Voters are upset that Planned Parenthood recently gave $500 to Supervisor Susan Adams for her party to celebrate an unsuccessful recall against her. After the Supervisors recently gave over $250,000 of taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood ($50,000+ alone from Supervisor Adams’ Slush Fund), this donation stinks, and should be returned. Don’t get me wrong. I like both Susan Adams & Planned Parenthood. It isn’t them. It’s the principle, as it reeks of political patronage.
There is another political donation, which in my book is far worse than the Adams/Planned Parenthood controversy. The Bel Marin Keys Community Service District recently gave Supervisor Judy Arnold $1,000 for her re-election campaign. A CSD is basically a town in an unincorporated area. Could the Novato city council give a campaign contribution to Judy Arnold? Absolutely not! It would be unethical & illegal. Towns can’t spend their residents’ tax money on political candidates. So why can the Bel Marin Keys CSD? I am not sure of the legality, but does anyone question the ethical lapse on both sides of this transaction?
I question the Bel Marin Keys CSD board for making this donation with residents’ funds. Homeowners pay approximately $500-$1,000/year for dredging & landscaping. Apparently some CSD board members feel that they can use our money as their own slush fund. I guess they think it is ok, since the Supervisors are allowed the same patronage & payola. There is no mention in any board minutes of this donation, although it was mentioned in the IJ. As a resident of Bel Marin Keys (and supporter of Judy’s opponent, Toni Shroyer), I am upset that others gave Mrs. Arnold my money without my approval, or any public disclosure.
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Even more, I question Supervisor Judy Arnold’s judgment & ethics for accepting such a donation. After someone has spent about 50 years in politics, should we need to question whether she knows the difference between right & wrong? If we need our District Attorney to investigate Judy Arnold’s improper donation after all these years of her serving in politics, then maybe it is time for a new Supervisor.
