While the MEC has historically endorsed and worked on ballot initiatives, the Board of Directors and staff have been considering the issue of candidate endorsements. Recently we established criteria for making such endorsements. We believe this process is beneficial for public education as well as increasing our influence on local elections. The board of supervisors, for instance, has a great deal of power regarding how land in our county is used (or abused), as well as making appointments to key local boards and commissions, and sitting on state decision making bodies. Most activists have, at one time or another, attended a board meeting or stood before them, trying to convince them to do the right thing for the environment and the voiceless inhabitants. All too often, though, it is an exercise in futility, and the passion, facts and logic go unacknowledged.
The criteria for endorsements is:
1. The MEC will not endorse candidates unless they provide relevant information, at our request, to distribute to our membership.
2. The MEC will never endorse the "lesser of two evils". Endorsed candidates will have to take positions compatible with the mission statement, goals, and values of the MEC.
The MEC prepared a questionnaire for the candidates for the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors, Districts 1, 2 and 4. The questions, and responses we received, are printed herein.
Based on the responses, and on history with the candidates, the MEC Board voted to endorse Bruce Haldane and Rod Jones. Both are known for their work on environmental and social justice issues and their commitment to a sustainable quality of life. They have proven this commitment through many years of volunteer work. We believe these two candidates will help change the direction of the board of supervisors from historically short term, short sighted decision making to planning with the economic and environmental well being of future generations in mind.
We also wish to thank Richard Shoemaker and Patti Campbell for the attention they gave to our questionnaire and the courtesy of their responses. The candidates who did not respond were Michael Delbar, Barbara Clausen-Newell, and David Dickey. Regardless of the outcome, we encourage all officeholders to maintain constant and open comunication with their constituents and the air, land, and water we represent.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2000
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited