Daily Press Voters Guide

Voters Guide

FOR JUNE 3

P RI M A RY E L ECT I O N

We d n esd ay, M ay 2 1 , 20 1 4 • Vi c to r Va l l ey & Th e H i g h D ese r t

33rd Assembly District What is the most pressing need facing the High Desert?

CANDIDATES John Coffey (D) Educator/ paralegal Age: 68

Basic services freely provided to other areas of California — transportation alternatives to cars, courthouses open for business, retail outlets for basic life necessities, libraries that are open when people Get the courthouses (and I mean all of are available to use them, primary and them) reopened for all services. secondary health services that are less than a roadtrip away and reachable by public transportation. Ditto for other government services and mandatory compliance with state law and county codes, etc.

Scott Markovich (R)

New businesses, government construc-

Licensed building tion projects, jobs and job training. contractor Age: 52

Art Bishop (R) Mayor, Town of Apple Valley Age: 63

In the past few years, our area lost many businesses and families who closed their doors or left here because of burdensome regulations, high taxes and the inability to make a living. We must make California business-friendly. Wages and benefits must enable a family to have a good quality of life while still allowing businesses to make a profit. As a former businessman, I know the roadblocks and I will work to remove them.

As a local mayor, I have worked hard to balance the budget in Apple Valley and I can apply my leadership skills to balance the budget in Sacramento.

The residents of the High Desert cannot afford Sacramento’s continual tax increases that seize their hard-earned money, nor Rick can they afford the overbearing regulaRoelle tions that drive business away from our region. Our state government has become (R) an overarching bureaucracy that threatens San Bernardino County sheriff’s our way of life, and as an Assemblyman, I will fight to bring local control back to our lieutenant community officials and leaders. Finally, I Age: 55 will use my experience as a 30-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department to advocate for sound and effective policies that reduce crime and lead to safer streets.

Jay Obernolte (R) Business owner/ mayor of Big Bear Lake Age: 43

Michelle Ambrozic (R) Business owner Age: Not submitted

Robert Larivee (R) Community volunteer Age: 49

Brett Savage (R) Educator Age: 25

What’s one thing — major or minor — you’d seek to accomplish by the end of 2015?

What separates you from fellow candidates?

What’s one thing you think voters should know about you that maybe they don’t?

I am the only Democrat; I am the only one who has run for statewide political office in the past; I am the only candidate who has been endorsed by their political party statewide for two elections for the same office. I am the only candidate with a law degree. I am the only one who is NOT a gun-wielding conservative.

Since 2004, I have been lobbying for Environmental Protection Agency jurisdiction and takeover of the largest toxic plume in the country: Hinkley.

To have researched, developed and submitted a bill to the Assembly’s Select Committee on Job Creation for the New Economy proposing the creation of crowdfunding legislation for counties and cities to enable the citizens and their government to have more ability to improve their infrastructure and economy.

Through my 33-year marriage, raising three children and my two terms on the Rim of the World Unified School District Board, I have learned how to compromise, get past disagreements and move on to accomplish more important goals.

The most important thing for me to accomplish before 2015 will be to restore the $8 million that was cut from our local Veteran Service Offices, the agencies that provide services to our current and returning veterans. As a Vietnam-era U.S. Army veteran myself, I understand clearly the needs of our veterans, their dependents and their families, and I will fight to restore these vital services to them. Delivering services to veterans that allow them to be self-sufficient is a win-win for everyone, the veterans and the public. I am proud to be endorsed by several veterans organizations.

My breadth and depth of experience is what separates me from other candidates.

As a former small business owner, I have first-hand knowledge of the impact that taxes, fees and regulations have on a business. As a director and former board president of the regional Mojave Water Agency, I understand the importance of securing water for the future of our area. I was a firefighter for over 30 years and retired as fire chief in Apple Valley. As a longtime NRA member, I know the importance of the Second Amendment and I will work to protect our Constitutional rights.

I am a 40-year resident of Apple Valley.

