I hope you’ll join me, former Supervisor Karin Strasser Kauffman, former Carmel Mayors Ken White and Jeanne Grace, Chris Fitz, Janet Brennan, Julie Engell, and The Monterey Herald in enthusiastically supporting Marc Del Piero for 5th District Supervisor. I invite you to donate to his campaign, vote for him, and spread the word among your friends.
This decision doesn’t come easy. In 1995, I was an early supporter of Dave Potter in his race against Jeff Davi. I hosted fundraisers, wrote letters, called friends, and did everything I could to make sure Dave would win. For the past 16 years I’ve grown increasingly distressed by Dave’s lack of leadership and support for good public policy. When in 2000 the Sierra Club scored him among the worst of all Coastal Commissioners on conservation (see here), I knew something was amiss. His record only got worse with time, leading to the decision by the State Assembly not to reappoint him (see here and here).
Dave’s record on local land use issues hasn’t been much better. Over the past decade, Dave has been an inconsistent vote and a nonexistent leader for smart growth, as Julie Engell’s opinion piece makes clear. His vote in favor of the ridiculous MST/Whispering Oaks project was a particularly blatant example of ignoring constituent interests and supporting sprawl. When Dave votes for what 5th District constituents want, he rarely works to bring other Supervisors to his side .
Marc Del Piero promises to be a much more reliable conservationist, better ally for Jane Parker on the Board of Supervisors, and more effective public servant. In the 1990s, Marc began to encourage local environmental and community organizations to play a more active role in County government, in part because he saw how bad land use decisions were destroying farmland and shifting development costs onto the public’s shoulders. He’s been a consistent supporter of city-centered growth, agricultural lands protection, and good, honest government.
Monterey County desperately needs intelligent, dedicated smart-growth advocates on the Board of Supervisors. After 16 years of failed leadership, it’s time for a change. I hope you’ll join me in helping Marc Del Piero win the 5th District Seat and advocate for our interests.
Regards,
Michael DeLapa
Co-founder and former Chair, LandWatch Monterey County
Co-founder and former Executive Director, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation