive when it comes to public safety," Vogler said, including illegal immigration and homelessness under the public safety umbrella. "I would not be in favor of adding more programs; I would like to go back and look at the programs in existence."
San Bernardino County's 1st District includes the communities of Adelanto, Apple Valley, Baker, Barstow, Hesperia, Lake Havasu, Needles, Trona, Twentynine Palms and Victorville. While Vogler is a known quantity in Hesperia and to many in the Victor Valley, getting known in and getting to know many of the more far-flung communities in the 1st District will be more of a challenge.
"I know that their issues have to be public safety, too," she said. "The one thing we all have in common is traffic."
Vogler would also try to put a price tag on how much illegal immigration costs the county, starting with a census of how many illegal immigrants are in the county's jails.
"If the federal government isn't following up with their work and the state isn't following up with their work, the county of San Bernardino has to do it."
Vogler says she is not intimidated by taking on the well-funded Mitzelfelt and his well-established support system.
"We took on the machine two years ago and won," she said. "Think about the amount of money spent [by her opponents] in 2006. ... They not only loaded the ballot with people, but also [had] very deep pockets."
In 2006, Vogler spent $25,456 on her campaign, and was the top vote-getter in the election, in an eight-candidate race. Councilman Ed Pack, who ran for reelection the same year, spent a record $151,616 for a third place finish, while former councilman Jim Lindley spent $148,486 and came in 70 votes shy of retaining his council seat with a fourth place finish. Pack and Lindley at one time were seen as being closely aligned politically with Postmus' camp.
If she wins, Vogler plans on introducing "some type of [campaign] finance reform," with contribution limits comparable to the $2,300 maximum an individual can give to a candidate in the national election this year.
"I don't even understand the concept of why someone would need $1 million to run for the 1st District," Vogler said. According to the most recent campaign financial disclosure forms, Mitzelfelt has raised more than $850,000 in campaign funds since becoming supervisor and has $709,000 in his war chest.
"I have a good record here," Vogler said. "I know what I'm up against."
Voters in the 1st District will select their supervisor on June 3
Campaign contribution limits needed in the county
In a recent media news release, the topic of campaign donations and the excessive use thereof, as practiced by some candidates, was explored.
Drawing the conclusion that several office holders such as Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt and Assessor Bill Postmus have vastly distorted the proper use of campaign distributions was but the tip of the iceberg.
Supervisor Mitzelfelt said it is a free speech matter that allows him to receive as much campaign money as he wishes. I suppose, then, that it is free speech that allows him to vote for the developments of the very developers who have funded his campaign?
We are being led to believe that Mr. Mitzelfelt and several of his cohorts are not breaking the law by seeking millions in campaign contributions. Under the law, this may be so. But there also exists the law of ethics.
Many of us believe that the temptation to reward a campaign contributor who has given hundreds of thousands of dollars is simply too compelling and, therefore, unwise and possessing the appearance of impropriety.
By the way, our supervisor also wanted us to believe that he was unaware of a campaign contribution that he received in the amount of $100,000. If such is so, his lack of attention and contact with reality is one reason why he should not be elected to office. A second reason is his voting record of rewarding developers who fund his campaigns.
Limitations on campaign contributions, as law, is long overdue and under the current county administration is absolutely needed.
Al Vogler Hesperia
Lax rules allow huge donations
George Watson, Staff Writer San Bernardino Sun
Article Launched: 02/16/2008
Unlike most of its neighbors, San Bernardino County does not limit political contributions to its elected leaders' campaigns.
Without such constraints, supervisors and other elected officials rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations while most other local politicians - and all federal lawmakers, for that matter - live with mandatory contribution limits.
Sometimes, that freedom to give and receive can lead to awkward situations:
Supervisor Josie Gonzales says she will donate $35,500 to Bloomington nonprofits now that the men who gave that total to her campaign have been charged with trying to bribe her chief of staff with $15,000.
In 2006, then-Supervisor Bill Postmus received a staggering $240,000 from Young Homes, one of the area's biggest developers, in his successful bid for assessor. Some questioned the propriety of a developer giving so much to elect someone whose department makes decisions on the value of properties.
And Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt early last week claimed not to know anything about a political action committee - Inland Empire PAC - that gave his campaign $100,000 last year, even though his treasurer is the contact person for the PAC.
Such vast sums and unusual circumstances are not the norm, but they're enough to make Supervisor Dennis Hansberger concerned about the amount of money finding its way into county politics.
Hansberger did not know that Los Angeles, Ventura and San Diego counties all have policies limiting individual contributions to $1,000 or less, but he thinks limits make sense.