This is where I have lived, worked and raised my family. In addition to being comAfter a year in office, I hope to have vigormitted to the overall safety of our commuously represented the people of the High nities and the well-being of our residents, I Desert with a team of first-rate and qualified have advocated for accountable leadership, staff on hand to help with the issues that arise fiscal responsibility and the creation of in the 33rd District. As an Assemblyman, I will private-sector jobs as a leader for our promote conservative ideas and values and region on the Apple Valley Town Council. I fight Sacramento’s progressive agenda that am fiercely passionate about public service, threatens any hope for economic prosperity, a and my record in Apple Valley should serve thriving middle class, and our way of life. as a testament to the fact that I have the ability to get things done and serve as an effective representative..

I am non-partisan.

Family, Faith and Freedom — those are my values. The voters should know that I am very proud of my personal integrity: I am a man of my word and a man of the people. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I love the High Desert; my wife of 43 years Kathy and I have lived here for 35 years. I love the people of the 33rd Assembly District and I love spending time enjoying our mountains and our desert.

I want to hear from the voters so that I can truly be your voice, so please call my personal cell: 760-979-1307 and give me your ideas.

The issues I care about are the same issues faced by High Desert families and businesses: Job creation, fiscal restraint and crime reduction. My focus includes shrinking state government, reducing the tax burden, decreasing bureaucracy and regulations that hurt small businesses, and working to ensure that hardworking middle class families have the best shot at attaining the American Dream. California is facing a crisis of common sense. I’d like to be a voice of reason in the California Legislature.

According to the independent California Center for Jobs & The Economy, the unemployment rate for our Assembly district is 11 percent — over 2.5 percent higher than California as a whole. With 17,000 unemployed, our community ranks 67th lowest out of 80 in the state. Considering our region was one of the hardest hit when the housing bubble burst, we are among the most in need of jobs in California. When you look at the fact that our Assembly district lost 413 jobs in 2013 alone, it’s clear our government’s economic policies are to blame.

I’d like to form a regional coalition of legislators who are solely focused on creating incentives to bring jobs to the High Desert. When the Governor eliminated Redevelopment Agencies, we lost the ability to renew some of our most blighted areas.

I want to break the gridlock in Sacramento and use my business experience to create more local jobs here. We need to reduce regulations to not only attract new companies and produce higher-paying jobs, but also keep and retain the ones we have currently.

The fact that I’ve created and run a successful business during some of our district’s most turbulent economic times separates me from the other candidates.

I’ve experienced many financial hardships over the course of my business career and I understand firsthand the struggles working families face in today’s economy.

The blending of my business experience and my service as a conservative local mayor provides a unique combination that I believe we desperately need to fix the mess in Sacramento.

My wife Heather and I began dating the day after our high school graduation in 1988 and we have been together ever since.

We have a geographically attractive landscape that is primed for massive growth in industry, manufacturing and mining that would bring jobs to the district.

We need to create a business-friendly environment to bring about this type of growth. The number one thing standing in the way of this type of development is overly burdensome regulation created by the state and entities like the California Air Resources Board. I will take on the California Air Resource Board and I will fight to repeal AB 32.

I’m currently drafting what will be my first piece of legislation, which I will submit the day I am sworn in — a health care bill that will draw health care providers to the district. Our district has one of the highest primary care physician deficits in the nation. We must attract the business of health care to ensure access to quality health care providers for the people of this district. My bill is similar to California’s Enterprise Zones and alleviates health care providers from tax and regulatory burdens imposed on them by the state.

I’m a small-business owner and health care advocate. I’ve started three successful businesses. I have not taken any money from any special interest groups throughout my campaign. I’ve never run for or held political office — I am not a politician. I am unafraid to tackle the tough issues and I openly and candidly oppose Common Core, firearm and ammo restrictions, or any legislation that undermines our Constitutional rights.

I have a deep-rooted passion for this country and I feel called to fight to protect the freedom and rights for my children and future generations. On the lighter side: I love the desert, which is why I chose to get my college degree from the University of Arizona. I also love to target shoot (you may have noticed from my signs). But more so, I love to focus on my skills and accuracy in shooting. My favorite round is the .308, which I shoot with either my DPMS SASS or my Remington 700.

