Hard Work Behind the Scenes by Heystek and Provenza Helped Save the Pass-Through Agreement

Most people have probably seen the blow-by-blow via the Vanguard commentary on the Board of Supervisors as it happened. It was a difficult, tense, but ultimately fun and fulfilling process to sit in the back of the room and blog. What was perhaps most amazing is that I was getting instant feedback from my comments not just on the blog itself, but from people in the room and by text message. Everyone in that room knew what was going on and being there in that room, along with 50 plus residents of Davis, most of whom were united in their conviction on this one issue, at least in my view had a profound impact over the final verdict.

What people however did not see was the hard work that happened from Sunday until the meeting convened on Tuesday morning. Much of that work, set the stage for what was ultimately a huge victory for those in Davis who have fought hard over the decades for the preservation of agricultural land and open space and at the same time for self-determination. This was first and foremost a debate over who should determine how we grow. (We will have a long conversation at a future date about stem cell research and social services–both of which I very strongly support and will work in the future to address).

On Sunday night, Davis City Councilmember Lamar Heystek and Davis School Board President Jim Provenza met with Yolo County Supervisor Mariko Yamada for approximately two hours.

As Heystek told the Davis City Council on Tuesday night:

“I was able to convene a meeting late Sunday night with School Board President Jim Provenza and Board of Supervisors Chair Mariko Yamada. The meeting was held in a public place and there were piping-hot mugs of coffee at the table. We weren’t there only as three elected officials from three of the involved jurisdictions. We were there as three Davisites discussing the issue jointly and rationally. After talking the issue through for over two hours, President Provenza and I were emboldened by a window of opportunity we were able to crack open. We were emboldened by the prospect that Chair Yamada would support a delay in Tuesday’s vote in order to join the City in a rational discussion – and this is very important – within the framework of the current pass-through agreement.”

Both Councilmember Heystek and School Board President Provenza believed that the only way to save the pass-through agreement was somehow to get the Board of Supervisors to pause and not make a final decision. Instead, they suggested that they engage the city in a discussion over a variety of things. However, both Mr. Heystek and Mr. Provenza made it clear that the pass-through agreement was not on the table.

As Councilmember Heystek put it, “The City of Davis has never opposed engaging in the right discussion, on the right terms, under the right conditions.” What they did object to, was a joint study area, where there would be direct talks about changes to land-use designations.

From the beginning on Tuesday, it appeared that the worst case scenario would not be on the table. Supervisor McGowan asked early on directly what “special study area” meant, and the answer was that it would be studied for possible future use but it would not be placed into the general plan EIR or cleared for development, nor would there be CEQA clearance. This was a key point, for the triggering mechanism for recall was placement of these areas in the county’s EIR, where it presumably could be entitled and become a development area with a single vote. That appeared early on to be off the table.

There was a clear conciliatory tone coming from the Davis City Council at this meeting. Mayor Sue Greenwald asked for a removal of the study areas from the EIR. But then asked to work cooperatively, as the city and county have in the past and suggested both a willingness to compromise and cooperate.

Like the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem Asmundson was very conciliatory in her approach. She suggested that the city and county sit down and have joint rational discussion of city and county issues. Before putting this in a study, we sit down and have a rational discussion and civil discourse toward a mutually beneficial outcome.

During the course of board discussion there seemed to be almost two mindsets. First, there was the acknowledgment by the Board of Supervisors, that what they were doing was generating a lot of fear and angst amongst citizens and their leaders from the city of Davis. There was a simple reason for that–no one from Davis understood exactly what the County’s intentions were and there was limited communication. When the two bodies communicated formally or informally there was much dissension and a tone of arrogance especially coming from our own Davis Supervisors Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada.

During yesterday’s meeting Supervisor Yamada suggested at one point that there was a discrepancy between what was written and how people feel. That there was a lack of trust for the process. This was entirely correct.

And yet in the next breath both Supervisor Yamada and Thomson began lecturing the city of Davis–its residents and its elected officials in an arrogant and condescending tone. At one moment, they seemed to understand it, the next they were lashing out against it. They claimed that the recall for instance had no impact on their viewpoints, and yet they were the ones who raised it over and over again. No one from the public raised the issue of recall, but the Supervisors did, they were aware of it, and it clearly affected them, despite their pronunciations to the contrary.

Moreover Supervisor Helen Thomson remarked that no one had threatened the pass-through agreement. She pointed out that she signed the original pass-through agreement. However, any implementation of the plans that appeared to be on the table, would do exactly that–jeopardize the pass-through agreement between the city and county. I hope that was never the intent of Supervisor Thomson, but I think it was a legitimate fear that was shared not just by progressives to her left, but also her allies in Councilmember Don Saylor among others.

Supervisor Rexroad moved that the Northwest Quadrant and Covell Property be removed from the joint study area. Supervisor Chamberlain seconded the motion.

Supervisor Rexroad told me later, that based on statements from the meeting, he thought he had a third vote in Supervisor Yamada and was stunned when she not only voted against it but lectured him for even bringing it up for a vote. That motion failed by a 3-2 margin with Mike McGowan, Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada voting no.

As Rexroad later wrote on his blog:

“My views on the hearing today were shaped by two primary considerations.

The first was that I think one of the most important services the county provides is protection prime agriculture land and developing appropriately. In fact, I would argue that may be the single most important service the county provides. To me it is more important than lots of other things. I mean it. Instead of viewing this as something that completes with more social services I view it as complimenting them for every resident of Yolo County.

The piece that mostly shaped my view on the Davis proposals is that I am a former Mayor. In fact, I am probably better suited in background and interest to be on a City Council than a Board of Supervisors. The key here is that I believe that the Davis City Council, as crazy and wrong as they may be sometimes, have the right to be wrong.”

Some on this blog have disparaged Supervisor Rexroad either as not caring about county services or as being duplicitous on this issue. From my vantage point, Supervisor Rexroad has been for the most part very consistent on the issue of agricultural preservation. I disagree on his votes on social services and social issues, but I can respect his commitment at the same time to agricultural preservation, a value I share with him.

Following that vote, there is another bitter round of lectures from the dais mainly from Supervisors Thomson and Yamada. County Staff however requests a recess for 15 minutes. It appears that the efforts of Councilmember Heystek and Board President Provenza were futile and that this was going forward. Let there be no mistake here, at that moment, recall as an option was alive and well and there was a very strong unity in the ranks on that point.

However as the Supervisors came back something drastically changed. Another motion was taken and it passed 4-1. In this motion the concept of “study areas” was removed and no areas were identified or called out for potential development. The motion set aside all of the “red lines” (on the general plan maps) around Davis and hold discussions with the city of Davis. Basically this removes the proposed study areas from the general plan and authorizes some form of discussion in the future. The supervisors, based upon this vote, reversed their previous vote and have now removed all study area designations from the general plan update discussion. It did not completely remove discussion in the future of what were once the three study areas from General Plan consideration as the Rexroad-Chamberlain motion would have. In fact, Chamberlain ended up voting against the motion because it did not go far enough–he opposed development at those spots or any area around Davis as well as even discussing the subject, period.

Again, what it does do is first remove the specific areas from consideration–as they put it, “take the red lines off the map of Davis” (a reference to the county maps which had red lines to designate where the study areas’ boundaries lay). And it did much of what Councilmember Heystek and Board President Provenza had asked–to engage the two governing bodies in fruitful discussion.

The process could have been much smoother. The tone from our Davis county supervisors should have been better. We could have been spared the lectures. But at the end of the day, we had prevailed, somehow, some way. The efforts of Mr. Heystek and Mr. Provenza will likely not be reported in the local papers, but they were instrumental in helping to move this process to the point where in the end, the considerations for development on Davis’ periphery were removed from the General Plan.

My final thought on this is as follows. There is no one more committed to social services and the hope of stem cell research than many of the same progressives who fought against this proposal. However, this is not the way to achieve those ends. I hope, that when the heat diminished, the city and county can come together and find an appropriate location for a stem cell research facility and can work together to help the county provide vital social services to the elderly, the poor, and the disenfranchised. I do not believe that these values should be in conflict with the value of protection for the environment, agricultural preservation, and open space. We need to much as our leaders suggested yesterday, work together on a joint and mutually beneficial solution to this problem. And thanks in part to the work of our leaders Lamar Heystek and Jim Provenza, we will have a chance to do just that.

—Doug Paul Davis reporting

Author

  • David Greenwald

    Greenwald is the founder, editor, and executive director of the Davis Vanguard. He founded the Vanguard in 2006. David Greenwald moved to Davis in 1996 to attend Graduate School at UC Davis in Political Science. He lives in South Davis with his wife Cecilia Escamilla Greenwald and three children.

    View all posts

Categories:

Land Use/Open Space

120 comments

  1. “Some on this blog have disparaged Supervisor Rexroad either as not caring about county services or as being duplicitous on this issue. From my vantage point, Supervisor Rexroad has been for the most part very consistent on the issue of agricultural preservation.”

    Rexroad and his developer friends funded the biggest expansion in Woodland history his so called urban limit line. biggest scam on the public ever pushed. keep on believing dude, your running about 90% wrong on everything else might as well stay consistent

  2. “Some on this blog have disparaged Supervisor Rexroad either as not caring about county services or as being duplicitous on this issue. From my vantage point, Supervisor Rexroad has been for the most part very consistent on the issue of agricultural preservation.”

    Rexroad and his developer friends funded the biggest expansion in Woodland history his so called urban limit line. biggest scam on the public ever pushed. keep on believing dude, your running about 90% wrong on everything else might as well stay consistent

  3. “Some on this blog have disparaged Supervisor Rexroad either as not caring about county services or as being duplicitous on this issue. From my vantage point, Supervisor Rexroad has been for the most part very consistent on the issue of agricultural preservation.”

    Rexroad and his developer friends funded the biggest expansion in Woodland history his so called urban limit line. biggest scam on the public ever pushed. keep on believing dude, your running about 90% wrong on everything else might as well stay consistent

  4. “Some on this blog have disparaged Supervisor Rexroad either as not caring about county services or as being duplicitous on this issue. From my vantage point, Supervisor Rexroad has been for the most part very consistent on the issue of agricultural preservation.”

    Rexroad and his developer friends funded the biggest expansion in Woodland history his so called urban limit line. biggest scam on the public ever pushed. keep on believing dude, your running about 90% wrong on everything else might as well stay consistent

  5. Rexroad said he believed that as Supervisor it was not his job to dictate to the city of Davis how they should grow. Nothing you said disputes that fact. I’m glad you think I’m 90% wrong on everything else.

  6. Rexroad said he believed that as Supervisor it was not his job to dictate to the city of Davis how they should grow. Nothing you said disputes that fact. I’m glad you think I’m 90% wrong on everything else.

  7. Rexroad said he believed that as Supervisor it was not his job to dictate to the city of Davis how they should grow. Nothing you said disputes that fact. I’m glad you think I’m 90% wrong on everything else.

  8. Rexroad said he believed that as Supervisor it was not his job to dictate to the city of Davis how they should grow. Nothing you said disputes that fact. I’m glad you think I’m 90% wrong on everything else.

  9. Expanding Woodland’s Urban Limit Line is virtually identical to adding the Covell Village property to the Davis City Limits or adding West Village or adding El Macero. Expanding a city’s legal limits is not in and of itself a pro-growth or anti-growth decision. What is done with the land after it becomes part of the City’s legal jurisdiction will be the proof of the pudding.

    Rexroad has shown himself to be thoughtful, open, consistent and focused. We are lucky to have him as a Supervisor.

  10. Expanding Woodland’s Urban Limit Line is virtually identical to adding the Covell Village property to the Davis City Limits or adding West Village or adding El Macero. Expanding a city’s legal limits is not in and of itself a pro-growth or anti-growth decision. What is done with the land after it becomes part of the City’s legal jurisdiction will be the proof of the pudding.

    Rexroad has shown himself to be thoughtful, open, consistent and focused. We are lucky to have him as a Supervisor.

  11. Expanding Woodland’s Urban Limit Line is virtually identical to adding the Covell Village property to the Davis City Limits or adding West Village or adding El Macero. Expanding a city’s legal limits is not in and of itself a pro-growth or anti-growth decision. What is done with the land after it becomes part of the City’s legal jurisdiction will be the proof of the pudding.

    Rexroad has shown himself to be thoughtful, open, consistent and focused. We are lucky to have him as a Supervisor.

  12. Expanding Woodland’s Urban Limit Line is virtually identical to adding the Covell Village property to the Davis City Limits or adding West Village or adding El Macero. Expanding a city’s legal limits is not in and of itself a pro-growth or anti-growth decision. What is done with the land after it becomes part of the City’s legal jurisdiction will be the proof of the pudding.

    Rexroad has shown himself to be thoughtful, open, consistent and focused. We are lucky to have him as a Supervisor.

  13. I’m glad to see Rexroad defend Davis’ right to self-determination on growth on its periphery. The die appears cast for Woodland growth for the next 25 years? and taking a populist stand resonates well with local Demo-Reps.
    Rexroad is a political professional.. and a smart one, at that.. Glad to have him on our side THIS TIME.

  14. I’m glad to see Rexroad defend Davis’ right to self-determination on growth on its periphery. The die appears cast for Woodland growth for the next 25 years? and taking a populist stand resonates well with local Demo-Reps.
    Rexroad is a political professional.. and a smart one, at that.. Glad to have him on our side THIS TIME.

  15. I’m glad to see Rexroad defend Davis’ right to self-determination on growth on its periphery. The die appears cast for Woodland growth for the next 25 years? and taking a populist stand resonates well with local Demo-Reps.
    Rexroad is a political professional.. and a smart one, at that.. Glad to have him on our side THIS TIME.

  16. I’m glad to see Rexroad defend Davis’ right to self-determination on growth on its periphery. The die appears cast for Woodland growth for the next 25 years? and taking a populist stand resonates well with local Demo-Reps.
    Rexroad is a political professional.. and a smart one, at that.. Glad to have him on our side THIS TIME.

  17. I’ve never been a fan of Rexroad’s politics, but I have to agree wholeheartedly with his feeling of outrage over the developer parading wheelchair-bound folks in front of the Board to try to gain a sympathy vote. It was so shameless and cynical, it made my stomach turn.
    I’ve never been a fan of this kind of theater, like when Davis parents show up at a City Council meeting with their kids in Little League or Soccer uniforms, but this…this was so far over the top it fell to the other side of the wall.

  18. I’ve never been a fan of Rexroad’s politics, but I have to agree wholeheartedly with his feeling of outrage over the developer parading wheelchair-bound folks in front of the Board to try to gain a sympathy vote. It was so shameless and cynical, it made my stomach turn.
    I’ve never been a fan of this kind of theater, like when Davis parents show up at a City Council meeting with their kids in Little League or Soccer uniforms, but this…this was so far over the top it fell to the other side of the wall.

  19. I’ve never been a fan of Rexroad’s politics, but I have to agree wholeheartedly with his feeling of outrage over the developer parading wheelchair-bound folks in front of the Board to try to gain a sympathy vote. It was so shameless and cynical, it made my stomach turn.
    I’ve never been a fan of this kind of theater, like when Davis parents show up at a City Council meeting with their kids in Little League or Soccer uniforms, but this…this was so far over the top it fell to the other side of the wall.

  20. I’ve never been a fan of Rexroad’s politics, but I have to agree wholeheartedly with his feeling of outrage over the developer parading wheelchair-bound folks in front of the Board to try to gain a sympathy vote. It was so shameless and cynical, it made my stomach turn.
    I’ve never been a fan of this kind of theater, like when Davis parents show up at a City Council meeting with their kids in Little League or Soccer uniforms, but this…this was so far over the top it fell to the other side of the wall.

  21. Thank you Davis Vanguard for keeping tabs on the process and actually driving this change of heart among Yamada and Thompson. It is clear that your postings, and the comments on this blog, along with the recall threat, provided the push our Davis representatives needed to forestall this awful developer proposal.

    And now we can all get back to working for Yamada for Assembly!

    Some may say she has been a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but at least we now know what buttons to push to bring her to our side. Every time there is a vote that pits developers against the environmentalists (such as protecting the Williamson Act) all we need is a half-dozen blog postings, about 400 negative blog comments, bad press in the Davis Enterprise and Sacramento Bee, a threatened recall, a long three-hour chat with local leaders, and a helpful Republican colleague of hers that can push a settlement.

    Thanks again Davis Vanguard. Your work helped us learn something important about Supervisor Yamada before we all vote to give her a promotion to the Assembly.

  22. Thank you Davis Vanguard for keeping tabs on the process and actually driving this change of heart among Yamada and Thompson. It is clear that your postings, and the comments on this blog, along with the recall threat, provided the push our Davis representatives needed to forestall this awful developer proposal.

    And now we can all get back to working for Yamada for Assembly!

    Some may say she has been a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but at least we now know what buttons to push to bring her to our side. Every time there is a vote that pits developers against the environmentalists (such as protecting the Williamson Act) all we need is a half-dozen blog postings, about 400 negative blog comments, bad press in the Davis Enterprise and Sacramento Bee, a threatened recall, a long three-hour chat with local leaders, and a helpful Republican colleague of hers that can push a settlement.

    Thanks again Davis Vanguard. Your work helped us learn something important about Supervisor Yamada before we all vote to give her a promotion to the Assembly.

  23. Thank you Davis Vanguard for keeping tabs on the process and actually driving this change of heart among Yamada and Thompson. It is clear that your postings, and the comments on this blog, along with the recall threat, provided the push our Davis representatives needed to forestall this awful developer proposal.

    And now we can all get back to working for Yamada for Assembly!

    Some may say she has been a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but at least we now know what buttons to push to bring her to our side. Every time there is a vote that pits developers against the environmentalists (such as protecting the Williamson Act) all we need is a half-dozen blog postings, about 400 negative blog comments, bad press in the Davis Enterprise and Sacramento Bee, a threatened recall, a long three-hour chat with local leaders, and a helpful Republican colleague of hers that can push a settlement.

    Thanks again Davis Vanguard. Your work helped us learn something important about Supervisor Yamada before we all vote to give her a promotion to the Assembly.

  24. Thank you Davis Vanguard for keeping tabs on the process and actually driving this change of heart among Yamada and Thompson. It is clear that your postings, and the comments on this blog, along with the recall threat, provided the push our Davis representatives needed to forestall this awful developer proposal.

    And now we can all get back to working for Yamada for Assembly!

    Some may say she has been a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but at least we now know what buttons to push to bring her to our side. Every time there is a vote that pits developers against the environmentalists (such as protecting the Williamson Act) all we need is a half-dozen blog postings, about 400 negative blog comments, bad press in the Davis Enterprise and Sacramento Bee, a threatened recall, a long three-hour chat with local leaders, and a helpful Republican colleague of hers that can push a settlement.

    Thanks again Davis Vanguard. Your work helped us learn something important about Supervisor Yamada before we all vote to give her a promotion to the Assembly.

  25. I think this is a step in a better direction but I do not think it is a step in the right direction.

    I am in agreement with Champerlain but appreciate Rexroad, (He is the only one who responded to my emails to the supervisors so far).

