5th District Supervisor Race 2016: Noreen Evans vs Lynda Hopkins

[Eileen M.]

Barry, your post above is disingenuous.
You pick and choose snippets from the PD story by Angela Hart titled "Group steps up Evans attack".
Maybe you should change your name to Fox News.
Eileen Morabito

[Barry]

Barry, your post above is disingenuous.
You pick and choose snippets from the PD story by Angela Hart titled "Group steps up Evans attack".
Maybe you should change your name to Fox News.
Eileen Morabito

Hey, come on, I'm Mr. "Fair & Balanced"!

Actually, thanks for the catch, Eileen. I had intended to post the article in its entirety since it is rather important and speaks to our current discussion. I accidently deleted the first section when removing some of the PD's embedded links to other stories and advertising.

I have now edited my post to include the full article and your can see it here on the PD.

[fafner]

Simply:
Lynda Hopkins is Efron 2.0

Some will really like that. Others really don't.

[scamperwillow]

Here is a new web site to refute some of the lies being spread by Koenigshofer:
https://fifthdistrictfacts.com/index.html

[Sara S]

from The Press Democrat, 10/23:

Evans: The real thing

EDITOR: As I was driving around the west county, I noticed that most of the Lynda Hopkins campaign signs have added bright yellow signs with cute campaign slogans such as “Restore the River,” “Preserve Our Coast” or “Preserve Open Space.” I had to ask myself how Hopkins expects to do these things when her campaign is being funded by real estate developers, Syar Industries gravel mining and Eric Koenigshofer, a supporter of the infamous Preservation Ranch project.
I understand why Hopkins is claiming to support everything that Noreen Evans has supported for years and will continue to support as supervisor. But if you want the real thing, then just vote for Noreen Evans.
LAURA MARTIN
Forestville

[sambacat]

Nice. Thank you, Scamperwillow, for this fact-checking site. I found this especially interesting:

"Noreen was a strong opponent of the Preservation Ranch development proposal, which would have deforested 1,800 acres of land in the coastal mountains of Sonoma County," and that Eric Koenigshofer, the engine behind Hopkins, "was the lawyer and spokesperson for the Preservation Ranch development."

I was not aware that Koenigshofer was the lawyer for the "Devastation" Ranch development. I'm afraid that preserving what's left of our rural county is going to be very very difficult if the woman with the most money and her backers win this election.

Here is a new web site to refute some of the lies being spread by Koenigshofer:
https://fifthdistrictfacts.com/index.html

[sambacat]

Yes, she has the same backers. And Efren received grades between "C" and "D-" on his environmental voting record on the SCCA report cards over the years. Sonoma County Conservation Action is a nonpartisan political arm of Sonoma County's environmental movement. One of it's stated main goals is to create and maintain environmental majorities on the local City Councils and Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.
SCCA has endorsed Noreen Evans for 5th District Supervisor.

Simply:
Lynda Hopkins is Efron 2.0

Some will really like that. Others really don't.

[podfish]

man, west county politics has entered the big time. We've got sophisticated political operatives now- way beyond lawn signs. I was peacefully minding my own business, reading the New Yorker's endorsement of Clinton, when I noticed this on the page:

[Kate Fenton]

Wow--this is crazy. Advertising in The New Yorker is wildly expensive--I once designed an ad for a client in the tiniest available size and it was super pricey to have it appear just once. The Hopkins campaign has passed into the scope of deeply disturbing.

... I was peacefully minding my own business, reading the New Yorker's endorsement of Clinton, when I noticed this on the page:...

[farmerdan]

Kate,

In saying the following, I am not taking sides:
Running local ads on web services does not cost much and is paid on a per view basis.
These ads run only in the local area.
This is not the same as running an ad in the New Yorker.

Wow--this is crazy. Advertising in The New Yorker is wildly expensive--I once designed an ad for a client in the tiniest available size and it was super pricey to have it appear just once. The Hopkins campaign has passed into the scope of deeply disturbing.

[podfish]

Wow--this is crazy. Advertising in The New Yorker is wildly expensive--I once designed an ad for a client in the tiniest available size and it was super pricey to have it appear just once. The Hopkins campaign has passed into the scope of deeply disturbing.

Sorry, I should have given this some more context -- I'm so embedded in the computer world I take some things for granted that aren't obvious to those who arent. And I'm no means an expert myself, either. But I know the general outlines.

