Republican Supervisor Removed From SANDAG, LAFCO and Water Authority

Paying the Piper - to bear the consequences of an action or activity that one has enjoyed. "We will have to pay the piper, and the price is apt to be a high one."

This week, Supervisor District 5 Jim Desmond was removed from his positions at SANDAG, LAFCO, and the Water Authority—"not because he failed to represent our region, but because he has differing opinions from some on the board."

When Paloma Aguirre won the position of County Supervisor District 1, the Board of Supervisor's shifted not just to Democrat but to something far more to the left. I'm not sure where this will end up and how badly it might affect the taxpayers in San Diego County.

It has been documented in many newspapers, both print and online, that Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and Supervisor Paloma Aguirre have difficulties managing their own household budgets. Much like a "fox in the hen house", they will be controlling a $8.63 BILLION budget.

Now Ms. Lawson-Remer is the Chair of the BOS and Ms. Aguirre is the Pro-Temp Chair. Ms. Montgomery-Steppe was named Vice Chair but, as you may know, that is often no more than a figurehead position.

These three Democrat Divas have not only appointed themselves in charge of running the Board, they are pushing out the two remaining Republican men and keeping them from any leadership roles.

Here is the political experience of each Supervisor:

Terra Lawson-Remer (Chair) - 4.5 years on Board, 2 of those as Vice Chair under Nora Vargas (Total Experience: 4.5 years)

Monica Montgomery Steppe (Vice Chair) - 2 years on Board, 5 years on San Diego City Council Board (Total Experience: 7 years)

Paloma Aguirre (Pro-temp Chair) - 2 weeks on Board, 2.5 years as Imperial Beach Mayor (Total Experience: 2.5 years)

Jim Desmond - 6.5 years on Board, 12 years as San Marcos Mayor (Total Experience: 18.5 years)

Joel Anderson - 4.5 years on Board, 4 years as State Assemblyman, 8 years in State Senate (Total Experience: 16.5 years)

I find it interesting that Supervisor Desmond and Supervisor Anderson—with 35 years of political experience between them—are being pushed to the side.

They are the qualified ones to be sitting as Chair and Vice Chair and teaching the others how to meet a budget and prioritize issues.

These two men possess the expert skill and knowledge to be able to guide our County out of its deficit by cutting budgets and tightening belts.

These three women have all indicated that they wish to smash open the County piggy bank and use it for their own pet projects. The taxpayers be damned, we will just make them pay MORE taxes.

This is being done by a Democratic majority. Democrats and Republicans have a different take on how things should be done. It is my understanding that the Board of Supervisors is a non-partisan position. Apparently, it is not.

The Board of Supervisors and the County of San Diego would be run so much smoother if the positive aspects could be taken from each party and used to work together for a common goal.

In a email sent yesterday, Supervisor Jim Desmond wrote the following:

"This week’s Board of Supervisors meeting made one thing clear: North County is being silenced by political retribution.

Along with serving on the Board of Supervisors, each of us also fulfills roles on various boards, commissions, and committees. These positions—covering everything from behavioral health to economic development—are critical to shaping policies and decisions that affect the daily lives of San Diegans. Traditionally, these positions are split up evenly among the five Supervisors to ensure fair representation for every district.

Yet this week, I was removed from SANDAG, LAFCO, and the Water Authority—not because I’ve failed to represent our region, but because I have differing opinions from some on the board. I fight for lower costs, common-sense solutions, and more local control for our communities. That doesn’t sit well with those who want to push a one-size-fits-all agenda.

On top of this, I voted against the new selection of Chair, Vice Chair, and Chair Pro Tem because Districts 5 and 2—our large unincorporated areas—have been excluded from leadership roles. For 5 years, the people we represent have had no seat at the head of the table, even though we are the primary local government for thousands of families in the unincorporated areas.

Government works best when all voices are heard, but as we’ve seen across California, one-sided politics have led to high costs, poor infrastructure, and failed policies.

I will not back down. North County deserves better, and I’ll continue fighting to make sure our voices are heard—whether the political insiders want me there or not.

Thank you for standing with me in this fight."

It's time for the residents of San Diego County to wake up and pay attention to what is going on. We will be the ones who ultimately pay the price with higher taxes, higher home and rent prices, and higher costs of living. When the piggy bank is empty, the taxpayers will be paying the piper.

Return to Main Page