If you wonder why there is so much misinformation and mudslinging about local politics these days, the answer is simple: Development interests aren’t getting their way anymore after decades of influence over local land use decisions, and they are trying to tarnish leaders standing in their way.
Ever since the San Benito County Board of Supervisors shifted after the 2024 election, developers and their backers have been seeking ways to tarnish certain officials.
Spreading blatant misinformation about policy decisions and trying to intimidate elected leaders who support slower housing growth, these naysayers have a glaring common interest: They are all supporters of major housing growth in rural areas of San Benito County.
This is no coincidence, of course, looking at the main players involved: Former pro-housing Mayor of Hollister Mia Casey who lost her election in 2024; Mia’s pro-housing campaign advisers Heidi and James Connor who openly support rural housing growth; former pro-housing Hollister Councilman Rick Perez who lost in 2024 and supported expanding Hollister by 3,000 acres over prime farmland; failed pro-housing supervisorial candidate Elia Salinas (lost the last two elections) who openly supports sprawl; failed pro-housing supervisorial candidate Stacie McGrady who lost in 2024 and also openly supports sprawl; and the pro-growth anonymous cartoon characters behind the creepy cartoon page on Facebook.
There are other development advocates involved, but you get the point.
They are behind efforts to remove and intimidate local officials who support slow rural housing growth policies while upgrading infrastructure. It’s no coincidence who is involved, and the timing of their tactics is no coincidence, either.
In March 2024, Supervisor Ignacio Velazquez soundly defeated former Supervisor Bea Gonzales—one of housing developers’ favorite allies—to shift the county board majority toward prioritizing infrastructure improvements over more rural housing development. Before Velazquez took office in January 2025, members of the group and their allies started openly calling for a recall against him on social media.
If you thought recalls were reserved for egregious decisions or criminal behavior—the understood intent of the process—this begs the question: How can one rationalize a recall against an official who hadn’t even had the chance to represent the voters who elected him?
There was no rationale. So they strategically waited a few short months to fabricate a narrative about public safety to formally launch recall efforts against Velazquez and me. Their goal—outside of personal vendettas—was to remove one or both of us and sway the board back to stuffing developers’ pockets at the expense of local residents.
By abusing the recall process, they are wasting tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayers’ money, having voters consider an extremely dangerous precedent with a recall election against an official who barely took office, and focusing discourse on fabricated negative narratives instead of progress.
Supervisors are addressing county challenges with regard to the housing-infrastructure imbalance, long-deferred road improvements, public safety resources and the economy.
We have implemented or started the process of sweeping reform to prevent further housing sprawl and encourage affordable housing options near existing services. We have approved more road repaving projects than any county board in decades.
We have increased our investment in the sheriff’s office and fire protection resources by millions of dollars. We have launched initiatives to boost tourism, create jobs and generate more revenue all while stabilizing the budget.
As the pro-growth naysayers resume their barrage of misinformation before the June election, please keep in mind who is behind these efforts and ask this question: Does our community want developers and their friends to take over local politics again and dictate how we grow for generations to come?
Kollin Kosmicki
San Benito County Supervisor