Effective leadership that will provide a plan for sustainability and growth for the 33rd District. Leadership that will provide help for small business and job growth.

Leadership that will fight for our seniors, lower taxes, less government, education reform, better jobs and protection of our civil liberties.

I seek to submit and see passed all or most of the bills I will propose once elected: a bill that will eliminate state and local taxes and fees for those on a fixed income below a certain amount once they have reached a certain age; a bill that will exempt your primary residence from property taxes; a bill that will exempt one car per household from DMV fees; and a bill that will exempt small-business owners whose business is their primary source of income, and have no more than one location, from collecting sales tax on transactions below a certain amount.

Outside-the-box thinking, problem solver, servant leader, the most conservative and viable candidate of the 10 and 35 years business experience working with government. I am the most well-rounded of all my fellow candidates. Whatever you find in them I also possess, plus some. That is why I have earned the endorsement from the non-partisan California Small Business Association representing over 200,000 small businesses in California.

I am one of two with a pastoral background running for a seat in the state Assembly. Out of the top-three finishers in a Daily Press poll, I have spent substantially the least amount of money, showing I can get more done with less money. In fact, our campaign has given back to the community, donating money and materials to reopen the Boys & Girls Club in Adelanto, sponsoring Victorville’s Community Cleanup, donating 10 brand new bikes to No Drugs America Day and sponsoring the High Desert Black Heritage Committee’s Juneteenth Celebration.

It was disturbing the first three or four times California was ranked last among the 50 states for business environment, but now it is eight years in a row. The growth of the High Desert economy depends on free enterprise. We must lower the cost of starting and running a business. We must reduce regulation and promote industry.

We need to foster an environment to bring back private business and promote job growth. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.

I would like to see the high-speed rail project dead. The $32 billion project is expected to receive one-third of its funding from the federal government and the private sector. The California government does not have a timeline (for the project), the total cost is still unknown, and the private sector and federal dollars are questionable. The state has more pressing problems, such as the issue that will define our time — water.

Politics is local, particularly in the 33rd Assembly District. The candidate most likely to win in this race will be the candidate that has had the most personal touch with the voters. I have knocked on over 3,000 doors in the High Desert. While visiting voters and engaging in genuine dialogue, I was able to tell them about myself and where I stand on the issues. Along that idea, I was able to listen to what the voters had to say.

Too many times you have politicians telling people what they need, instead of asking them what they want.

Lastly, throughout this campaign for state assembly I have had a few individuals tell me that I should sit this one out. But those aren’t the values my family and my community have instilled in me. I wasn’t raised to shy away from hard work or do what’s easy. I have been raised to act on what I think is right and do what needs doing. I think I can make the High Desert better, I think I can make the mountain areas better, and I think I can make this state better. Win or lose, that’s reason enough for me to run.

Bob Buhrle (R), Jerry Laws (R)

Could not be reached for participation.

8th Congressional District CANDIDATES Paul Hannosh (R) Teacher/Small businessman Age: 45

What is the most pressing need facing the High Desert?

Job growth.

What’s one thing — major or minor — you’d seek to accomplish by the end of 2015?

What separates you from fellow candidates?

What’s one thing you think voters should know about you that maybe they don’t?

Passage of HR 25, the Fair Tax, to abolish our corrupt Internal Revenue Service and replace it with a national consumption tax to boost economic growth, especially exports, so that our American-made products are no longer subject to an insane 22 percent embedded tax due to a byzantine income tax system which has caused jobs to flee to more tax-friendly countries.

My campaign is about putting Americans first, not the establishment. I’m fighting the same special interests that that JFK was fighting, namely the income tax system and the Federal Reserve’s monopoly on our monetary system. The Federal Reserve has been a colossal failure at preventing recessions and has created our current bubble economy.

My father came to America via Ellis Island in order to escape institutional discrimination against Christians in Iraq.

According to a Pew Study, the world’s most persecuted group are Middle Eastern Christians and over the past 20 years, the Christian population in Iraq has gone from over 1 million to around 200,000. This is why I support Rand Paul’s call to end all foreign aid to nations that persecute Christians.