"I have a concern that great big contributions are a risky way for anybody to do business, and I think the total amount of money that we are spending is too much," Hansberger said. "In the end, it all comes down to character. Without naming names, I think there are people whose votes may be guided by the amount of money they got."
He also echoed worries over soaring independent expenditures in campaigns, which was revealed in a hearing Thursday held by the Fair Political Practices Commission.
The FPPC said that use of independent expenditures - campaign spending that supposedly isn't coordinated with a candidate - has jumped more than 6,000 percent in legislative races and more than 5,000 percent in campaigns for governor and other statewide offices since Proposition 34's limits on donations to candidates kicked in.
That's resulted in more than $88 million in television and radio ads, brochures and other campaign spending paid for by a variety of interest groups.
Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles, testified at the hearing that California's donation limits - which range from $24,100 for contributions to candidates for governor to $3,600 for legislative campaigns - are too high.
From city to state races, all should be cut to the same level as federal contribution limits - $2,300 per donor per election, Stern argued.
Few California counties actually have any limits, though. Last year, an Associated Press review found that only 13 of California's 58 counties and 96 of its 478 cities put limits on the size of donations.
Stern was astounded by the amount Young Homes gave Postmus, saying it's probably one of the single biggest contributions ever made in the nation.
A contribution of that size carries a message because no matter what anyone claims, Stern said, it's given for a reason.
"They obviously feel that they want access to the assessor, and they want to influence decisions," Stern said by phone Friday. "They may be giving because the candidate is a good guy, but it's a business decision why they give." Postmus did not return a call seeking comments.
Contacted Friday, Mitzelfelt explained that the reason he said he didn't know the PAC had made the $100,000 donation to him was because another organization has the same name, and he wasn't sure which one had given him money.
(His campaign treasurer Betty Presley is also the treasurer for the Inland Empire PAC that gave him the $100,000, so to say you don't know anything about it is not the truth.)
He said he had indeed spoken with members of the Inland Empire PAC, citing a previous loan his campaign received from the organization.
Mitzelfelt, who raised $850,000 in the last six months of 2007 for his election campaign, is vehemently opposed to any limitation on contributions. He called it a free-speech issue and said the donations have no influence on his decisions as a supervisor.
"I have small donors who have given, and I have those who have given large amounts," Mitzelfelt said. "The amounts have nothing to do with how I treat any person or issue. Every issue is decided on the merits and the people I represent."
Gonzales also said she opposed limiting contributions, saying it's necessary for local and county-level politicians to run first-rate, professional campaigns.
"We don't have many of the opportunities that are present at the state level," she said.
She added that she works hard for her constituents, which was why people contribute to her re-election efforts.
"I know that (the reason) anyone who has contributed funds to my campaign has been because ultimately they believe in me," she said.
It was then pointed out that the two brothers who gave $35,500 to her campaign also allegedly tried to bribe her chief of staff, raising the question of why they gave so robustly to her campaign.
"That is true," Gonzales said, adding later, "We can't cover everyone with the same blanket of guilt, unless they are proven to be."
I hope to see more candidates enter the 1st District race. Despite the good old boys network spin machine on high over Mitzelfelts million dollars worth of special interests donations, I think any candidate who makes this race about the needs of the voters in the 1st district can beat him. It's the votes- stupid- not how much money you spend that win elections. Postmus and his boy Mitzelfelt have generated a lot of negative feelings about them once people find out that they always put the developers or campaign contributors before the citizens while spending our tax dollars. The sludge plant in Hinkley over the local residents protests for one example.
Supervisors raise money for elections
George Watson, Staff Writer San Bernardino Sun
Article Launched: 02/11/2008 09:49:11 PM PST
Three incumbent members of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors facing elections this spring have been filling their campaign coffers, likely making any challengers' attempts to unseat them problematic at best.
Supervisors Dennis Hansberger, Brad Mitzelfelt and Josie Gonzales each have hundreds of thousands of dollars in hand for the June 3 election.
Hansberger, the 3rd District supervisor, has been the most active, spending nearly all of the $80,000 he raised in the last six months of 2007. But he still had more than $490,000 available at the close of the Dec. 31 reporting period, and since has raised another $80,000.
Candidates who had raised funds had to file for the July 1-to-Dec. 31 reporting period in January, and the Registrar of Voters recently released the information to the public. Monday was the first day to officially file to run for the four-year posts. The filing deadline is 5 p.m. March 7.
"I'm comfortable with the funds I have, and we will see what the campaign looks like as it unfolds," said Hansberger, whose district encompasses eastern parts of the valley here, the San Bernardino Mountains and the Morongo Basin. "We will find out if there is going to be any need to raise significantly more money. I've never been a particularly aggressive fundraiser. I always found I can raise it when I need it."
The bulk of his contributions came from development interests, although Comprehensive Pharmacy Services of
Memphis, Tenn., gave him the biggest single contribution of $25,000.
Hansberger's chief competition at the moment comes from Neil Derry, a San Bernardino councilman who has $103,000 on hand for the campaign. Derry raised $41,000 during the second half of 2007, during which he spent $36,000.
Despite Hansberger's near 5-to-1 advantage in campaign funds, Derry said he wasn't deterred.
"The fact is we are running against an entrenched 20-year career politician," Derry said Monday. "We expect to be outspent."
A heavy portion of Derry's campaign chest came from the San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Association, a law enforcement union. The union has at times been a vocal critic of Hansberger's, and did not give to his campaign, although it did contribute to other supervisors' fundraising activities.
Robert D. Wilson of Colton has also taken out papers to run against Hansberger. But he has not yet raised any funding, and he was not available for comment Monday.
Mitzelfelt is running for his 1st District post for the first time. He replaced his former boss, Bill Postmus, whom he had served as chief of staff for a number of years. Postmus left his supervisor's post for a successful, albeit extremely tight and expensive bid for assessor.
Funds have flowed into Mitzelfelt's campaign as he reported having $709,000 on hand, having raised $381,000 in the most recent filing period. He spent $129,000 in the final six months of 2007.
Mitzelfelt expressed optimism for his bid to return to his post, which represents the High Desert area.
"I'm really happy with the results of our fundraising effort, particularly when the economy isn't doing as strong as we'd like," Mitzelfelt said Monday. "I'm pretty confident with the amount that we have raised, and will continue to raise, so we can mount a very effective campaign and communicate with the voters effectively."
Mitzelfelt's largest contributions came from Inland Empire PAC, which gave him $100,000. Asked about the nature of the PAC on Monday, Mitzelfelt said he was unsure, even though his treasurer, Betty Presley, is listed as the contact for it in Rancho Santa Margarita.
The PAC, which has traditionally funded development-friendly politicians, receives heavy funding from founders of the controversial Colonies development project in Upland.
Joe Gomez, a Barstow councilman, has expressed interest in running but has not raised any funds.
Robert Conoway, a lawyer from Hinkley, intends to run and doesn't expect to do any significant fundraising.
"It's always about grassroots," Conoway said. "What gets votes out is the person-to-person contact."
No one has stepped up to challenge Gonzales, who represents the 5th District. Her campaign had $351,000 to spend.
Gonzales spent $159,000 during the last six months of 2007, and spent nearly $44,000 campaigning against no one particular candidate.
The following statements were adopted by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors on September 30, 2003.
MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the government of the County of San Bernardino is to satisfy its customers by providing service that promotes the health, safety, well being, and quality of life of its residents according to the County Charter, general laws, and the will of the people it serves.
In an upcoming Hesperia Star story, ex-Building Industry Association-(BIA) employee and APPOINTED (By Bill Postmus) County Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt explained his version of what area governments priorities are and where the public's interests as defined by the County's Mission of the Government (Above) statement are. I will color the statement from the Hesperia Star story and make my comments in italics after it.
Mitzelfelt: Building downturn lets government catch up
San Bernardino County supervisors update campaign finances in filings
The idea or concept that its governments role and priority to "catch up" and "prepare better for the NEXT REAL ESTATE BOOM", while thousands of High Desert families have lost their homes and are suffering through the current real estate Bust is amazingly cold hearted and mean spirited to me. Especially from someone who wants these same peoples votes on June 3rd for Mitzelfelts first real County Supervisor election.
The current construction downturn provides a chance for area governments to catch up and prepare better for the next real estate boom, First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt said Thursday.
Let's ignore the record number of home foreclosures, and the local economy going down the drain, and the lack or absence of adequate County public services and public safety . According to Mitzelfelt area government needs to prepare better for the NEXT real estate boom instead of addressing the problems that are here now, caused in large part by the Building Industry coming before public interests by County and local City Government.
"It's truly businesses that make our country great, not government," Mitzelfelt told the approximately 70 contractors, building industry workers and elected officials in attendance at the monthly meeting of the High Desert Contractors Association at Spring Valley Lake Country Club on Thursday night.
Not any mention of the American people making our country great, but Mitzelfelt thinks "It's truly businessesthat make our country great, not government". It seems to me that Mitzelfelt forgets that as the County Supervisor , Mitzelfelt is the Government. Is Governemnt supposed to represent the interests of the People or Taxpayers or Businesses? So is Government the boogie man when compared with businesses? Is Government of the people, by the people and for the people? Is Government Brad Mitzelfelt? What a strange statement for someone running for a government job. But it makes sense if you thought government works for businesses first and the public after.
San Bernardino County -- physically the largest county in America -- would be the 49th most prosperous country if it were its own nation, he said. (Pakistan is the 49th most prosperous country in the world, sandwiched between Egypt and Zimbabwe, according to Legatum Institute for Global Development's 2007 Prosperity Index rankings.)
There is a positive side to the current construction slump, Mitzelfelt said, noting homebuilding is at a 29-year low in the area.
"It gives us more time to catch up on the infrastructure," he said. Better roads, water lines, schools and emergency services will make the High Desert more prepared for the next real estate boom. "In reality, we haven't done as good a job as we could with mitigating growth. We were too eager for development."
Mitzelfelt talks about its "time to catch up on the infrastructure". But is it for the taxpayers who expect the County and City governments to do their job and provide infrastructure for the public? No, we need to catch up so the High Desert will be more prepared for the NEXT REAL ESTATE BOOM.
Later this month, the supervisor will be announcing proposals to stimulate the local housing market. But, Mitzelfelt said, government can't do it alone and isn't in a position to turn down any good ideas, wherever they come from.
Again, Mitzelfelt proposes that "Government" -or the "County"should be focused on Taxpayer funded programs to "Stimulate the local housing market". Instead of public interest or public safety issues.From the BIA Winter 2007 Builder magazine I found "Mitzelfelts" proposal to stimulate the housing market. Read it here and see if its the same one when he announces it at the end of the month. Its County policy designed to give builders a no-fee pass from the people who Mitzelfelt really works for -The Baldy View Chapter of the BIA
* Our chapter has developed an Economic Stimulus Package that we will
present to cities and counties, and we will request their consideration of
these recommendations. If enacted, they will stimulate economic recovery
in the housing market without sacrificing infrastructure and public
service objectives. The recommendations in the package include, but are
not limited to, delaying all new impact fee proposals, and deferring all
impact fee payments to the stage when the governing agency issues a
Certificate of Occupancy.
(See BIA's DIF Proposal Page for complete proposal)
"This is the time to be proactive," he said. "The government is seeing it now and will be receptive to your ideas."
I'm not sure who Mitzelfelt is referring to when he says,"The Government is seeing it now and will be receptive to your ideas". Who does he think the Government is? Who does he think the government represents? Who does he represent as First District Supervisor for the Government of San Bernardino County?
On a more positive note, Mitzelfelt said he believed the long-awaited, long-delayed Ranchero Road Underpass will be completed soon, along with the road being widened and a freeway interchange connecting it to Interstate 15.
"I think we'll see Ranchero within three years," he said.
The next meeting of the High Desert Contractors Association will be held on February 21 at the Spring Valley Lake Country Club at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 956-4322 or visit HighDesertContractors.com.
Beau Yarbrough can be reached at 956-7108 or at beau@hesperiastar.com.
Santa Fe East Video- From Ranchero Underpass north to Bear Valley at I Ave. It can and should be done.
Victorville is spending $800 million for the powerplant at SCLA and now will spend $187 million in matching funds for a road from the 15 to SCLA? $987 million on SCLA? And how does this benefit the people of Victorville? How is this the priority over public services or public safety?
SAN BERNARDINO — With $2 billion worth of transportation funds set to be dispersed by the state in 2008, Victorville is trying to get it’s hands on $187 million of it to change the way business is done in the Victor Valley.
A 41?2 mile stretch of road that connects Southern California Logistics Airport to the Interstate 15 is Victorville’s number one priority.
On the county’s list of five projects, however, it ranks fourth in importance.
Ahead of the Victorville project is widening the 15/215 interchange in Devore, lane improvements on Interstate 10 and railroad grade separations.
After submitting a list of San Bernardino County’s highest priority transportation projects at the end of 2006, the Southern California Association of Governments came up empty in obtaining any of the first $4.5 billion released by the state.
The money comes from the $19.9 billion Proposition 1B state transportation bond.
In the second round of funding, the state will release $2 billion to go towards projects focused on the movement of goods.
The projects approved for funding must be matched dollar for dollar by the city they are in, and be ready to get off the ground within three years.
Victorville City Councilman Mike Rothschild said the SCLA interchange fits the bill.
Rothschild, who is also a member of SANBAG, said they have been working on the project for seven years, have two engineering companies ready to start construction, environmental impact studies close to done and enough funds to match the state’s allocation.