    Perhaps Davis residents were overeacting but because it was unknown what would be studied in the large areas it was understandable. Yet, I felt that in the lectures the overreacting was not that acceptable.

    As for Rexroad, I do think that Woodland’s develpment has been Anytown USA or Sameville and could have been done much better. Good land has also been developed around woodland

  26. I think this is a step in a better direction but I do not think it is a step in the right direction.

    I am in agreement with Champerlain but appreciate Rexroad, (He is the only one who responded to my emails to the supervisors so far).

    Perhaps Davis residents were overeacting but because it was unknown what would be studied in the large areas it was understandable. Yet, I felt that in the lectures the overreacting was not that acceptable.

    As for Rexroad, I do think that Woodland’s develpment has been Anytown USA or Sameville and could have been done much better. Good land has also been developed around woodland

  27. I think this is a step in a better direction but I do not think it is a step in the right direction.

    I am in agreement with Champerlain but appreciate Rexroad, (He is the only one who responded to my emails to the supervisors so far).

    Perhaps Davis residents were overeacting but because it was unknown what would be studied in the large areas it was understandable. Yet, I felt that in the lectures the overreacting was not that acceptable.

    As for Rexroad, I do think that Woodland’s develpment has been Anytown USA or Sameville and could have been done much better. Good land has also been developed around woodland

  28. I think this is a step in a better direction but I do not think it is a step in the right direction.

    I am in agreement with Champerlain but appreciate Rexroad, (He is the only one who responded to my emails to the supervisors so far).

    Perhaps Davis residents were overeacting but because it was unknown what would be studied in the large areas it was understandable. Yet, I felt that in the lectures the overreacting was not that acceptable.

    As for Rexroad, I do think that Woodland’s develpment has been Anytown USA or Sameville and could have been done much better. Good land has also been developed around woodland

  29. I believe that Yamada’s heart is in the right place, which is unusual compared to many politicians. I think she, through her work history, not only feels compassion for people struggling but also empathy. I think this empathy is possible her driving force.

    However, when she is in the Assembly I wonder if Davis residents will fight for all of Calfornia when it comes to develpment on prime ag land. I know, I have not been as active as I should have or paid attention for that matter. I was so sure on my vote for Yamada but now I am not sure. I am not sure about other choices either. Thank goodness for the Vanguard!

  30. I believe that Yamada’s heart is in the right place, which is unusual compared to many politicians. I think she, through her work history, not only feels compassion for people struggling but also empathy. I think this empathy is possible her driving force.

    However, when she is in the Assembly I wonder if Davis residents will fight for all of Calfornia when it comes to develpment on prime ag land. I know, I have not been as active as I should have or paid attention for that matter. I was so sure on my vote for Yamada but now I am not sure. I am not sure about other choices either. Thank goodness for the Vanguard!

  31. I believe that Yamada’s heart is in the right place, which is unusual compared to many politicians. I think she, through her work history, not only feels compassion for people struggling but also empathy. I think this empathy is possible her driving force.

    However, when she is in the Assembly I wonder if Davis residents will fight for all of Calfornia when it comes to develpment on prime ag land. I know, I have not been as active as I should have or paid attention for that matter. I was so sure on my vote for Yamada but now I am not sure. I am not sure about other choices either. Thank goodness for the Vanguard!

  32. I believe that Yamada’s heart is in the right place, which is unusual compared to many politicians. I think she, through her work history, not only feels compassion for people struggling but also empathy. I think this empathy is possible her driving force.

    However, when she is in the Assembly I wonder if Davis residents will fight for all of Calfornia when it comes to develpment on prime ag land. I know, I have not been as active as I should have or paid attention for that matter. I was so sure on my vote for Yamada but now I am not sure. I am not sure about other choices either. Thank goodness for the Vanguard!

  33. “Chamberlain ended up voting against the motion because it did not go far enough–he opposed development at those spots period.”

    DPD: Is this an accurate depiction?
    Didn’t Supervisor Chamberlain’s no vote represent his opposition to THE COUNTY insisting on being a part of the decision-making process(in violation of the pass-through agreement) concerning those 3 areas on Davis’ periphery?
    I thought that you described his no vote as opposition to the County insisting on “discussions” with Davis concerning the future of these properties in addition to the 4-1 vote to remove their study status from the COUNTY plan.

  34. “Chamberlain ended up voting against the motion because it did not go far enough–he opposed development at those spots period.”

    DPD: Is this an accurate depiction?
    Didn’t Supervisor Chamberlain’s no vote represent his opposition to THE COUNTY insisting on being a part of the decision-making process(in violation of the pass-through agreement) concerning those 3 areas on Davis’ periphery?
    I thought that you described his no vote as opposition to the County insisting on “discussions” with Davis concerning the future of these properties in addition to the 4-1 vote to remove their study status from the COUNTY plan.

  35. “Chamberlain ended up voting against the motion because it did not go far enough–he opposed development at those spots period.”

    DPD: Is this an accurate depiction?
    Didn’t Supervisor Chamberlain’s no vote represent his opposition to THE COUNTY insisting on being a part of the decision-making process(in violation of the pass-through agreement) concerning those 3 areas on Davis’ periphery?
    I thought that you described his no vote as opposition to the County insisting on “discussions” with Davis concerning the future of these properties in addition to the 4-1 vote to remove their study status from the COUNTY plan.

  36. “Chamberlain ended up voting against the motion because it did not go far enough–he opposed development at those spots period.”

    DPD: Is this an accurate depiction?
    Didn’t Supervisor Chamberlain’s no vote represent his opposition to THE COUNTY insisting on being a part of the decision-making process(in violation of the pass-through agreement) concerning those 3 areas on Davis’ periphery?
    I thought that you described his no vote as opposition to the County insisting on “discussions” with Davis concerning the future of these properties in addition to the 4-1 vote to remove their study status from the COUNTY plan.

  37. Your blogging yesterday was great and I watched both the streaming video and the blog simultaneously. Your interpretation of events were very interesting and mostly accurate.

    That said, I think you’re overstating the effect of Heystek’s & Provenza’s meeting with Yamada on Sunday. If you recall in the BOS meeting yesterday, Yamada, Thomsen, and McGowan initially voted to preserve the maps as originally outlined in red. Your blogging even acknowledges it. It was a done deal. Yamada could have, prior to that vote, made a counter-motion to delay any decision. It wasn’t until County staff requested a recess that a new option surfaced. So I fail to see how the Heystek/Provenza meeting tangibly affected her decision. Maybe I’m missing something.

  38. Your blogging yesterday was great and I watched both the streaming video and the blog simultaneously. Your interpretation of events were very interesting and mostly accurate.

    That said, I think you’re overstating the effect of Heystek’s & Provenza’s meeting with Yamada on Sunday. If you recall in the BOS meeting yesterday, Yamada, Thomsen, and McGowan initially voted to preserve the maps as originally outlined in red. Your blogging even acknowledges it. It was a done deal. Yamada could have, prior to that vote, made a counter-motion to delay any decision. It wasn’t until County staff requested a recess that a new option surfaced. So I fail to see how the Heystek/Provenza meeting tangibly affected her decision. Maybe I’m missing something.

  39. Your blogging yesterday was great and I watched both the streaming video and the blog simultaneously. Your interpretation of events were very interesting and mostly accurate.

    That said, I think you’re overstating the effect of Heystek’s & Provenza’s meeting with Yamada on Sunday. If you recall in the BOS meeting yesterday, Yamada, Thomsen, and McGowan initially voted to preserve the maps as originally outlined in red. Your blogging even acknowledges it. It was a done deal. Yamada could have, prior to that vote, made a counter-motion to delay any decision. It wasn’t until County staff requested a recess that a new option surfaced. So I fail to see how the Heystek/Provenza meeting tangibly affected her decision. Maybe I’m missing something.

  40. Your blogging yesterday was great and I watched both the streaming video and the blog simultaneously. Your interpretation of events were very interesting and mostly accurate.

    That said, I think you’re overstating the effect of Heystek’s & Provenza’s meeting with Yamada on Sunday. If you recall in the BOS meeting yesterday, Yamada, Thomsen, and McGowan initially voted to preserve the maps as originally outlined in red. Your blogging even acknowledges it. It was a done deal. Yamada could have, prior to that vote, made a counter-motion to delay any decision. It wasn’t until County staff requested a recess that a new option surfaced. So I fail to see how the Heystek/Provenza meeting tangibly affected her decision. Maybe I’m missing something.

  41. I agree that Yamada’s “heart” is in the right place.Perhaps more importantly, I think that we learned a lot about where Yamada’s “head” is and how she handles herself in the political arena.

  42. I agree that Yamada’s “heart” is in the right place.Perhaps more importantly, I think that we learned a lot about where Yamada’s “head” is and how she handles herself in the political arena.

  43. I agree that Yamada’s “heart” is in the right place.Perhaps more importantly, I think that we learned a lot about where Yamada’s “head” is and how she handles herself in the political arena.

  44. I agree that Yamada’s “heart” is in the right place.Perhaps more importantly, I think that we learned a lot about where Yamada’s “head” is and how she handles herself in the political arena.

  45. First of all, I think that this issue shouldn’t have EVER gotten to this point. Why did it have to take an angry mob with pitchforks, a recall threat, 50 Davisite speakers at the Supes meeting, and the constant informative rallying cry of the Vanguard to have our Supervisors change their minds at the last second for a “compromise”… and give us a condescending lecture in the process as if they did us a favor? Anyone else notice anything wrong here?!?!
    Chairwoman Yamada’s heart and head should have been on top of this one and she should have fought tooth and nail to kill this idea in the early stages, but she either dropped the ball, or played political chicken with Davis’ pass through agreement so she can raise the $100k from developer money she needs for the Assembly race. I miss the empathetic, caring, and in-touch pre-Assembly candidate Yamada, who was a consistent thorn in the sides of growthers. Now, I feel like we lost someone to “checkbook politics”. I don’t understand why she has to change so much for a campaign when it was her original stances that made her a great alternative to the developer backed frontrunner…and I don’t understand why we had to waste all this time for something that should have been D.O.A. with secure, known votes ahead of time.