This ad isn't in the NewYorker itself - certainly not in the print version! When you get served up a web page, there can be little areas reserved for local ads. Kind of like network TV -- when I was a kid, Cal Worthington might show up on NBC after an ad for Camel cigarettes, but that didn't mean the whole country saw him. Camel ads were probably nation-wide, but there was a slot reserved for local ads too.

However, my point is kind of made by your reaction - this IS relatively sophisticated stuff. It's not rocket science maybe but I'm surprised that our local political campaigns have reached the level where they're using targeted internet advertising.

[farmerdan]

Not to belabor the point, but this is NOT sophisticated, all you have to do is pay for it.
Again, not taking sides but what you might be concerned with is that this ad does not say who paid for it.
(I believe this is required for all political ads by law.)

...However, my point is kind of made by your reaction - this IS relatively sophisticated stuff. It's not rocket science maybe but I'm surprised that our local political campaigns have reached the level where they're using targeted internet advertising.

[Barry]

Nice. Thank you, Scamperwillow, for this fact-checking site. I found this especially interesting:
"Noreen was a strong opponent of the Preservation Ranch development proposal, which would have deforested 1,800 acres of land in the coastal mountains of Sonoma County," and that Eric Koenigshofer, the engine behind Hopkins, "was the lawyer and spokesperson for the Preservation Ranch development." ...

That may be so, but she ended up supporting the deal, forged with Efren in the lead, to protect the bulk of the land.

Preservation Ranch-- testified before the CA Coastal Conservancy and supported the$25 million purchase of this land to prevent forest to vineyard conversions.

[rossmen]

Yes, carrillo was a shining environmental star surprising all with a deal he had been grilled on for two elections. Showing that he could protect all the land in question, with enough funds and pressure, no vineyard development.

Met hopkins tonite and will vote for her. She does have more interesting answers than evans. When i asked her about supervisor coalitions she named gore, and zane! We shall see. I did vote for Efren the first time he ran, then wanted Ernie back, but after the preservation ranch deal i might have voted for carrillo again, except for the angry peeper part of his personality, which i hope he has learned from to be a good father for his baby.

That may be so, but she ended up supporting the deal, forged with Efren in the lead, to protect the bulk of the land.

[kane]

I've been really turned-off by the size, sheer quantity and tone of Hopkins-supporting mailers and signs, not to mention the hype.
As a voter who voted here during the '70's & '80's to limit the then runaway growth in our county, I am deeply concerned with attempts to densify and vinify our rural lands, which seems a priority for Hopkins.
The many, many mailers paid for by real estate and (organic?)wine interests, among others, have convinced me to vote for Noreen this time.
Our supervisors hold an unusual amount of power for a county government; along with growth policy, controlling the water policy necessary for both agriculture and future housing and commercial development.
We need to be extremely careful who we allow on our board of supervisors; watching who the candidates are funded by seems to be one of the few data-points we voters have in our toolbox to decide who to trust.
Real Estate interests and international vintners are salivating at the possibility of gaining more control of our board and our water tables.
We receive letters each year from European vintners offering to buy our home and 9 acres for more than market value; the pressure is on folks, time to pay attention.

[Sara S]

from The Press Democrat, 10/24:

Follow the money
EDITOR: Contributions in the 5th Supervisorial District will exceed previous totals. Lynda Hopkins may set a record for contributions to an individual candidate. She will pass the $500,000 mark. Contributors to Hopkins are doubling down, giving to an independent expenditure committee. We can expect those independent hit pieces to start rolling in.
The Press Democrat’s editorial on Sept. 10, “When big donors come calling on candidates,” quoted Donald Trump saying, “When you give, they do whatever the hell you want them to do.” Contributions from agribusiness are $150,000; development interests, $94,000; gravel miners, $26,000. A Lodi wine company gave $23,000.
A major Hopkins contributor is the Sonoma County Alliance for Vineyards and Environment. The people on this board fight environmental regulations. They think the public is this gullible.
Hopkins says she is an organic farmer. Out of the half-million, there is no money evident from organic farmers. Just what do these interests expect for their money?
Please vote for Noreen Evans. She has an environmental voting record. She is the only predictable candidate and is ready to serve today.
ERNIE CARPENTER
Sebastopol

[photolite]

When has Hopkins ever indicated this is a priority of hers or that she would even support such an agenda?

