CG: Since the re-alignment District 5 no longer represents Copperopolis, do you feel you would be a benefit to Copperopolis if you were to be elected to a vacated seat within that District?
DT: Due to redistricting, Copperopolis voters may feel they don't have much of a stake in this issue - not true. Decisions by the board affect us all. In a way, Copperopolis voters are in a great position. In this odd situation, they have a voice in determining who represents District 5, then later they get to direct their attention to another election to determine their own representative. Which of us wouldn't like to cast a vote in more than one district?
CG: Why do you feel you would be a benefit to the residents of Copperopolis?
DT: All of the issues I have investigated, reported on and taken an interest in have been county-wide issues. As an example, I contacted Copperopolis property owners when I wrote the first of my FEMA investigative reports. I know about the Lake Tulloch issue and featured it in my report.
The General Plan, and my particular focus on the Housing Element in that plan are, again, big ticket, county-wide issues, as is the county CalPERS debt, and the possibilities of outsourcing county functions to save money. All of which are issues I have investigated and reported on.
If there is to be an election, I will have a website on which I will share some of my past work, but more importantly, some ideas I would pursue if I am in that position. There won't be any mystery as to where I stand and what my vision is for the future. So, to answer your question, if it comes to pass and Copperopolis voters helped put me in that position, I think they would be glad they did. I would certainly be grateful.
We all understand that this may never come to pass, but because of the peculiar circumstances of a recall, and assuming for the sake of discussion the petition drive is successful, even those who vote against the recall should also cast a vote for the replacement candidate, so if the recall votes wins, all will have had a voice in deciding the replacement.
CG: Michael McDaniel has publicly stated that he would not run for the position if a viable candidate were to run, do you feel you are a viable candidate?
DT: I met Mr. McDaniel for the first time recently at his invitation. We had quite a long talk. He may have been sizing me up to answer for himself the question you pose, whether I'm a viable candidate, enabling him to drop his candidacy. I know he wants to. I hope his answer is "yes," but he'll have to answer it for himself. For my part, the answer is definitely "yes."
By,
C. Maness