  46. First of all, I think that this issue shouldn’t have EVER gotten to this point. Why did it have to take an angry mob with pitchforks, a recall threat, 50 Davisite speakers at the Supes meeting, and the constant informative rallying cry of the Vanguard to have our Supervisors change their minds at the last second for a “compromise”… and give us a condescending lecture in the process as if they did us a favor? Anyone else notice anything wrong here?!?!
    Chairwoman Yamada’s heart and head should have been on top of this one and she should have fought tooth and nail to kill this idea in the early stages, but she either dropped the ball, or played political chicken with Davis’ pass through agreement so she can raise the $100k from developer money she needs for the Assembly race. I miss the empathetic, caring, and in-touch pre-Assembly candidate Yamada, who was a consistent thorn in the sides of growthers. Now, I feel like we lost someone to “checkbook politics”. I don’t understand why she has to change so much for a campaign when it was her original stances that made her a great alternative to the developer backed frontrunner…and I don’t understand why we had to waste all this time for something that should have been D.O.A. with secure, known votes ahead of time.

  47. First of all, I think that this issue shouldn’t have EVER gotten to this point. Why did it have to take an angry mob with pitchforks, a recall threat, 50 Davisite speakers at the Supes meeting, and the constant informative rallying cry of the Vanguard to have our Supervisors change their minds at the last second for a “compromise”… and give us a condescending lecture in the process as if they did us a favor? Anyone else notice anything wrong here?!?!
    Chairwoman Yamada’s heart and head should have been on top of this one and she should have fought tooth and nail to kill this idea in the early stages, but she either dropped the ball, or played political chicken with Davis’ pass through agreement so she can raise the $100k from developer money she needs for the Assembly race. I miss the empathetic, caring, and in-touch pre-Assembly candidate Yamada, who was a consistent thorn in the sides of growthers. Now, I feel like we lost someone to “checkbook politics”. I don’t understand why she has to change so much for a campaign when it was her original stances that made her a great alternative to the developer backed frontrunner…and I don’t understand why we had to waste all this time for something that should have been D.O.A. with secure, known votes ahead of time.

  48. First of all, I think that this issue shouldn’t have EVER gotten to this point. Why did it have to take an angry mob with pitchforks, a recall threat, 50 Davisite speakers at the Supes meeting, and the constant informative rallying cry of the Vanguard to have our Supervisors change their minds at the last second for a “compromise”… and give us a condescending lecture in the process as if they did us a favor? Anyone else notice anything wrong here?!?!
    Chairwoman Yamada’s heart and head should have been on top of this one and she should have fought tooth and nail to kill this idea in the early stages, but she either dropped the ball, or played political chicken with Davis’ pass through agreement so she can raise the $100k from developer money she needs for the Assembly race. I miss the empathetic, caring, and in-touch pre-Assembly candidate Yamada, who was a consistent thorn in the sides of growthers. Now, I feel like we lost someone to “checkbook politics”. I don’t understand why she has to change so much for a campaign when it was her original stances that made her a great alternative to the developer backed frontrunner…and I don’t understand why we had to waste all this time for something that should have been D.O.A. with secure, known votes ahead of time.

  49. “And now we can all get back to working for Yamada for Assembly!”

    After this debacle, Mariko couldn’t get elected dog catcher. Her actions prove inequivocally that she is willing to substitute her own agenda for the will of her constituents. That’s all I need to know about her.

    The most generous interpretation of her actions is that she thought she knew better what was best for Davis than did her constituents. However, given that this occurred at a time when she desperately needed to raise campaign funds, there are certainly darker interpretations that come to mind. Either way, she can no longer be trusted.

    Local politicians take note. You are not our parents. We elect you to REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, EVEN IF YOU THINK WE ARE WRONG. Davis voters are getting fed up with electeds who violate our trust.

  50. “And now we can all get back to working for Yamada for Assembly!”

    After this debacle, Mariko couldn’t get elected dog catcher. Her actions prove inequivocally that she is willing to substitute her own agenda for the will of her constituents. That’s all I need to know about her.

    The most generous interpretation of her actions is that she thought she knew better what was best for Davis than did her constituents. However, given that this occurred at a time when she desperately needed to raise campaign funds, there are certainly darker interpretations that come to mind. Either way, she can no longer be trusted.

    Local politicians take note. You are not our parents. We elect you to REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, EVEN IF YOU THINK WE ARE WRONG. Davis voters are getting fed up with electeds who violate our trust.

  51. “And now we can all get back to working for Yamada for Assembly!”

    After this debacle, Mariko couldn’t get elected dog catcher. Her actions prove inequivocally that she is willing to substitute her own agenda for the will of her constituents. That’s all I need to know about her.

    The most generous interpretation of her actions is that she thought she knew better what was best for Davis than did her constituents. However, given that this occurred at a time when she desperately needed to raise campaign funds, there are certainly darker interpretations that come to mind. Either way, she can no longer be trusted.

    Local politicians take note. You are not our parents. We elect you to REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, EVEN IF YOU THINK WE ARE WRONG. Davis voters are getting fed up with electeds who violate our trust.

  52. “And now we can all get back to working for Yamada for Assembly!”

    After this debacle, Mariko couldn’t get elected dog catcher. Her actions prove inequivocally that she is willing to substitute her own agenda for the will of her constituents. That’s all I need to know about her.

    The most generous interpretation of her actions is that she thought she knew better what was best for Davis than did her constituents. However, given that this occurred at a time when she desperately needed to raise campaign funds, there are certainly darker interpretations that come to mind. Either way, she can no longer be trusted.

    Local politicians take note. You are not our parents. We elect you to REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, EVEN IF YOU THINK WE ARE WRONG. Davis voters are getting fed up with electeds who violate our trust.

  53. Anonymous 2:52 said:

    REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, EVEN IF YOU THINK WE ARE WRONG.

    I don’t think that is entirely the point, we do elect people based on their ability to make good judgment and because we believe they share our values. They are not supposed to just mirror the loudest opinions in the community or take a poll every time there is a vote.

    However, they also should not be wildly out-of-touch and condescending either. Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made. Every quote was some version of “grow up” or “chill out.” This attitude was further reflected in her posting on this blog site (where she stretched the truth about her public positions on land use issues) and in her statements yesterday at the board meeting.

    It seems as though she may have had some real rationale for supporting these proposals in concept, and voting for them on the first ballot, but she never seemed to articulate it in a way that was reflective of my political values or the values of my Davisite friends in the community.

    Irony of Ironies is that she is going sideways on us at the board of supervisors, and at the same time going around town telling people, “trust me, I’m the progressive alternative to Chris Cabaldon, the Developer’s candidate.”

    Alternative? I think she has permanently lost that mantle.

    Can’t wait until the campaign finance information is fully out. There have been some suggestions on other postings that she has raised $100,000 for her assembly race during this whole debacle. Will be interesting to see if that is true. Also looking forward to any insight as to why she has been carrying their water this past month or so.

  54. Anonymous 2:52 said:

    REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, EVEN IF YOU THINK WE ARE WRONG.

    I don’t think that is entirely the point, we do elect people based on their ability to make good judgment and because we believe they share our values. They are not supposed to just mirror the loudest opinions in the community or take a poll every time there is a vote.

    However, they also should not be wildly out-of-touch and condescending either. Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made. Every quote was some version of “grow up” or “chill out.” This attitude was further reflected in her posting on this blog site (where she stretched the truth about her public positions on land use issues) and in her statements yesterday at the board meeting.

    It seems as though she may have had some real rationale for supporting these proposals in concept, and voting for them on the first ballot, but she never seemed to articulate it in a way that was reflective of my political values or the values of my Davisite friends in the community.

    Irony of Ironies is that she is going sideways on us at the board of supervisors, and at the same time going around town telling people, “trust me, I’m the progressive alternative to Chris Cabaldon, the Developer’s candidate.”

    Alternative? I think she has permanently lost that mantle.

    Can’t wait until the campaign finance information is fully out. There have been some suggestions on other postings that she has raised $100,000 for her assembly race during this whole debacle. Will be interesting to see if that is true. Also looking forward to any insight as to why she has been carrying their water this past month or so.

  55. Anonymous 2:52 said:

    REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, EVEN IF YOU THINK WE ARE WRONG.

    I don’t think that is entirely the point, we do elect people based on their ability to make good judgment and because we believe they share our values. They are not supposed to just mirror the loudest opinions in the community or take a poll every time there is a vote.

    However, they also should not be wildly out-of-touch and condescending either. Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made. Every quote was some version of “grow up” or “chill out.” This attitude was further reflected in her posting on this blog site (where she stretched the truth about her public positions on land use issues) and in her statements yesterday at the board meeting.

    It seems as though she may have had some real rationale for supporting these proposals in concept, and voting for them on the first ballot, but she never seemed to articulate it in a way that was reflective of my political values or the values of my Davisite friends in the community.

    Irony of Ironies is that she is going sideways on us at the board of supervisors, and at the same time going around town telling people, “trust me, I’m the progressive alternative to Chris Cabaldon, the Developer’s candidate.”

    Alternative? I think she has permanently lost that mantle.