The road will also be part of the High Desert Corridor, which will eventually reach from Apple Valley to Palmdale.
Rothschild said it would serve as a catalyst to get some serious money into what would be the first new freeway in California in years.
Eventually the idea would be for trucks to offload trailers onto trains and plane to head north and east.
Rothschild said there is a difference between the Victorville project and the other project improvements that have been given higher priority.
“We’re not asking to just improve the system,” Rothschild said. “We’re asking to change the system.”
Rothschild said the funds probably wouldn’t be released until the summer and he would have a better idea of which projects will be approved for funding in the next couple months.
Ryan Orr may be reached at 951-6277 or rorr@vvdailypress.com.
The idea that a road that connects SCLA to the 15 freeway is the number one priority for the use of transportation funds in the High Desert, shows that the politicians involved live in a totally different reality then the rest of us.
When I think of transportation issues that could use funding, improving 395- improving Bear Vally Road- new 15 freeway off ramps- a new east west route across the Mojave river, all come to mind.
Leave it to the City of Victorville and the County to spend tax dollars on a new road that will only benefit the businesses at SCLA while all of the rest of the residents in the High Desert sit in grid lock every day.
Maybe the funding will come during the movement of goods appropriations, as that is what this road will primarily be used for. But to ask for transportation funds for this "only benefits business" road instead of addressing existing transportation problems in the High Desert is an insult to the taxpayers in this part of the County.
Who do these politicians represent? The people or the business's at SCLA? The next time you are stuck in traffic anywhere in the High Desert ask yourself if a road from the 15 to SCLA is your number one transportation priority.
Drying up: Lifeline in jeopardy
Victorville’s development is counting on an uncertain source of water
VV Daily Press 12-18-07 By TATIANA PROPHET Staff Writer
Most of the new homebuilding in the Victor Valley is happening in the western part of Victorville and in Adelanto — the same area that is projected to run out of water, or run very low, by 2010, according to a study.
“In generalities I’ve heard that,” said Kirby Brill, general manager of the wholesaler Mojave Water Agency. “I don’t have necessarily any specific data to support that ... A lot of different purveyors are having this same struggle. It’s not a surprise.”
The idea that the Victor Valley needs help with its water is not new.
But the idea that only the western part of the Mojave Basin is drying up, while Hesperia and Apple Valley are sitting on millions of acre feet, is a new thought.
• A 2001 study by engineering firm Parsons projected that the Baldy Mesa Water District, located mostly west of 395, will have zero water supply from its wells by 2010, with 11.1 million gallons a day of demand.
• The study also projected that Adelanto’s wells will produce only 5 million gallons a day, when demand will be 16 million gallons a day.
• With 60 million gallons a day of demand, the former Victor Valley Water District will be able to produce 40 million gallons with its own wells, according to the study.
• And finally, the San Bernardino County Special Districts will have no source of water for its wells, but a demand of 10.8 million gallons a day.
The Mojave Water Agency is counting on California Aqueduct water to make up for any excess in demand.
But its upcoming project, dubbed R-cubed for “Regional Recharge and Recovery,” is facing opposition from some residents in Hesperia.
Originally called “Superwell,” the previous name is still used by opponents, who view it as a way for Victorville to move water to its west side.
“You can see where the agencies themselves have huge plans for huge developments for which maybe water will not even be available,” said Al Vogler, a longtime Hesperia resident and husband of Councilwoman Rita Vogler.
Vogler feels that Victorville and Adelanto should use Aqueduct water on the west side and run it through a treatment plant.
Brill, who spoke before the Hesperia City Council in August to address members’ concerns, insists that R-cubed is benefiting the entire valley.
The agency has stored 100,000 acre feet of water already, using its Morongo Basin pipeline at Rock Springs Road in Hesperia and funneling water from Silverwood Lake, a reservoir of aqueduct water, to the Mojave Riverbed, where it percolates into the ground water. That’s enough to supply 100,000 families of four for a year.
The idea that a road that connects SCLA to the 15 freeway is the number one priority for the use of transportation funds in the High Desert, shows that the politicians involved live in a totally different reality then the rest of us.
When I think of transportation issues that could use funding, improving 395- improving Bear Vally Road- new 15 freeway off ramps- a new east west route across the Mojave river, all come to mind.
Leave it to the City of Victorville and the County to spend tax dollars on a new road that will only benefit the businesses at SCLA while all of the rest of the residents in the High Desert sit in grid lock every day.
Who do these politicians represent? The people or the business's at SCLA? The next time you are stuck in traffic anywhere in the High Desert ask yourself if a road from the 15 to SCLA is your number one transportation priority.