PAGE 2

VOTERS GUIDE

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Daily Press / Desert Dispatch

8th Congressional District What is the most pressing need facing the High Desert?

CANDIDATES

What’s one thing — major or minor — you’d seek to accomplish by the end of 2015?

What separates you from fellow candidates?

What’s one thing you think voters should know about you that maybe they don’t?

Getting a Congressman that votes on issues that help the district — e.g. the Affordable Care Act. While far from perfect, Bob act) gives in this district many access Conaway (the to care they could not get by eliminating pre-existing condition exclusions, halting (D) insurance companies from discriminating Small businessbased on disability, or because they were man/attorney domestic violence victims, eliminating Age: 61 lifetime limits on coverage, allows children to be covered by their parent’s health insurance until 26 years old, etc. Yet, incumbent Paul Cook seeks to repeal it.

Regularly sit down in person (or via teleconferencing when in D.C.) with planners and stakeholders in the district to see what the needs are that federal assistance may be available to help with and aid the district's stakeholders in getting the help they need to grow and create more jobs, by seeking out not just federal help, but by working on local partnerships to utilize existing resources better.

I have worked not just as an attorney, but as a mediator, arbitrator, referee and team leader resolving differences between adversarial camps, a skill desperately needed in Washington. As a small business owner, I know that you cannot work part time or even just full time, but the work must continue until the People's House finishes the tasks we expect them to, which we can't do with less than 100 days of session scheduled by the Republican leadership (or a part-time job).

I have known good times and bad. I struggle with bills and expenses like everyone else does. I do understand the real problems we all face with bills and government and have fought government abuses. I am a solid alternative.

The biggest issue is still jobs. We’re making progress, but it’s not enough. I supported a bill to make San Bernardino County one of California’s manufacturing hubs, and I’m working to make sure we have the infrastructure needed for growth. The best way to do this is to keep taxes low, eliminate regulations that cripple business, and promote everything this area has to offer.

I want to pass a balanced budget, and I want to repeal and replace Obamacare as soon as possible. In my first term, I fought for a balanced budget plan to reduce the deficit by $4.6 trillion over the next 10 years, strengthen America’s economy, and protect Medicare for seniors, and I voted over 10 times to defund, delay, and replace Obamacare. Unfortunately, the Senate has refused to take action on these items. I refuse to give up.

Hot air and rhetoric might get you on cable news, but it doesn’t do a thing for the High Desert residents struggling to make ends meet. I believe in results, not talk. When the rest of Congress was on the verge of handing over Johnson Valley to the Marine Corps, I stood up and fought an uphill battle, saving over 100,000 acres for public use. That’s the type of commitment I bring to every issue. My constituents come first, and I’ll never waiver from that mission.

I’m not part of the Washington “in” crowd, and I never want to be. I take my orders from the people, which is why I’ve held so many community forums, because I want to hear from them directly. Once you lose touch, you’ve betrayed your community and your country. I’ll always stand for the High Desert and this congressional district.

Paul Cook (R) U.S. Congressman, 8th District Age: 71

Odessia Lee (D)

Could not be reached for participation.

County Superintendent of Schools CANDIDATES

Ted Alejandre County Deputy Superintendent of Schools Age: 49

Rita Ramirez, Frank Garza

What is the most pressing need facing our county’s schools?

Common Core has been a hot topic of late. Countywide dropout rates are down and What’s one thing — major or minor — you’d How do you see it affecting local districts graduation rates are up. What’s your plan seek to accomplish by the end of 2015? in the near future? Pros and cons. to ensure this becomes a trend?

We are in historic times and facing the implementation of four main elements.

The first is a new funding model that distributes funding based on the demographics of a district and includes flexibility to use this funding any way a district feels is most important for their unique needs. The second is a new accountability requirement for districts to establish a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) that follows the criteria the state has designated. The third is the implementation of Common Core State Standards and the fourth is a new assessment (Smarter Balanced) that is aligned to the Common Core Standards and requires students to complete their testing exclusively through technology.

Pros: Common Core provides all students with skills that businesses have been asking for: critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration — ability to work in teams, and technology. These are critical skills that will prepare all students for the jobs of the future. Con: Funding — Districts need additional funding to ensure they have all the technology needed for assessments as well as funding for professional development.

Increase graduation rates for all schools in our county!

Continue to work with all 33 school districts in our county to ensure this remains one of our highest priorities.

Could not be reached for participation.

APPLE VALLEY

Measure G extends, increases special tax levy through 2034

BY GARY BRODEUR STAFF WRITER

• Measure G on the June ballot applies to voters residing within the bounds of the Apple Valley Fire Protection District. The measure seeks to continue an existing fire-suppression special property tax and add $1.99 a month to it through June 30, 2034.

The purpose of the measure is to improve fire and paramedic response times, reopen a fire station — perhaps in Jess Ranch — and help keep insurance rates manageable, proponents say.

APPLE

VA L L E Y

The existing tax of $5.26 a month is due to expire Nov. 4, 2017.

Measure G would bring that monthly tax to $7.25 a month starting in September, with a maximum 2 percent annual cost-of-living increase in future years.

The tax also is assessed on properties in unincorporated areas of the fire protection district that also must pay a Cal Fire State Responsibility Area fee.

No arguments against the measure were filed with the San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters.

To pass, Measure G requires a two-thirds approval margin from the district’s registered voters who cast ballots June 3.

Gary Brodeur may be contacted at 760-951-6245 or gbrodeur@ vvdailypress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_gbrodeur.

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VOTERS GUIDE

Daily Press / Desert Dispatch

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

PAGE 3

County Assessor Recorder What is the most pressing need facing the High Desert?

CANDIDATES

Dan Harp Assistant AssessorRecorder

Age: 60

Bob Dutton Independent small businessman Age: 63

What’s one thing — major or minor — you’d seek to accomplish by the end of 2015?

The Assessor’s office has nine district offices situated throughout San Bernardino County and two of them are located in the High Desert cities of Hesperia and Barstow.

As the Assistant Assessor-Recorder, my most pressing need as it pertains to the High Desert is to ensure these two offices remain open in order to provide convenient customer service to our High Desert customers so that they do not need to travel to the San Bernardino main office in order to conduct their Assessor-related business.

Also, it is imperative that ... the staff in all district offices, receive the training and “tools” necessary to accomplish fair and equitable assessments.

I would like to open a RecorderCounty Clerk’s satellite office in Rancho Cucamonga to service the county’s west end population. We currently have two Recorder-Clerk offices: the main office located at the Hall of Records in San Bernardino and one in the High Desert Government Center in Hesperia. The Hesperia satellite has been opened since 2010 and has been extremely successful in servicing our High Desert customers and I believe a similar operation is needed and would be successful in Rancho Cucamonga.

The High Desert has felt the effects of the historic recession more than most regions of the state. In addition, some of the highest taxes in the nation and above average unemployment continue to place strain on residents, families and property owners. By defending current laws that offer protections to our residents, I will use my extensive experience as both a businessman and local representative to increase efficiency within the department and save taxpayer dollars.

Within the first four months of being elected, I will employ a performance review committee to evaluate procedures, find deficiencies, and make recommendations on how to improve the level of service for our residents. I will use my experience along with my ability to make commonsense financial decisions to improve on areas of concern that will in turn save taxpayer dollars, increase the level of service and lead the way for a stronger economic future.

What separates you from fellow candidates?

My knowledge and experience. I have over 33 years of experience with the San Bernardino County Assessor-Recorders Office and for the last three years have served as the Assistant Assessor-Recorder.

As the Assistant Assessor-Recorder I have operational oversight of the AssessorRecorder-County Clerk’s Office, which includes a $22.8 million budget with 233 employees. Other positions I have held include residential appraiser, commercial appraiser, supervising appraiser, principal appraiser and chief appraiser. I also have good knowledge as it pertains to the Recorder and County Clerk operations.

I am the only candidate in the race who has leadership experience in both the private and public sectors. I have a proven track record of setting ambitious goals and achieving them for the betterment of our local communities. The residents of San Bernardino County need an effective leader who has the necessary capacity and knowhow to streamline procedures and ensure that the public not only has access to the Assessor-Recorder’s office, but that its operations are employed in a cost-efficient manner.

