Encinitas, Kristin Gaspar is your mayor for at least the next 10 years and maybe more.
Let's think about that for a minute.
In the last election we all decided that we should start electing mayors instead of the ceremonial rotating system that always broke down into weird high school politics.
But, we are a fearful group so we adopted a mere 2 year term for mayor.
Now that Kristin Gaspar has handily secured the mayor spot she will now spend the next 2 years in campaign mode. Look for her to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and sharp and on point everyday all day. She will never really say anything too controversial and she will milk her role as a visible and attractive mascot of all the good things of Encinitas. Not even Dan Dalager could crush a ribbon cutting like Gaspar.
Previous mayors like Christy Guerin and Jerome Stocks would always slip up and say mean grumpy things that eventually erode at their votes and reputations. Gaspar is way too savvy for such slip ups.
Who can beat Gaspar in the next election for mayor? There is nobody in this town with a strong enough cult of personality to energize the amount of money and votes it would take to upset Gaspar.
Newly elected council person Catherine Blakespear has good support coming out of the gate, but she would be foolish to challenge Gaspar head to head so soon, losing to Gaspar in a mayor run in 2 years would only erode her reputation and make her council seat vulnerable.
Silver haired business men can come out of the woodwork and spend their retirement money on runs at mayor, but why would they beyond satisfying their own egos? Washed up ceo's fresh off the golf course won't beat Gaspar and they would be better off lobbying her in the background anyway.
It would take a major, major mistake on Gaspar's part to derail her destiny as the new perennial mayor of Encinitas. The now missing 10,000 strong Leucadian vote that once supported Maggie Houlihan has no-one to rally behind. Are they even still out there?
Media coverage isn't a factor.
The San Diego Union Tribune will never write anything overly harmful about Gaspar.
The Coast News might take shots at her but nobody will read it because you can't get past their online subscription form.
The Seaside Courier will probably just shut down now that election 2014 is over because the Courier is pointless.
The Encinitas Advocate will continue to do fair balance journalism and no-one will notice.
The handful of local blogs are only read by fringe weirdos like you and me.
Another huge factor, Kristin Gaspar is only in her 30's.
Bud Lewis recently passed away, he was mayor of Carlsbad for 24 years! (source)
Unless a bright new star emerges (preferably a millennial female) on the local political stage over the next year we can count on another easy win for Gaspar in 2016 and she will keep on winning every 2 years for the next 2 decades.
She could become ill with a major disease tomorrow, so don't count your chickens just yet. Every day is a crap shoot and no one is guaranteed of being here tomorrow let alone 10 years from now.
ReplyDelete“Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig likes it.”
ReplyDeleteGeorge Bernard Shaw
Kristin Gaspar earned the first directly-elected Mayor's seat for Encinitas fair-and-square.
ReplyDeleteIt was Kristin who broke with Jerome Stocks in 2010, as a new Council person and exposed the Stocks/Patrick Murphy Planning Director's Smart Growth Plan to try and force all affordable housing onto the roofs of the outdoor shopping malls in New Encinitas.
And while her opponents cannot get past her looks to recognize her true political skills, she almost single-handedly mopped the floor with Pam Slater Price/Bruce Ehler's/Bob Bonde's 'late-to-the-race' spoiler candidates: Sheila Cameron and Julie Graboi, both of which were given virtually all the letters and columns they could generate in the 'Unfair and Completely Imbalanced' weekly tabloid published and edited by Jim and Chris Kydd.
Yes, Mrs. Gaspar might run and win 5 consecutive races for the Mayor's seat over the next decade: but don't be surprised if she looks at the 'deal' made between Supervisor Dave Roberts and former Supervisor Pam Slater-Price: which guaranteed Roberts financing and connections enough to beat out the weak and poorly-managed Steve Danon campaign in 2012 for Supervisor, in exchange for Robert's agreement to retain 100% of Slater-Price's staff: which allowed Slater-Price to continue to call the shots as one of the most powerful leaders in the County while pretending to be 'retired': and interests Gaspar because believe it or not, being in a constant 'campaign-mode' is exhausting: especially in the City of Encinitas, famous for its 'professional citizens', crackpots and virtual anarchists. Add to that brew a mix of unreliable new and old media and even a young, strong and smart leader can one day look in the mirror and tell themselves,"Enough!"