    Can’t wait until the campaign finance information is fully out. There have been some suggestions on other postings that she has raised $100,000 for her assembly race during this whole debacle. Will be interesting to see if that is true. Also looking forward to any insight as to why she has been carrying their water this past month or so.

  56. Anonymous 2:52 said:

    REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS, EVEN IF YOU THINK WE ARE WRONG.

    I don’t think that is entirely the point, we do elect people based on their ability to make good judgment and because we believe they share our values. They are not supposed to just mirror the loudest opinions in the community or take a poll every time there is a vote.

    However, they also should not be wildly out-of-touch and condescending either. Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made. Every quote was some version of “grow up” or “chill out.” This attitude was further reflected in her posting on this blog site (where she stretched the truth about her public positions on land use issues) and in her statements yesterday at the board meeting.

    It seems as though she may have had some real rationale for supporting these proposals in concept, and voting for them on the first ballot, but she never seemed to articulate it in a way that was reflective of my political values or the values of my Davisite friends in the community.

    Irony of Ironies is that she is going sideways on us at the board of supervisors, and at the same time going around town telling people, “trust me, I’m the progressive alternative to Chris Cabaldon, the Developer’s candidate.”

    Alternative? I think she has permanently lost that mantle.

    Can’t wait until the campaign finance information is fully out. There have been some suggestions on other postings that she has raised $100,000 for her assembly race during this whole debacle. Will be interesting to see if that is true. Also looking forward to any insight as to why she has been carrying their water this past month or so.

  57. However, they also should not be wildly out-of-touch and condescending either. Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made. Every quote was some version of “grow up” or “chill out.” This attitude was further reflected in her posting on this blog site (where she stretched the truth about her public positions on land use issues) and in her statements yesterday at the board meeting.

    This is insightful. Mariko has always had a tendency to relate to members of the public as children whenever they have disagreed with her, diagnosing substantive disagreement as manifestations of infantilism.

    Or, to put it more directly, she has a tendency to see the relationship between an elected official and the electorate as a parent/child one. On the one hand, she tries to motivate and encourage, but then, she becomes, by turns, condescending, if not confrontational, if the “child” doesn’t go down the same political path with her.

    Understandable for someone with a social services background, I guess, but not an approach likely to result in a long, successful political career. As with her tendency to respond to all media inquiries, regardless how ill-advised, this is something that she will need to address if she intends to have a chance of defeating Cabaldon.

    –Richard Estes

  58. However, they also should not be wildly out-of-touch and condescending either. Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made. Every quote was some version of “grow up” or “chill out.” This attitude was further reflected in her posting on this blog site (where she stretched the truth about her public positions on land use issues) and in her statements yesterday at the board meeting.

    This is insightful. Mariko has always had a tendency to relate to members of the public as children whenever they have disagreed with her, diagnosing substantive disagreement as manifestations of infantilism.

    Or, to put it more directly, she has a tendency to see the relationship between an elected official and the electorate as a parent/child one. On the one hand, she tries to motivate and encourage, but then, she becomes, by turns, condescending, if not confrontational, if the “child” doesn’t go down the same political path with her.

    Understandable for someone with a social services background, I guess, but not an approach likely to result in a long, successful political career. As with her tendency to respond to all media inquiries, regardless how ill-advised, this is something that she will need to address if she intends to have a chance of defeating Cabaldon.

    –Richard Estes

  59. However, they also should not be wildly out-of-touch and condescending either. Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made. Every quote was some version of “grow up” or “chill out.” This attitude was further reflected in her posting on this blog site (where she stretched the truth about her public positions on land use issues) and in her statements yesterday at the board meeting.

    This is insightful. Mariko has always had a tendency to relate to members of the public as children whenever they have disagreed with her, diagnosing substantive disagreement as manifestations of infantilism.

    Or, to put it more directly, she has a tendency to see the relationship between an elected official and the electorate as a parent/child one. On the one hand, she tries to motivate and encourage, but then, she becomes, by turns, condescending, if not confrontational, if the “child” doesn’t go down the same political path with her.

    Understandable for someone with a social services background, I guess, but not an approach likely to result in a long, successful political career. As with her tendency to respond to all media inquiries, regardless how ill-advised, this is something that she will need to address if she intends to have a chance of defeating Cabaldon.

    –Richard Estes

  60. However, they also should not be wildly out-of-touch and condescending either. Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made. Every quote was some version of “grow up” or “chill out.” This attitude was further reflected in her posting on this blog site (where she stretched the truth about her public positions on land use issues) and in her statements yesterday at the board meeting.

    This is insightful. Mariko has always had a tendency to relate to members of the public as children whenever they have disagreed with her, diagnosing substantive disagreement as manifestations of infantilism.

    Or, to put it more directly, she has a tendency to see the relationship between an elected official and the electorate as a parent/child one. On the one hand, she tries to motivate and encourage, but then, she becomes, by turns, condescending, if not confrontational, if the “child” doesn’t go down the same political path with her.

    Understandable for someone with a social services background, I guess, but not an approach likely to result in a long, successful political career. As with her tendency to respond to all media inquiries, regardless how ill-advised, this is something that she will need to address if she intends to have a chance of defeating Cabaldon.

    –Richard Estes

  61. Thank you Doug Paul Davis and thank you to the People’s Vanguard of Davis for the real-time reporting/blogging reports during Tuesday’s BOS meeting.

    DPD and the Davis Vanguard over the past weeks have given our community insight into the dilemma facing Davis voters should their own supervisors choose not to protect our city and county from the devastating effects of massive urban growth proposals being facilitated by the county’s “study area” general plan update scheme.

    The line was clearly drawn. Yesterday, Supervisors Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada faced the citizens of Davis who elected them and who oppose massive peripheral growth and urban sprawl. No equivocation, no ambiguity, no doublespeak from the supervisors was going to be accepted by the citizens. Although, both Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada throughout their comments spoke in arrogant, condescending and sanctimonious tones towards their constituents, the citizenry would have none of it.

    Those present at the BOS hearings or streaming live and/or keeping up with the Vanguard blog witnessed grass root democracy at work. City leaders of Davis, past and present spoke out against the county staff report demanding that their elected supervisors Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada honor the pass-through-agreements—the very process in which any discussion of growth should have occurred between the city and the county.

    After listening to three hours of public testimony the supervisors voted. Supervisor Matt Rexroad made a motion, seconded by Supervisor Duane Chamberlain to remove all “study area” designations to the Northwest Quadrant/Osete site and the old Covell Village site. McGowan, Thomson and Yamada voted no and the motion did not pass. As the disgust and outrage moved throughout the chambers and into the lobby, county staff asked the supervisors to take a break and discuss the matter in private. Twenty minutes later the supervisors reversed themselves and voted to remove all “study area” designations and peripheral development sites from the proposed county general plan update process. They agreed to take up the offer by a unanimous Davis City Council to enter into discussions about growth and revenue matters.

    Kudos’ to a united Davis City Council led by Mayor Sue Greenwald who made clear that the city would not allow growth or the discussion of growth on its borders outside of the pass-through-agreement process.

    Kudo’s to Bill & Carolyn Kopper, Julie Partansky, Pam Neiberg, Holly Bishop, Mark Spencer, Norma Turner, Sally Parker, Rebecca Wu, Jean Jackman, Mike Shepley and many others who spoke out against the proposed actions by county staff and our two Davis supervisors.

    Kudo’s to Lamar Heystek and Jim Provenza who worked both privately and spoke out publicly to uphold the integrity of the pass-through-agreement process and protect the city of Davis’ right to determine growth, period.

    And finally, Kudo’s to the dozens of community activists who worked day and night to organize their community to oppose these destructive development “study areas.” Well over 100 citizens attended yesterday’s BOS meeting in support of this effort and of those nearly 50 spoke out in opposition to the county staff report.

    Without all of this good work, there is no doubt that Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada would have voted to accept the staff report recommendations and all of these massive peripheral development proposals would have continued in the county’s general plan update process.

    Folks, we must be vigilant. The county general plan update process which sets growth and development policy for the next 20 years is under attack. Too much money can be made off of poor land use decisions by our county supervisors. The temptation for certain supervisors to pander to developers is enormous. Yesterday, in the board chambers and trolling outside were big time developers, their hired guns (consultants, lawyers, public relations.) They will collectively spend millions to get the land use designations they want. We must monitor their actions and guard against the potential plundering of our county. Yesterday, was an early battle of many more to come.

  62. Thank you Doug Paul Davis and thank you to the People’s Vanguard of Davis for the real-time reporting/blogging reports during Tuesday’s BOS meeting.

    DPD and the Davis Vanguard over the past weeks have given our community insight into the dilemma facing Davis voters should their own supervisors choose not to protect our city and county from the devastating effects of massive urban growth proposals being facilitated by the county’s “study area” general plan update scheme.

    The line was clearly drawn. Yesterday, Supervisors Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada faced the citizens of Davis who elected them and who oppose massive peripheral growth and urban sprawl. No equivocation, no ambiguity, no doublespeak from the supervisors was going to be accepted by the citizens. Although, both Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada throughout their comments spoke in arrogant, condescending and sanctimonious tones towards their constituents, the citizenry would have none of it.

    Those present at the BOS hearings or streaming live and/or keeping up with the Vanguard blog witnessed grass root democracy at work. City leaders of Davis, past and present spoke out against the county staff report demanding that their elected supervisors Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada honor the pass-through-agreements—the very process in which any discussion of growth should have occurred between the city and the county.