What’s one thing you think voters should know about you that maybe they don’t?

There is a perception that the Assessor’s office is motivated to increase assessments whenever possible to generate additional property tax revenue. This is not true and I have an example. When the real estate market peaked in 2007 and was followed by the bursting of the real estate bubble, the Assessor’s office and I were proactive in reducing the assessed value of thousands of single-family residences and condominiums without requiring these property owners to formally request a reduction in their assessed value.

For 15 years, I had the privilege and honor of serving the hardworking residents of San Bernardino County at the state and local levels. I understand our community and the issues we face. Forty years of owning a small business in Rancho Cucamonga has equipped me with an acute understanding of operational efficiency. I want to ensure that my neighbors receive the high level of service they deserve.

County District Attorney CANDIDATES Grover Merritt Deputy District Attorney Age: 55

Michael Ramos District Attorney Age: 56

What is the most pressing need facing the High Desert?

What’s one thing — major or minor — you’d seek to accomplish by the end of 2015?

What separates you from fellow candidates?

What’s one thing you think voters should know about you that maybe they don’t?

The consolidation of the courts has had a horrendous effect on justice in the High Desert. Taxpayers should not be expected to travel two to three hours to get justice as witnesses, victims, or other users of our regional courthouses. If elected district attorney, I will do all I can to restore regional courthouses to America's largest county.

If elected district attorney, I expect to restore fairness to charging decisions. That is, whether or not a crime is charged should rest on whether or not a criminal case can be proved, not on who the victim or witness knows.

I am not the incumbent, and do not carry baggage rivaling a local airport in my professional and personal life. I expect to set the highest ethical standards for employees at the DA's office, instead of being the butt of an endless stream of jokes. This will lift morale, and in turn, increase productivity.

I am a 26-year veteran of the District Attorney's office and was once honored as Prosecutor of the Year in that office. I have specialized in identity theft and financial crimes, an area that the incumbent has woefully neglected through a failure to commit countywide resources to these problems.

We have waged a hard-fought war with our local law enforcement partners against the gangs in our county who prey upon our law-abiding citizens. They call themselves gangsters, but I prefer to call them “local terrorists,” whether they are operating in the High Desert or in other pockets of the county.

Since starting our gang unit, we have sent over 4,500 gang members to state prison for over 35,000 years, plus 241 life terms.

This is the result of our gang protocol and most important, the work of our dedicated prosecutors and support staff. Right now, we have two active gang injunctions in the High Desert and our office participates in SMASH Gang Sweeps throughout the High Desert.

When we are able to have a more visible and strategic police presence on the streets, I see this as a significant deterrent to crime, and particularly gang crime.

I already mentioned our war on gangs, but I know from my years in law enforcement in and out of the courtroom, that if we only focus on adult offenders, we will never effectively address the crime problem. Most adult criminals started by getting into trouble as juveniles and eventually dropping out of school. It is in those early years when we have the best chance of steering them back on course. We have no problem sending criminals to prison, but as I see it, our wisest choice is to do more upfront to keep troubled kids from becoming adult criminals years down the road. That said, for the past two years we have been working with various school districts and law enforcement through our Gang Resistance Intervention Partnership (GRIP) to teach students about the dangers of gangs.

I am proud to have started my career as a prosecutor in the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s office, and just as proud to have served as District Attorney for three terms. I am extremely proud of the work I have accomplished during this time. As I look back on the 125-plus cases I took to trial, I never once strayed from the notion that I should always strive to do the “right thing,” and I carried this same belief throughout my three terms as District Attorney. I find it particularly troublesome to see that my opponent has clearly compromised his ethics and integrity, which is our biggest asset. By accepting campaign donations linked to charged defendants in an ongoing high-profile case being prosecuted by our office, it says a lot about my opponent’s sense of ethics and integrity. To be quite honest, it’s also an insult to the office and to his colleagues who seek justice day after day.