Slater-Price, as late as this past June 2014 was backing/managing both Catherine Blakespear and Tony Kranz's campaigns until neither would agree to the caveat to 'never approve the Housing Element' report the State of California mandates: a report every other city in the County has approved and that has been continually misrepresented by Slater-Price/Ehlers/Bonde..
Now, as of yesterday, Slater-Price/Ehlers/Bonde find themselves not only without any allies on the new council, but they've inadvertently helped elect another local pol who has never flip-flopped on her position of being AGAINST Prop A, making it 3 out of 5 on the council with credibility on the issue: but Blakespear is both highly educated with a background in Journalism (like Gaspar) and this council now has an attorney amongst them as the July 16th, 2014 council decision to knowingly violate state housing laws is brought before the courts to determine not whether the council was allowed to alter an in-alterable state law? They weren't, but just how much to fine the City financially will be the most difficult choice for the presiding judge.
Mostly new department heads, a new Mayor, a new Cardiff councilwoman: new leadership among the MainStreets: new taxes? Nothing is foretold.
My prediction - she'll springboard from mayor to U.S. House of Representatives...
ReplyDeleteTerrific, then she'll have to move her entire family with her or be separated more from her children. What people won't do to get noticed. That is, if you are a needy person.
DeleteThat would be good news and then we can find a good leader that isn't developer oriented.
Delete7:19 AM
ReplyDeleteMike Andreen is NOT going to be paid under the guise of his new Encinitas business network. Not going to happen Mike.
Gaspar had heavy financial support from the building industry. She supports bars and the resultant drunks driving in Encinitas.
Yeah, sure, she is a leader of upzoning and bars.
Check out the Network's website: the entire reason Andreen started his group was to be independent of the City: he believes the Chamber and the MainStreets, by taking money directly from the City of Encinitas are kept from truly representing business in Encinitas. Nor does Mike seek to be a Non-Profit.
DeleteThe funny thing about the concerns on these blogs about the Network, is its always people who are on the dole themselves and have no idea how to make a profit, that seemed most concerned that Mike will hold his hand out like the eunuch business support groups currently do.
You're right 7:48 AM, it's 'Not going to happen' because his group won't accept it. The Chamber and the MainStreets all signed off on forcing all the future growth into New Encinitas when they were on the GPAC: the business owners in New Encinitas haven't forgotten that. Nor will they.
1:21 PM
DeleteOh, please, stop with the altruist song about Mike Andreen. He's been hustling to get members for his business. Not too many signed up.
For the last two years, Mayor Gaspar has been pushing for the city to recognize Andreen as a legit organization like the Chamber. Forget it Andreen and Mayor Gaspar, no taxpayer money for Andreen. Let Gaspar pay you back with her political contributions.
not taxpayer money for you
One thing is for certain she and the other members of the council will continue to thank the city staff for doing the job they are paid to do......
ReplyDelete7:19 AM
ReplyDeleteStop with your lies and continued lies by the BIA's fraudulent lawsuit. The BIA B.S. that the developer couldn't build the low income housing as required by law is jus that --- B.S. Developers came to the city and said they didn't want to build the low income housing as required by law and wanted to get out of the density bonus requirement without losing all the density bonus goodies. Developers knowingly violated state law, and the developers should be suited to build those low income houses. Need proof?
City has it all on video and in writing of the fraud committed by the developers.
Gaspar will run for mayor in 2016 and lose.
ReplyDeleteLets see how Gaspar votes on the housing element.
ReplyDeleteTo date I like her votes over Tony's votes. Tony want a trophy project with his name on the plaque.
Gaspar is playing the fiscal conservative card.