This year is an important one for San Benito County, as
pertinent government seats are up for election. Two positions on
both the Board of Supervisors and Hollister City Council are open,
the District Attorney seat is up for grabs and long-time county
clerk-auditor-recorder John Hodges will be vacating his post in
2006.
This year is an important one for San Benito County, as pertinent government seats are up for election. Two positions on both the Board of Supervisors and Hollister City Council are open, the District Attorney seat is up for grabs and long-time county clerk-auditor-recorder John Hodges will be vacating his post in 2006.
The importance of those races are all the more reason to emphasize the need for an ethics committee in San Benito County – a committee this newspaper has long championed for and one the Board of Supervisors has continued to dismiss.
But even without an official committee in place, the Free Lance believes the political climate in San Benito County warrants some type of checks and balance system when it comes to elections, which is why we will only endorse a candidate who signs a pledge to campaign ethically.
Politics turn personal in this county as fast as lightening, and candidates should vow to the people of this community they’re not interested in taking office by dirty tricks and mud slinging. County officials should learn from past elections to know that controversies begotten by rancorous name calling and shenanigans throughout a race taint a candidate’s victory. Many still talk about Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz’s 10-vote win over Bob Cruz in 2004, which kick-started eventual felony charges being leveled against De La Cruz that were later dismissed, and the mud-slinging in 2002’s District Attorney race between John Sarsfield and Arthur Cantu.
While we agree that supervisors should have no role in choosing the members of an ethics committee or in overseeing its operation, there are ways around that. As a newspaper, the Free Lance will not endorse any candidate if they do not sign a pledge promising to campaign in an ethical, fair manner.
Periodically, the Free Lance will publish the list of candidates who have signed a pledge, and those who have not and the reason for their refusal.
The people of San Benito County elect their public officials with the understanding that they are qualified to do the job and that their moral fiber is strong enough to resist the temptation to bad-mouth their opponent or partake in questionable financial campaign practices.
This is the time for the candidates to stand up and put San Benito County government back on the high ground.
