Don’t be fooled, vote yes on no

Last week’s local elections left a bitter taste for the voters in the community—even more than in previous years. Reports of character assassination, use of illegal campaign tactics, and a willful disregard for the truth are just a few of the low points that marred the voting in Agoura Hills and Calabasas.

On a brighter note, we’re a community that forgives and forgets quickly.

In the Agoura Hills City Council Election, challenger Todd August said he was the victim of anti-Semitic remarks because of his support for the proposed Heschel West Jewish day school near Old Agoura. The school became a hot-button issue in the election, but it was carried to an extreme.

Stories about stolen campaign signs occur in almost every local election, but that doesn’t make the offense any more palatable. Stealing campaign signs is a misdemeanor that can carry a fine and bring much embarrassment.

City council winner Bill Koehler charged that someone stole his candidate signs right off private property. There were reports of other stealing, too.

In Calabasas, both sides of the Measure C referendum clouded the truth and misled voters. One local resident even reported seeing a sign that said “Vote Yes on No.” Go figure.

Proponents of the Malibu Valley Inn and Spa never did come clean about the damage the resort would do to the sensitive local mountains, while the opponents erroneously led voters to believe that a vote against the project would be a vote in favor of open space. Because of his defeat, the developer now will probably build dozens of mansion homes requiring steep hillside grading. So when it comes to Measure C and the environment, it’s hard to really know who won and who didn’t.

Additionally, the inn and spa wasn’t defeated by a grassroots movement endeared to open space, but rather tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions paid for in the eleventh hour by big politicians who live outside the city.

Another example of misbehavior in this year’s race was the tampering of The Acorn’s online election poll. More cheating, more abhorent beavior.

So in the Calabasas inn and spa referendum and the Agoura Hills City Council race, was it politics as usual, or just a one-time meltdown because the issues were so volatile?

Doesn’t matter. Ethics and fair play during an election should be the rule, not the exception. Maybe 2006 will turn over a new leaf.

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