A Davisite’s Guide to the 2010 Council Election

Tomorrow is Election Day and I owe my readers an apology for delivering less coverage than I promised this local election season.  I do hope, however, that you’ve taken my advice from a few weeks ago and watched the numerous candidate forums online.

This final piece will be a one-stop candidate research shop for those of you making a physical trip down to your local polling place tomorrow, Tuesday, June 8^th.  Find your polling place by clicking HERE.

Most of our Yolo County elected offices are going uncontested.  I will not be discussing any of those races.  One big job, with a small office must not go unnoticed… Please join with me and  re-elect Cass Sylvia for Yolo County Public Guardian.  I’ll just shamelessly quote The Davis Enterprise here,

We strongly support Cass Sylvia for re-election as Yolo County’s public guardian/ administrator. She has a tremendously difficult, largely under-appreciated job that she does with intelligence, compassion and skill. She is sincerely concerned for the vulnerable people under her care and she serves them with an energy that is simply amazing. We cannot imagine a person better suited to this important job than Sylvia.

Davis City Council

Two seats are open on the Davis City Council and there are no incumbents running.  There are five candidates for this office and they are listed below in the order of your ballot.  This is a non-partisan race.  The Davis Voice will not be offering any endorsements in this race.

The Davis Chamber of Commerce hosted the first Candidates' Forum at the Odd Fellows Hall with Debbie Davis as the moderator.

There have been seven public forums attended by all of the candidates. Four of these public forums were recorded and produced by Davis Media Access (DMA).

DMA devotes significant time to helping candidates and campaigns gain access to community media, and educating the Davis electorate, free of charge. It’s a community service they’ve been proud to present for more than 20 years.

April 6 – Davis Chamber of Commerce City Council Candidates Forum. (DMA)

April 28 – Choices for Healthy Aging City Council Candidates Forum. (DMA)

April 29 –Yolano Chapter of the Sierra Club City Council Candidates Forum. (DMA)

May 3 – Davis Bicycles & Davis Bike Collective Council Candidate’s Forum.

May 6 – Davis Downtown Business Association City Council Candidates Forum. (DMA)

May 7 -League of Women Voters of Davis Davis City Council Forum/Measure Q 2010. Produced by City Government Channel 16.

Rochelle Swanson

Rochelle Swanson is a political newcomer who announced her candidacy just a few short months ago.  In that time, she has mounted a very effective campaign with a large and surprisingly diverse array of supporters (the saying “politics makes for strange bedfellows” comes to mind!) and about $20,000 in donations.  Ms. Swanson is a licensed attorney and owns a sole proprietorship company that offers land use consulting services.

Rochelle’s campaign has focused on balancing the city’s finance with multi-year budgets and line-by-line budget hearings, finding common ground and bringing civility back to our City Council, and engaging in better partnerships with DJUSD, Yolo County, and the business community.

Rochelle’s commitment to the community are found in her volunteer efforts: DHS Blue & White Foundation, Rotary Club of Davis, Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Committee, Yolo County Grand Jury (1997-98), City of Davis General Plan 2001 update

Website: http://www.rochellefordavis.org/

DMA Meet the Candidates Initiative: http://dctv.davismedia.org/show/19667

DavisWiki.org site: http://daviswiki.org/Rochelle_Swanson

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The guy on the right is Daniel Watts. The guy on the left is Stephen Colbert. I'll leave the rest up to you.

Daniel Watts is a law student at UC Davis King Hall and has used his candidacy to focus attention on unconstitutional provisions in the City Code and on many student/youth issues including police abuses and racial profiling.

If he elected, he would attempt to annex the entire UC Davis campus into the city.  Mr. Watts has neither raised nor spent more than $250 and his endorsers are limited to a handful of other law students.

Website: http://www.votewatts.com/

DMA Meet the Candidates Initiative: http://dctv.davismedia.org/show/19654

DavisWiki.org site: http://daviswiki.org/Daniel_Watts

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Jon Li is a public policy analyst and a familiar face behind the counter at the Quick Clean Center.  He is also running a low/no cost campaign with an unusually specific campaign platform that asks you to vote for another candidate first, then consider giving your second vote to himself.  Mr. Li would also implement the “Viable Systems Model” to better govern our city.

Jon has a long history in Davis that includes stints on at least 8 locally appointed commissions and taskforces, not to mention his history of convening special interest public meetings and a long commitment to local media.

Website: NONE

DMA Meet the Candidates Initiative: http://dctv.davismedia.org/show/19657

DavisWiki.org site: http://daviswiki.org/Jon_Li

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Sydney Vergis

Sydney Vergis is running her second campaign for City Council after an unsuccessful bid in 2008.  Ms. Vergis finished her undergraduate degree at UC Davis in 2004 and returned in 2009 as a graduate student pursuing a Masters degree in Transportation Technology and Policy at UC Davis’ Institute of Transportation Studies.  In the five intervening years, Sydney worked for a couple of consulting companies, and both the Humboldt and Sutter County LAFCO’s.

Ms. Vergis’ campaign is focused on maintaining our environmental leadership, revitalizing neighborhood centers and a taking a closer look at budget decisions.  She has raised about $12,000 for her campaign and has a large list of endorsers. Sydney has served on the Tree Commission and is a current member of the Business & Economic Development Commission and a board member of TREE Davis.

Website: http://sydneyvergis.com/

DMA Meet the Candidates Initiative: http://dctv.davismedia.org/show/19669

DavisWiki.org site: http://daviswiki.org/Sydney_Vergis

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Joe Krovoza

Joe Krovoza is also a political newcomer who has run a very effective campaign since announcing about six months ago.  He has raised about $25,000 and has a very lengthy list of endorsers.  Mr. Krovoza is the Director of External Relations and Development for the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies and the UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center.  Joe is also a graduate of UC Davis Law School and served as lead council negotiator for the Putah Creek Accord of May 2000.

Mr. Krovoza’s campaign is focused on developing partnerships between the City, University, and County to eliminate redundancies, maintain services and save money.  Joe’s community involvement includes volunteering with Putah Creek Council, AYSO, the City’s Adopt-a-Park program, Davis Bicycles! and the City’s Bicycle Advisory Commission.

Website: http://joeforcitycouncil.org/

DMA Meet the Candidates Initiative: http://dctv.davismedia.org/show/19644

DavisWiki.org site: http://daviswiki.org/Joe_Krovoza

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Well, there you have it… all the information you need to make a choice on a candidate that best reflects your local priorities.  I’ll follow up on Wednesday with some commentary on the results.  Please pass this story’s web address along to your fellow citizens.