    After listening to three hours of public testimony the supervisors voted. Supervisor Matt Rexroad made a motion, seconded by Supervisor Duane Chamberlain to remove all “study area” designations to the Northwest Quadrant/Osete site and the old Covell Village site. McGowan, Thomson and Yamada voted no and the motion did not pass. As the disgust and outrage moved throughout the chambers and into the lobby, county staff asked the supervisors to take a break and discuss the matter in private. Twenty minutes later the supervisors reversed themselves and voted to remove all “study area” designations and peripheral development sites from the proposed county general plan update process. They agreed to take up the offer by a unanimous Davis City Council to enter into discussions about growth and revenue matters.

    Kudos’ to a united Davis City Council led by Mayor Sue Greenwald who made clear that the city would not allow growth or the discussion of growth on its borders outside of the pass-through-agreement process.

    Kudo’s to Bill & Carolyn Kopper, Julie Partansky, Pam Neiberg, Holly Bishop, Mark Spencer, Norma Turner, Sally Parker, Rebecca Wu, Jean Jackman, Mike Shepley and many others who spoke out against the proposed actions by county staff and our two Davis supervisors.

    Kudo’s to Lamar Heystek and Jim Provenza who worked both privately and spoke out publicly to uphold the integrity of the pass-through-agreement process and protect the city of Davis’ right to determine growth, period.

    And finally, Kudo’s to the dozens of community activists who worked day and night to organize their community to oppose these destructive development “study areas.” Well over 100 citizens attended yesterday’s BOS meeting in support of this effort and of those nearly 50 spoke out in opposition to the county staff report.

    Without all of this good work, there is no doubt that Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada would have voted to accept the staff report recommendations and all of these massive peripheral development proposals would have continued in the county’s general plan update process.

    Folks, we must be vigilant. The county general plan update process which sets growth and development policy for the next 20 years is under attack. Too much money can be made off of poor land use decisions by our county supervisors. The temptation for certain supervisors to pander to developers is enormous. Yesterday, in the board chambers and trolling outside were big time developers, their hired guns (consultants, lawyers, public relations.) They will collectively spend millions to get the land use designations they want. We must monitor their actions and guard against the potential plundering of our county. Yesterday, was an early battle of many more to come.

  63. Thank you Doug Paul Davis and thank you to the People’s Vanguard of Davis for the real-time reporting/blogging reports during Tuesday’s BOS meeting.

    DPD and the Davis Vanguard over the past weeks have given our community insight into the dilemma facing Davis voters should their own supervisors choose not to protect our city and county from the devastating effects of massive urban growth proposals being facilitated by the county’s “study area” general plan update scheme.

    The line was clearly drawn. Yesterday, Supervisors Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada faced the citizens of Davis who elected them and who oppose massive peripheral growth and urban sprawl. No equivocation, no ambiguity, no doublespeak from the supervisors was going to be accepted by the citizens. Although, both Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada throughout their comments spoke in arrogant, condescending and sanctimonious tones towards their constituents, the citizenry would have none of it.

    Those present at the BOS hearings or streaming live and/or keeping up with the Vanguard blog witnessed grass root democracy at work. City leaders of Davis, past and present spoke out against the county staff report demanding that their elected supervisors Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada honor the pass-through-agreements—the very process in which any discussion of growth should have occurred between the city and the county.

    After listening to three hours of public testimony the supervisors voted. Supervisor Matt Rexroad made a motion, seconded by Supervisor Duane Chamberlain to remove all “study area” designations to the Northwest Quadrant/Osete site and the old Covell Village site. McGowan, Thomson and Yamada voted no and the motion did not pass. As the disgust and outrage moved throughout the chambers and into the lobby, county staff asked the supervisors to take a break and discuss the matter in private. Twenty minutes later the supervisors reversed themselves and voted to remove all “study area” designations and peripheral development sites from the proposed county general plan update process. They agreed to take up the offer by a unanimous Davis City Council to enter into discussions about growth and revenue matters.

    Kudos’ to a united Davis City Council led by Mayor Sue Greenwald who made clear that the city would not allow growth or the discussion of growth on its borders outside of the pass-through-agreement process.

    Kudo’s to Bill & Carolyn Kopper, Julie Partansky, Pam Neiberg, Holly Bishop, Mark Spencer, Norma Turner, Sally Parker, Rebecca Wu, Jean Jackman, Mike Shepley and many others who spoke out against the proposed actions by county staff and our two Davis supervisors.

    Kudo’s to Lamar Heystek and Jim Provenza who worked both privately and spoke out publicly to uphold the integrity of the pass-through-agreement process and protect the city of Davis’ right to determine growth, period.

    And finally, Kudo’s to the dozens of community activists who worked day and night to organize their community to oppose these destructive development “study areas.” Well over 100 citizens attended yesterday’s BOS meeting in support of this effort and of those nearly 50 spoke out in opposition to the county staff report.

    Without all of this good work, there is no doubt that Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada would have voted to accept the staff report recommendations and all of these massive peripheral development proposals would have continued in the county’s general plan update process.

    Folks, we must be vigilant. The county general plan update process which sets growth and development policy for the next 20 years is under attack. Too much money can be made off of poor land use decisions by our county supervisors. The temptation for certain supervisors to pander to developers is enormous. Yesterday, in the board chambers and trolling outside were big time developers, their hired guns (consultants, lawyers, public relations.) They will collectively spend millions to get the land use designations they want. We must monitor their actions and guard against the potential plundering of our county. Yesterday, was an early battle of many more to come.

  64. Thank you Doug Paul Davis and thank you to the People’s Vanguard of Davis for the real-time reporting/blogging reports during Tuesday’s BOS meeting.

    DPD and the Davis Vanguard over the past weeks have given our community insight into the dilemma facing Davis voters should their own supervisors choose not to protect our city and county from the devastating effects of massive urban growth proposals being facilitated by the county’s “study area” general plan update scheme.

    The line was clearly drawn. Yesterday, Supervisors Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada faced the citizens of Davis who elected them and who oppose massive peripheral growth and urban sprawl. No equivocation, no ambiguity, no doublespeak from the supervisors was going to be accepted by the citizens. Although, both Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada throughout their comments spoke in arrogant, condescending and sanctimonious tones towards their constituents, the citizenry would have none of it.

    Those present at the BOS hearings or streaming live and/or keeping up with the Vanguard blog witnessed grass root democracy at work. City leaders of Davis, past and present spoke out against the county staff report demanding that their elected supervisors Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada honor the pass-through-agreements—the very process in which any discussion of growth should have occurred between the city and the county.

    After listening to three hours of public testimony the supervisors voted. Supervisor Matt Rexroad made a motion, seconded by Supervisor Duane Chamberlain to remove all “study area” designations to the Northwest Quadrant/Osete site and the old Covell Village site. McGowan, Thomson and Yamada voted no and the motion did not pass. As the disgust and outrage moved throughout the chambers and into the lobby, county staff asked the supervisors to take a break and discuss the matter in private. Twenty minutes later the supervisors reversed themselves and voted to remove all “study area” designations and peripheral development sites from the proposed county general plan update process. They agreed to take up the offer by a unanimous Davis City Council to enter into discussions about growth and revenue matters.

    Kudos’ to a united Davis City Council led by Mayor Sue Greenwald who made clear that the city would not allow growth or the discussion of growth on its borders outside of the pass-through-agreement process.

    Kudo’s to Bill & Carolyn Kopper, Julie Partansky, Pam Neiberg, Holly Bishop, Mark Spencer, Norma Turner, Sally Parker, Rebecca Wu, Jean Jackman, Mike Shepley and many others who spoke out against the proposed actions by county staff and our two Davis supervisors.

    Kudo’s to Lamar Heystek and Jim Provenza who worked both privately and spoke out publicly to uphold the integrity of the pass-through-agreement process and protect the city of Davis’ right to determine growth, period.

    And finally, Kudo’s to the dozens of community activists who worked day and night to organize their community to oppose these destructive development “study areas.” Well over 100 citizens attended yesterday’s BOS meeting in support of this effort and of those nearly 50 spoke out in opposition to the county staff report.

    Without all of this good work, there is no doubt that Helen Thomson and Mariko Yamada would have voted to accept the staff report recommendations and all of these massive peripheral development proposals would have continued in the county’s general plan update process.

    Folks, we must be vigilant. The county general plan update process which sets growth and development policy for the next 20 years is under attack. Too much money can be made off of poor land use decisions by our county supervisors. The temptation for certain supervisors to pander to developers is enormous. Yesterday, in the board chambers and trolling outside were big time developers, their hired guns (consultants, lawyers, public relations.) They will collectively spend millions to get the land use designations they want. We must monitor their actions and guard against the potential plundering of our county. Yesterday, was an early battle of many more to come.

  65. “…diagnosing substantive disagreement as manifestations of infantilism.”

    Those of us who were around remember another of our local female pols who suffered from the same malady.. Davis Mayor Lois Wolk.

  66. “…diagnosing substantive disagreement as manifestations of infantilism.”

    Those of us who were around remember another of our local female pols who suffered from the same malady.. Davis Mayor Lois Wolk.

  67. “…diagnosing substantive disagreement as manifestations of infantilism.”

    Those of us who were around remember another of our local female pols who suffered from the same malady.. Davis Mayor Lois Wolk.

  68. “…diagnosing substantive disagreement as manifestations of infantilism.”

    Those of us who were around remember another of our local female pols who suffered from the same malady.. Davis Mayor Lois Wolk.

  69. Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made.

    Honestly, has Mariko ever said anything which didn’t make her sound low IQ? She’s our George W. Bush. Here are some classic Mariko quotes:

    “I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn’t here.”

    “You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.”

    “I hear there’s rumors on the Internets that we’re going to have a Covell Village.”

    “I’m the master of low expectations.”

    “I’m also not very analytical. You know I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about myself, about why I do things.”