...As a voter who voted here during the '70's & '80's to limit the then runaway growth in our county, I am deeply concerned with attempts to densify and vinify our rural lands, which seems a priority for Hopkins.

[O.W.]

The devoid of real facts mailers that Lynda's super pac is sending out is turning off many folks. Lynda keeps saying that she is running a positive campaign and has no control over her prime backers? If she is that powerless to stop this now, her people, how does anyone expect her to stand on her campaign promises against people like Eric K. who I admit is a big guy and alittle scary looking. What is Eric and the super pac saying to people like NY's Dyson to get that money? I think she is nice person but I'd rather have someone like Noreen who has a proven track record standing up to those very people who want to continue to pillage for profit in our backyards that are Lynda's supporters.

I find it very interesting that Lynda is moving closer to Noreen's views as the campaign continues. I chose the one I know who will look people like Eric in the eye and say no way. Efren was quoted last week coming out of the BoS meeting on the Ft Ross sign application approval that someone was going to appeal no matter what. So he sided with the wine industry. The sign is the opening salvo's to the coast expansion that the RE and winery interests want. The approval went against 3 regulations prohibiting just this, our General Plan and 2 from the Coastal Act. No wonder our county spends millions a year to keep the 26 lawyers on staff at the County. With only 2 supervisors having any government experience, expect more to be added to the lawyer pool should Hopkins prevail.

[mouse]

"A couple thousand feet" or as we call it, about a half mile.

I guess when you get the gift of of a large parcel of Sonoma County real estate, what are a "couple thousand feet" give or take, right? Wealthy, entitled people measure differently I guess.

She is loose with the truth, that's for sure. The majority of her funding has been contributed by donors in the 4th district in order to buy the 5th District representation. That's a big problem.

Having no applicable work experience is also a problem. This campaign is in essence a job interview. For any job, you'd chose the best qualified prospective employee, the one with tangible, recorded, practical experience, especially for the Board of Supervisors. If the landed gentry woman isn't interested or willing to serve at a lower level before taking the top county job, is she really interested in public service or something else?

...In her infamous "Bullshit video" (around the 4 minute mark) she explains she moved from her farm, which was "a couple of thousand feet" from the 5th district into the 5th district "over a year ago".

[scamperwillow]

Then there is the devoid of real facts mailers coming directly from her campaign. My favorite is the one that says in big letters "A History of Protecting the Coast" What history?? I know of no action she has been involved in that protected the coast. Then you turn it over expecting to see all kinds of details about this great history and there is nothing there. Just a couple of quotes from unknown people.

Then look at Noreen's History of protecting the coast and her endorsements from Lucy Kortum (widow of the late great Bill Kortum who really saved the coast), Neal Fishman who was Director of the Coastal Conservancy for 34 years, Charles Lester, former ED of the Coastal Commission, and from so many other coastal activists and environmental organizations. Check out this page of awards and legislation by Noreen: 5thdistricttruefacts.com/noreen-evans-experience-awards.html

I really think it is sad. A beginner in politics who had no idea what she was up against. She is bright and passionate - I really wish she had started with school board or something to get some real experience under her belt first.

The devoid of real facts mailers that Lynda's super pac is sending out is turning off many folks. ...

[Kate Fenton]

I got that third oversize mailer in 2 weeks today, Scamperwillow, and had the exact same reaction: what history of protecting the coast AS A POLITICIAN can she possibly be claiming?

What bothered me considerably more, on the reverse side, was the statement that Hopkins will "uphold the County General Plan to preserve our coastal open space areas." This is enormously misleading or a huge mistake, as it is the Local Coastal Plan which protects the coast, and which needs to remain strong; the county's dumbed-down draft update of the LCP last year, when it was attempted to include it in the General Plan, was received on the coast with great dismay.

Furthermore, to accomplish several major goals of coastal protection, Hopkins "will use her academic background and continued passion for the environment." I'm sorry but this just doesn't measure up; I really don't want to be her next school project.

I'm also concerned that the NEW YORKER online ad does not say who paid for it, which Farmerdan believes is
required by law for all political ads.

Then there is the devoid of real facts coming directly from her campaign. My favorite is the one that says in big letters "A History of Protecting the Coast" What history??...

[reubenw]

The truth of the matter is that members of the Senate and assembly are not members of the coastal commission and do not have to attend meetings. Noreen was on an oversight committee that only needed to review minutes and there was no requirement to attend meetings. Had she attended these are all these meetings She would've missed the Senate sessions . It's ironic because the folks who put that his piece together know that Noreen should not have attended those meetings. They were using truth Ines rather than truth. The fact is that past executive director Of the coastal commission CharlesLester commended Evans for her great work on the coast and endorses her >

I recently received a hit piece against Noreen Evans stating that she had missed 31 out to 33 meetings of the Coastal Conservancy while she was a member. The headline of the piece was "Would you hire someone with a history of missing work more than 90% of the time?
Has anyone heard from Evans on this attack? And if so, what is her response.
I'd like to hear her explanation before I make a judgement.

[scamperwillow]

The explanation on that is expressed by the former deputy director of the coastal conservancy, Neal Fishman, in a video denouncing the mailer. You can find that video and many other clarifications of the so called "facts at this web site: https://5thdistricttruefacts.com/index.html

That mailer was especially shameful because Eric Koenigshofer who produced it is good buddies with Doug Bosco, the current Chair of the Coastal Conservancy who totally knows the truth. (and also happens to be an owner of the Press Democrat where Eric is buying all those full page ads)

The truth of the matter is that members of the Senate and assembly are not members of the coastal commission and do not have to attend meetings. ...

[Richard Nichols]

It's the Coastal Conservancy. She was on the legislative oversight committee and could not both attend meetings (which was not required) and be in Sacramento attending to business. The hit piece was a bit of "truthiness". Sounds truthful, but was cherry picked and is a half truth. Essentially it was a lie perpetrated by Eric the K. Go to Noreen's website to see a video of Neil Fishman, former deputy director of the coastal conservancy, debunking this fabrication.

The truth of the matter is that members of the Senate and assembly are not members of the coastal commission and do not have to attend meetings....

[Dan Gurney]

Thank you, Marty. I agree.

Lynda is very bright. She certainly is passionate. She has new ideas.

Someday, Lynda may prove to be a wonderful public servant. But for now, Lynda needs to begin her public service in a less complex post.

Forestville's school board would be an appropriate place for Lynda to begin her career—assuming she plans to send her daughters to public school. I just drove past one of Lynda's big signs on Bodega Highway with a little yellow sign attached that says she supports education. Local school boards are the place to support education. The Board of Supervisors—not so much.

Local school boards are looking for the kind of talent that Lynda offers. Previous experience in public office is not necessary to serve as volunteer local school board member.

Lots of experience—and a solid track record—are required to run for the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.

The Fifth District representative will be an important swing vote on this five-member Board. Hanging in the balance is whether our natural and human resources will be protected and shared wisely among the citizens. Noreen will work for the people who live here, not the powerful few.

It has become clear that Lynda is backed by the rich and powerful of Sonoma County and even extremely wealthy outsiders.

Can Lynda stand up to the wealthy special interests who are backing her campaign? How can anyone claim to know what she will do? So far the evidence isn't there.

Has Lynda stood up and spoken out against the untruthful hit pieces against Noreen that are flooding my mailbox?

How come a carrot-and-beet growing organic farmer has attracted so much support from long-time professional political operatives like Rob Muelrath, Eric Koenighsofer and Doug Bosco?

There is a reason beginning pilots don't take their first lessons in Boeing 747's. Because it would be (to borrow a word from another political newbie) a disaster.

Do we really want Lynda at the controls?

One final thought:

Lynda talks a lot about the county's return on investment on their retirement fund.

Rest assured: the wealthy special interests who have invested nearly $500,000 in her campaign will demand a handsome return on their investment.

Dan

[pbrinton]

Barry has stated several times, along with others, that the mudslinging started with Noreen or her supporters attacking Lynda first. Could someone supply the context for this, please? It seems to me that the earliest issue to emerge was where her money was coming from, is that right? In what way is this an inappropriate or unfair topic to raise? With a candidate who has never held any public office, we have only three things to judge her by: her resume, the ideas she puts forward and the people who are supporting her, especially financially. All three are worthy of consideration, but the ideas are just fine sounding phrases that do not have to meet the harsh requirements of actual practicality. What she has done and who is backing her are factual matters that she puts forward as her strengths. Of course it is fair and indeed necessary to look behind these facts. If she says that she has a wide range of support, then it is perfectly fair to challenge this assertion.

If Lynda considers it a slur to point out that her backers are the old money political machine of Sonoma County, then it can only be because she realizes that this is a shameful fact. If not she would say "Sure I took their money, so what?" If she does not want people to say these things, she has a simple solution: give back the money.

MudslingIng is not pointing out uncomfortable facts about a candidate, it is saying negative things that either have nothing to do with the person's fitness for office or are expressed in ways that while being technically true imply something discreditable that the writer knows not to be true. A good example would be the ads and mailers about Noreen's attendance at Coastal Conservancy meetings when the author knew (or certainly should have known) that such attendance was not part of the job, and would have been seen as grandstanding. This is true mudslinging, and I know of no example of any such thing coming from Noreen's side.

Patrick Brinton

[mouse]

Here's an interesting piece from today's PD on two major Hopkins supporters:

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/6...ge-firm-facing

"To date, the county has fined Ratto $496,500 for running facilities that, because more than 10 percent of the material taken there is not recyclable, need a solid waste permit."

"The company plans to outline its plans in more detail in a new solid waste permit application to the county health department in coming weeks, Koenigshofer said. Its last application fell far short of county expectations. After four months of analysis, the county on Sept. 19 rejected the application as inaccurate and incomplete."

In addition to not abiding by contracts, Ratto and Koenigshofer are spending lots of money to get their chosen inexperienced and malleable candidate on the Board of Supes.

It would be pretty convenient for them to have their chosen candidate casting the swing vote on the BOS when they re-submit their application and try to weasel out of their fines.

[jerichsalud]

For those in the Fifth District, you have probably recently received several mailers from an independent expenditure campaign that in the last couple weeks has gathered over $163,000 from big wine, real estate and developers including $35,000 from a New York billionaire to support one of the Fifth District candidates.

The recent huge influx of money hoping to influence the outcome of our local District 5 Supervisor election and the misleading information they are spreading concerns me greatly as a native to west county. Without huge sums of money the best way to counter this campaign is to spread the word ourselves and that is why I feel compelled to write to you.

This election will likely decide whether we have a more progressive and environmentally friendly Supervisor and Board of Supervisors or whether we will continue to have a more moderate and development friendly Supervisor and as a result Board of Supervisors. Noreen Evans has a very strong track record for successfully fighting to protect California's natural resources and working families that this independent campaign is spreading totally misleading information about.

Noreen has a 98% rating based on performance on "key environmental legislation" from the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) the "non-partisan political action arm of California's environmental movement", while her opponent has no history to rate her on.

Additionally, Senator Noreen Evans received Sierra Club California's Byron Sher Award for outstanding achievement in environmental protection for "defending the environmental review process, particularly the public's right to know, for supporting state parks, and for championing an oil severance fee to compensate Californians for resources extracted".

Noreen Evans was also awarded the Champion Award by the the Women’s Foundation of California for fighting to protect critical safety net programs for women and girls while she served as chair of the Assembly Budget Committee and presided over the Budget Conference Committee process. Among other achievements, she helped preserve important programs despite pressures from Schwarzenegger and authored the Homeowners Bill of Rights which protected families from foreclosures during the Foreclosure crisis.

I think Lynda Hopkins could possibly make a good Supervisor but given that she has very little relevant experience and track record to judge her on, that she is supported by a bunch of interests I totally disagree with, and Noreen's impressive record, I couldn't help but share my perspective.

Cheers, Jacob

[Goat Rock Ukulele]

It was weird today to go to my favorite newsgroup Ukulele Underground and have a "no no Norrene Evans" add in the window.
My response to that is Hell No Hopkins

A big slick negative take down try by the Hopkins folks complete with stock photos of little kids and old folks, the whole bit. Not going to get my vote that way.

How do they do that anyway. Can they tell from your webaddress you live in the 5th? Or you did a search for the Hopkins or Evans Website in the past? So does a website like Ukulele Underground sell the space?

[mouse]

It's probably her team using google ad words. They pay per click I think. Go ahead and click on it several million times. I think it costs her PAC like ten bucks a click. (I don't think your ukulele group had anything to do with it, but it is unnerving to see those ads sneak up in places you choose to visit.)

It was weird today to go to my favorite newsgroup Ukulele Underground and have a "no no Norrene Evans" add in the window.
My response to that is Hell No Hopkins...