I currently serve as the vice president of the National District Attorney’s Association, an organization that represents the interests of thousands of prosecutors and influences federal and national policies affecting law enforcement and prosecution across the country. It is a huge honor for me to represent our county and our state in this capacity. Since being sworn in last year I have worked hard to use this position to continue to fight for justice and victims’ rights at a national level.

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• 33 years of experience with the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk, Current Asst. Assessor-Recorder • Cal State San Bernardino graduate, BA in Criminal Justice, 1976

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PAGE 4

VOTERS GUIDE

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Daily Press / Desert Dispatch

County Auditor-Controller What is the most pressing need facing the High Desert?

CANDIDATES Larry Walker County AuditorController Age: 62

It seems to me that the most pressing need in the High Desert is economic development, and that two critical issues in that area are water and transportation facilities.

Ensen Mason

Economic development. California’s unemployment rate is higher than the national, the CPA/investcounty’s is higher than the state and the High ment adviser Desert is higher than the county.

Age: 45

What’s one thing — major or minor — you’d seek to accomplish by the end of 2015?

What separates you from fellow candidates?

What’s one thing you think voters should know about you that maybe they don’t?

We are in the early stages of replacing the county’s 30-plus-year-old financial accounting system with a major new Enterprise Financial Accounting System. By late 2015, I plan to be near completion of the first phase, and planning for the new system to be completely “live” within 12 to 18 months.

My experience is unique among candidates for this position. I have served as AuditorController for almost 16 years, and I introduced both a Fraud, Waste and Abuse hotline, and a user-friendly Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) as part of department operations. I also transformed the County Recorder office from all paper to over 50 percent electronic receipt of recordable documents, and moved payroll (checks and paystubs) to all-electronic systems.

As Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector, my department has less direct contact with county residents than many others. However, our work provides the financial foundation for all services the county provides. I also work directly for all school districts and local governments throughout the county, collecting and distributing the property tax, overseeing school district payrolls, and managing and investing their cash deposits.

Increased fiscal transparency and education.

While there is plenty of financial data available on the Internet, nobody is out in the community talking about how our county spends and accounts for the people’s money and what it means to them.

The biggest difference between my opponent and myself is how we view the role. I believe the first and foremost responsibility of any elected person is being accountable to the people. To properly represent people, you have to talk to them and have two-way communication. How can you know what is important to the people you represent if you never ask them?

Additionally, I am more qualified, having an MBA in finance and a CPA.

The reason I decided to run is that I have grown weary of seeing elected officials do what is in their best interest and not what is in the best interest of the people. The money they have been entrusted with is not theirs, it belongs to the people. One of the greatest responsibilities is to be responsible for the fruits of somebody else’s labor — to make sure those that produced the money benefit from it.

County Sheriff CANDIDATES John McMahon County Sheriff Age: 50

What is the most pressing need facing the High Desert?

What’s one thing — major or minor — you’d seek to accomplish by the end of 2015?

What separates you from fellow candidates?

What’s one thing you think voters should know about you that maybe they don’t?

As your Sheriff, one of my top priorities is finding innovative ways to efficiently deploy resources and leverage technologies that reduce crime and increase safety. I am pleased to say that despite difficult budget restraints, I have added 15 deputy sheriff positions to county patrol stations this year. Eight of those positions were added to the Victor Valley Station. While this was a good start that will make a significant impact, there is still much work to do.

Recognizing that law enforcement is uniquely suited to lead collaborative efforts toward resolving panhandling, homelessness, graffiti and similar quality-of-life issues, I recently initiated a program we refer to as Project HOPE. The program brings together numerous public and private entities focused on outreach efforts that find long-term housing and resources for the homeless population. One thing I seek to accomplish by the end of 2015 is a significant reduction in the number of homeless individuals living within our county.

The job of sheriff for the largest county in the United States is far more complex and challenging than most people realize.

Managing over 3,400 employees and an annual operating budget just under half a billion dollars requires skills similar to what you would expect from a CEO of a major corporation. I am the only candidate who has developed these critical skills through my experiences holding nearly every rank in the department. While I do not want to disparage the other candidates, the simple fact is that they have not held any managerial, command or executive level positions.