    “We need to counter the shockwave of the evildoer by having individual rate cuts accelerated and by thinking about tax rebates.”

    “People say, how can I help on this war against terror? How can I fight evil? You can do so by mentoring a child; by going into a shut-in’s house and say I love you.”

    “I wish you’d have given me this written question ahead of time so I could plan for it…I’m sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come up with answer, but it hadn’t yet….I don’t want to sound like I have made no mistakes. I’m confident I have. I just haven’t — you just put me under the spot here, and maybe I’m not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with one.”

    “I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we’re really talking about peace.”

    “There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”

    “Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren’t able to practice their love with women all across this country.”

    “Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”

  70. Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made.

    Honestly, has Mariko ever said anything which didn’t make her sound low IQ? She’s our George W. Bush. Here are some classic Mariko quotes:

    “I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn’t here.”

    “You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.”

    “I hear there’s rumors on the Internets that we’re going to have a Covell Village.”

    “I’m the master of low expectations.”

    “I’m also not very analytical. You know I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about myself, about why I do things.”

    “We need to counter the shockwave of the evildoer by having individual rate cuts accelerated and by thinking about tax rebates.”

    “People say, how can I help on this war against terror? How can I fight evil? You can do so by mentoring a child; by going into a shut-in’s house and say I love you.”

    “I wish you’d have given me this written question ahead of time so I could plan for it…I’m sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come up with answer, but it hadn’t yet….I don’t want to sound like I have made no mistakes. I’m confident I have. I just haven’t — you just put me under the spot here, and maybe I’m not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with one.”

    “I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we’re really talking about peace.”

    “There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”

    “Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren’t able to practice their love with women all across this country.”

    “Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”

  71. Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made.

    Honestly, has Mariko ever said anything which didn’t make her sound low IQ? She’s our George W. Bush. Here are some classic Mariko quotes:

    “I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn’t here.”

    “You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.”

    “I hear there’s rumors on the Internets that we’re going to have a Covell Village.”

    “I’m the master of low expectations.”

    “I’m also not very analytical. You know I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about myself, about why I do things.”

    “We need to counter the shockwave of the evildoer by having individual rate cuts accelerated and by thinking about tax rebates.”

    “People say, how can I help on this war against terror? How can I fight evil? You can do so by mentoring a child; by going into a shut-in’s house and say I love you.”

    “I wish you’d have given me this written question ahead of time so I could plan for it…I’m sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come up with answer, but it hadn’t yet….I don’t want to sound like I have made no mistakes. I’m confident I have. I just haven’t — you just put me under the spot here, and maybe I’m not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with one.”

    “I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we’re really talking about peace.”

    “There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”

    “Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren’t able to practice their love with women all across this country.”

    “Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”

  72. Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made.

    Honestly, has Mariko ever said anything which didn’t make her sound low IQ? She’s our George W. Bush. Here are some classic Mariko quotes:

    “I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn’t here.”

    “You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.”

    “I hear there’s rumors on the Internets that we’re going to have a Covell Village.”

    “I’m the master of low expectations.”

    “I’m also not very analytical. You know I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about myself, about why I do things.”

    “We need to counter the shockwave of the evildoer by having individual rate cuts accelerated and by thinking about tax rebates.”

    “People say, how can I help on this war against terror? How can I fight evil? You can do so by mentoring a child; by going into a shut-in’s house and say I love you.”

    “I wish you’d have given me this written question ahead of time so I could plan for it…I’m sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come up with answer, but it hadn’t yet….I don’t want to sound like I have made no mistakes. I’m confident I have. I just haven’t — you just put me under the spot here, and maybe I’m not as quick on my feet as I should be in coming up with one.”

    “I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we’re really talking about peace.”

    “There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”

    “Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren’t able to practice their love with women all across this country.”

    “Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”

  73. Alfred E. said…
    “Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made.”

    “Honestly, has Mariko ever said anything which didn’t make her sound low IQ? She’s our George W. Bush. Here are some classic Mariko quotes:”

    Alfred E.:

    Could you cite the publications or events in which you claim Mariko has made these statements? I know her pretty well and attend many community and political events in which she speaks and nearly everything you claim as “quotes” are unfamiliar to me.

  74. Alfred E. said…
    “Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made.”

    “Honestly, has Mariko ever said anything which didn’t make her sound low IQ? She’s our George W. Bush. Here are some classic Mariko quotes:”

    Alfred E.:

    Could you cite the publications or events in which you claim Mariko has made these statements? I know her pretty well and attend many community and political events in which she speaks and nearly everything you claim as “quotes” are unfamiliar to me.

  75. Alfred E. said…
    “Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made.”

    “Honestly, has Mariko ever said anything which didn’t make her sound low IQ? She’s our George W. Bush. Here are some classic Mariko quotes:”

    Alfred E.:

    Could you cite the publications or events in which you claim Mariko has made these statements? I know her pretty well and attend many community and political events in which she speaks and nearly everything you claim as “quotes” are unfamiliar to me.

  76. Alfred E. said…
    “Supervisor Yamada consistently had quotes in the papers that showed her inability to grasp the value-basis of the political arguments that were being made.”

    “Honestly, has Mariko ever said anything which didn’t make her sound low IQ? She’s our George W. Bush. Here are some classic Mariko quotes:”

    Alfred E.:

    Could you cite the publications or events in which you claim Mariko has made these statements? I know her pretty well and attend many community and political events in which she speaks and nearly everything you claim as “quotes” are unfamiliar to me.

  77. Davis Citizens said “NO” to supervisors Thomson and Yamada.

    A thank you is owed to many citizens, citizen activists, current and former Davis electeds who spoke out and asked our supervisors Thomson and Yamada to represent the vast majority of Davis citizens and oppose peripheral growth and urban sprawl.

    These citizens and the Davis Vanguard woke up Thomson and Yamada that a recall was no longer just a threat. Thomson’s and Yamada’s initial vote against removing the “study area” designations would have been the final “straw” to move on to a recall. One could feel the anger, energy and determination to launch the recall among members of the audience.

    Thomson’s and Yamada’s actions would have united the progressive community into a recall machine. By changing their votes, Thomson and Yamada dodged a bullet.

    Yesterday, was a vivid illustration that neither Thomson nor Yamada can be trusted to do the right thing on land use. Only due to a unified showdown of political opposition to their behavior and views did they eventually change their minds; and only after they had initially thumbed their noses at the community. These supervisors will need to be reminded the gun (recall) is still loaded and at the ready if they equivocate and turn against their own constituents during the remaining months of the general plan update process.

    It is most unfortunate that Helen Thomson has blemished her final term in office by her conduct on this issue and it is even more tragic that Mariko Yamada has for whatever reason chosen to not properly represent her constituents. Shame on them.

    Beware Davisites! Our own supervisors are not to be trusted on the important issue of land use.

  78. Davis Citizens said “NO” to supervisors Thomson and Yamada.

    A thank you is owed to many citizens, citizen activists, current and former Davis electeds who spoke out and asked our supervisors Thomson and Yamada to represent the vast majority of Davis citizens and oppose peripheral growth and urban sprawl.

    These citizens and the Davis Vanguard woke up Thomson and Yamada that a recall was no longer just a threat. Thomson’s and Yamada’s initial vote against removing the “study area” designations would have been the final “straw” to move on to a recall. One could feel the anger, energy and determination to launch the recall among members of the audience.

    Thomson’s and Yamada’s actions would have united the progressive community into a recall machine. By changing their votes, Thomson and Yamada dodged a bullet.

    Yesterday, was a vivid illustration that neither Thomson nor Yamada can be trusted to do the right thing on land use. Only due to a unified showdown of political opposition to their behavior and views did they eventually change their minds; and only after they had initially thumbed their noses at the community. These supervisors will need to be reminded the gun (recall) is still loaded and at the ready if they equivocate and turn against their own constituents during the remaining months of the general plan update process.

    It is most unfortunate that Helen Thomson has blemished her final term in office by her conduct on this issue and it is even more tragic that Mariko Yamada has for whatever reason chosen to not properly represent her constituents. Shame on them.

    Beware Davisites! Our own supervisors are not to be trusted on the important issue of land use.

  79. Davis Citizens said “NO” to supervisors Thomson and Yamada.

    A thank you is owed to many citizens, citizen activists, current and former Davis electeds who spoke out and asked our supervisors Thomson and Yamada to represent the vast majority of Davis citizens and oppose peripheral growth and urban sprawl.

    These citizens and the Davis Vanguard woke up Thomson and Yamada that a recall was no longer just a threat. Thomson’s and Yamada’s initial vote against removing the “study area” designations would have been the final “straw” to move on to a recall. One could feel the anger, energy and determination to launch the recall among members of the audience.

    Thomson’s and Yamada’s actions would have united the progressive community into a recall machine. By changing their votes, Thomson and Yamada dodged a bullet.

    Yesterday, was a vivid illustration that neither Thomson nor Yamada can be trusted to do the right thing on land use. Only due to a unified showdown of political opposition to their behavior and views did they eventually change their minds; and only after they had initially thumbed their noses at the community. These supervisors will need to be reminded the gun (recall) is still loaded and at the ready if they equivocate and turn against their own constituents during the remaining months of the general plan update process.

    It is most unfortunate that Helen Thomson has blemished her final term in office by her conduct on this issue and it is even more tragic that Mariko Yamada has for whatever reason chosen to not properly represent her constituents. Shame on them.

    Beware Davisites! Our own supervisors are not to be trusted on the important issue of land use.

  80. Davis Citizens said “NO” to supervisors Thomson and Yamada.

    A thank you is owed to many citizens, citizen activists, current and former Davis electeds who spoke out and asked our supervisors Thomson and Yamada to represent the vast majority of Davis citizens and oppose peripheral growth and urban sprawl.

    These citizens and the Davis Vanguard woke up Thomson and Yamada that a recall was no longer just a threat. Thomson’s and Yamada’s initial vote against removing the “study area” designations would have been the final “straw” to move on to a recall. One could feel the anger, energy and determination to launch the recall among members of the audience.

    Thomson’s and Yamada’s actions would have united the progressive community into a recall machine. By changing their votes, Thomson and Yamada dodged a bullet.

    Yesterday, was a vivid illustration that neither Thomson nor Yamada can be trusted to do the right thing on land use. Only due to a unified showdown of political opposition to their behavior and views did they eventually change their minds; and only after they had initially thumbed their noses at the community. These supervisors will need to be reminded the gun (recall) is still loaded and at the ready if they equivocate and turn against their own constituents during the remaining months of the general plan update process.

    It is most unfortunate that Helen Thomson has blemished her final term in office by her conduct on this issue and it is even more tragic that Mariko Yamada has for whatever reason chosen to not properly represent her constituents. Shame on them.

    Beware Davisites! Our own supervisors are not to be trusted on the important issue of land use.

  81. Alfred E:

    Rereading your earlier comments and that of anonymous who posted @ 5:24

    George W. Bush is an idiot. Mariko Yamada is not. But, Mariko has proven to have a tin ear and an inability to understand the core values and views held by the community she was elected to represent and serve. That is why she will not be elected to the assembly.

  82. Alfred E:

    Rereading your earlier comments and that of anonymous who posted @ 5:24

    George W. Bush is an idiot. Mariko Yamada is not. But, Mariko has proven to have a tin ear and an inability to understand the core values and views held by the community she was elected to represent and serve. That is why she will not be elected to the assembly.

  83. Alfred E:

    Rereading your earlier comments and that of anonymous who posted @ 5:24

    George W. Bush is an idiot. Mariko Yamada is not. But, Mariko has proven to have a tin ear and an inability to understand the core values and views held by the community she was elected to represent and serve. That is why she will not be elected to the assembly.

  84. Alfred E:

    Rereading your earlier comments and that of anonymous who posted @ 5:24

    George W. Bush is an idiot. Mariko Yamada is not. But, Mariko has proven to have a tin ear and an inability to understand the core values and views held by the community she was elected to represent and serve. That is why she will not be elected to the assembly.

  85. One final thought:

    Mariko Yamada has now doomed her candidacy for the assembly, nor could she win re-election as a supervisor by her recent land use pronouncements and votes, soiling what was once an excellent record to be proud of. Why did she do this?? Who really knows—but it does appear like she is living a modern day Shakespearean tragedy, full of human frailties and bizarre thinking leaving citizens to ponder her motives and behaviors.

    Tragically, Mariko now joins developer politicians Helen Thomson and Christopher Cabaldon in appearing ready to listen and consider with an “open mind” any development ideas, concepts and proposals that on their face are inappropriate for Yolo County and should be rejected out of hand due to scale and location. Thomson and Cabaldon have never in recent memory met or rejected an urban or industrial development presented to them by their developer friends. Nobody doubts their motives: both have well known reputations for being promoters for the big monied developer interests for campaign cash and other goodies.

    Tragically, we are therefore left with two enormously flawed candidates for assembly: Cabaldon and Yamada.

  86. One final thought:

    Mariko Yamada has now doomed her candidacy for the assembly, nor could she win re-election as a supervisor by her recent land use pronouncements and votes, soiling what was once an excellent record to be proud of. Why did she do this?? Who really knows—but it does appear like she is living a modern day Shakespearean tragedy, full of human frailties and bizarre thinking leaving citizens to ponder her motives and behaviors.

    Tragically, Mariko now joins developer politicians Helen Thomson and Christopher Cabaldon in appearing ready to listen and consider with an “open mind” any development ideas, concepts and proposals that on their face are inappropriate for Yolo County and should be rejected out of hand due to scale and location. Thomson and Cabaldon have never in recent memory met or rejected an urban or industrial development presented to them by their developer friends. Nobody doubts their motives: both have well known reputations for being promoters for the big monied developer interests for campaign cash and other goodies.

    Tragically, we are therefore left with two enormously flawed candidates for assembly: Cabaldon and Yamada.

  87. One final thought:

    Mariko Yamada has now doomed her candidacy for the assembly, nor could she win re-election as a supervisor by her recent land use pronouncements and votes, soiling what was once an excellent record to be proud of. Why did she do this?? Who really knows—but it does appear like she is living a modern day Shakespearean tragedy, full of human frailties and bizarre thinking leaving citizens to ponder her motives and behaviors.

    Tragically, Mariko now joins developer politicians Helen Thomson and Christopher Cabaldon in appearing ready to listen and consider with an “open mind” any development ideas, concepts and proposals that on their face are inappropriate for Yolo County and should be rejected out of hand due to scale and location. Thomson and Cabaldon have never in recent memory met or rejected an urban or industrial development presented to them by their developer friends. Nobody doubts their motives: both have well known reputations for being promoters for the big monied developer interests for campaign cash and other goodies.

    Tragically, we are therefore left with two enormously flawed candidates for assembly: Cabaldon and Yamada.

  88. One final thought:

    Mariko Yamada has now doomed her candidacy for the assembly, nor could she win re-election as a supervisor by her recent land use pronouncements and votes, soiling what was once an excellent record to be proud of. Why did she do this?? Who really knows—but it does appear like she is living a modern day Shakespearean tragedy, full of human frailties and bizarre thinking leaving citizens to ponder her motives and behaviors.

    Tragically, Mariko now joins developer politicians Helen Thomson and Christopher Cabaldon in appearing ready to listen and consider with an “open mind” any development ideas, concepts and proposals that on their face are inappropriate for Yolo County and should be rejected out of hand due to scale and location. Thomson and Cabaldon have never in recent memory met or rejected an urban or industrial development presented to them by their developer friends. Nobody doubts their motives: both have well known reputations for being promoters for the big monied developer interests for campaign cash and other goodies.

    Tragically, we are therefore left with two enormously flawed candidates for assembly: Cabaldon and Yamada.

  89. No on X loves a good tragedy:

    “Who really knows—but it does appear like she is living a modern day Shakespearean tragedy.”

    Tragically, Mariko now joins developer politicians.”

    Tragically, we are therefore left with two enormously flawed candidates for assembly: Cabaldon and Yamada.”

  90. No on X loves a good tragedy:

    “Who really knows—but it does appear like she is living a modern day Shakespearean tragedy.”

    Tragically, Mariko now joins developer politicians.”

    Tragically, we are therefore left with two enormously flawed candidates for assembly: Cabaldon and Yamada.”

  91. No on X loves a good tragedy:

    “Who really knows—but it does appear like she is living a modern day Shakespearean tragedy.”

    Tragically, Mariko now joins developer politicians.”

    Tragically, we are therefore left with two enormously flawed candidates for assembly: Cabaldon and Yamada.”

  92. No on X loves a good tragedy:

    “Who really knows—but it does appear like she is living a modern day Shakespearean tragedy.”

    Tragically, Mariko now joins developer politicians.”

    Tragically, we are therefore left with two enormously flawed candidates for assembly: Cabaldon and Yamada.”

  93. I’m with No on X this whole thing was a Shakespearean tragedy–completely needless, unnecessary, with the requisite bumbles, stumbles, and duplicity.

  94. I’m with No on X this whole thing was a Shakespearean tragedy–completely needless, unnecessary, with the requisite bumbles, stumbles, and duplicity.

  95. I’m with No on X this whole thing was a Shakespearean tragedy–completely needless, unnecessary, with the requisite bumbles, stumbles, and duplicity.

  96. I’m with No on X this whole thing was a Shakespearean tragedy–completely needless, unnecessary, with the requisite bumbles, stumbles, and duplicity.

  97. “Tragically, Mariko now joins developer politicians.”

    Tragedy, as we English teachers [and some of our students]know, stems from a flaw in character. Not a happenstance that happened to happen to some poor hapless politcian…
    Oh, Mariko, how/why did you go so wrong?
    –Brian Orr

  98. “Tragically, Mariko now joins developer politicians.”

    Tragedy, as we English teachers [and some of our students]know, stems from a flaw in character. Not a happenstance that happened to happen to some poor hapless politcian…
    Oh, Mariko, how/why did you go so wrong?
    –Brian Orr

  99. “Tragically, Mariko now joins developer politicians.”

    Tragedy, as we English teachers [and some of our students]know, stems from a flaw in character. Not a happenstance that happened to happen to some poor hapless politcian…
    Oh, Mariko, how/why did you go so wrong?
    –Brian Orr

  100. “Tragically, Mariko now joins developer politicians.”

    Tragedy, as we English teachers [and some of our students]know, stems from a flaw in character. Not a happenstance that happened to happen to some poor hapless politcian…
    Oh, Mariko, how/why did you go so wrong?
    –Brian Orr

  101. The democratic process with a fully engaged electorate, participation and transparancy is chaotic and (that scary E word often trotted out) not terribly EFFICIENT.It is the best system devised to date.. I LOVE IT!

  102. The democratic process with a fully engaged electorate, participation and transparancy is chaotic and (that scary E word often trotted out) not terribly EFFICIENT.It is the best system devised to date.. I LOVE IT!

  103. The democratic process with a fully engaged electorate, participation and transparancy is chaotic and (that scary E word often trotted out) not terribly EFFICIENT.It is the best system devised to date.. I LOVE IT!

  104. The democratic process with a fully engaged electorate, participation and transparancy is chaotic and (that scary E word often trotted out) not terribly EFFICIENT.It is the best system devised to date.. I LOVE IT!

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