I would like people to know that I have spent nearly my entire life in this county and I am deeply committed to the success of every community within it. While the office of Sheriff is political by nature, I do not consider myself a politician. I am simply a hard-working, dedicated man who holds myself and those who work for me accountable to the highest ethical standards and job performance. I am a humble leader who does not seek the position of Sheriff to satisfy my ego, but rather from a deep sense of service to others.

Voters should know that I have been exposed to the many segments of various communities within San Bernardino and Riverside counties. I possess good analytical skills. I will demand from my management team to know what is going on within the department as well as the community. I will hold town hall meetings that will be on a regular basis to keep citizens informed about issues within the department. I will attend these town hall meetings and obtain community feedback and act on it, good or bad.

My trademark is transparency and open communications.

I have owned several small businesses in the past. The last business I started became a multimillion dollar corporation prior to me selling it. These were run in my spare time apart from my law enforcement job. I have a heart and understanding for the small business and know what it’s like to manage a real budget.

The most pressing need facing the High Desert is to recognize that in the 21st century the High Desert has changed along with the rest of the county and the state. A law enforcement leader must realize that the change has resulted in the need to restructure our social institutions and stop clinging to old ideas, old methodologies, old assumptions and old measures. We need to enforce the laws in the penal code but also adopt a new approach that also addresses the sociological, economic, cultural and psychological issues as a way to solve crime problems.

I would like to have deputies accept the concept of being activists for the community.

This would be a revolutionary concept and would take a huge step into the future. In fact, the role of officers becoming activists for the community will require training in order to assist deputies in becoming knowledgeable and skilled in getting things done.

I feel that I have a vision for the future unlike my fellow candidates. The thing that sets us apart is my education and experience in law enforcement and the academic world. My teaching experience caused me to delve deeper into criminal justice issues and focus on the 21st century technology, societal changes and law enforcement strategies past and present. I feel that I am more sensitive to the needs of our very diverse communities throughout the county of San Bernardino.

The biggest need is to lower the gang population in the High Desert. 1. Start by preventing youths from joining gangs. 2. Transforming Paul the existing gangs into neighborhood clubs.

Schrader 3. Mediating and intervening in conflicts between gangs. Prevention programs that integrate school curriculums with afterschool Los Angeles County Sheriff’s recreational activities seem to hold the most promise. 4. I would also combine long-term, deputy proactive investigations of entire gangs with Age: 50 short-term investigations and prosecutions of individual gang members.

I would like to reduce the litigation against the department. I have been pro-camerason-cops for years. Officer-worn cameras have proven to reduce citizen complaints by 88 percent, which will save taxpayers money in frivolous lawsuits. The cameras have also shown a 60 percent reduction in use of force by officers. In short, cameras on cops keep everyone on the level.

I’m a Constitutional Sheriff’s candidate. A Constitutional Sheriff is one who honors his oath to defend and protect the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic.

He does so without reservation, pledging his life, his honor and his fortune to defend it. His first question whenever taking action in law enforcement is to ask, "Is it Constitutional?" If the answer is, "No," he refrains from committing acts that will injure the natural, inherent rights of that living soul.

Clifton Harris Investigator/ educator Age: 64

Colonel PAUL COOK (ret.)

Retired Marine Colonel

Job Creator

Proven Leader

“I’ve spent my lifetime defending America and the values that make us strong. We need leaders with the courage to stand on principle and fight for our values and our way of life.”

“I’ve voted to lower taxes on working families and eliminate regulations that stiffle job creation, and I’m proud to have worked toward designating San Bernardino County a ‘manufacturing county,’ which will bring real jobs to real Americans. Rebuilding our economy starts by encouraging business to expand.”

“As a Marine Colonel, I knew that without the faith and trust of the troops, we could accomplish nothing. You deserve a Congressman who can lead, take responsibility, and restore the sacred trust we once had with government to get the job done.”

for CONGRESS “Government belongs to the people. I’ll always stand for the High Desert, I’ll always stand for the Constitution, and I’ll always fight for our freedoms.” www.JoinPaulCook.com

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