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Latest statement from Juice friend, Iraq vet and former Fullerton candidate Matt Rowe. I (Vern) agree that Jane is head-and-shoulders better than all the status-quo mediocrities running from both major Parties, or the madcap Bushalan Barry Levinson. Adding Jane to the Whitaker-Kiger-Sebourn-Chaffee would make for a balanced council, AND a balanced Fullerton Revolution.
Also I’ve always wanted to see third-party candidates and independents get their foot into local office. Well anyway, here’s Matt:
Dear Fullerton,
Today marked the deadline for city council candidates to file for the November 2012 election. The recall election came and went. Even though I did not succeed in getting elected, I am definitely proud to have played a part in the success of the recall itself. All three incumbents were overwhelmingly recalled for their callous indifference and appalling inaction in the wake of the Kelly Thomas killing. The city council has several new members, who have already begun to make their mark on the history of Fullerton. We also have an acting police chief, Dan Hughes, who has taken steps to hold officers accountable for misconduct, increase the overall transparency of the department, and increase the training required of department personnel. I am confident, that while many issues remain to be resolved, Fullerton is in much better hands than it was a year ago. Again, I am honored and proud to have been a part of this very democratic movement for reform and accountability within our city.
Over the past few months, I have had a lot of time to consider whether I would run for city council again in November; and, I went back and forth over whether I should or not. I wanted to run again in November because I believed that I would act in the best interests of the residents of Fullerton, without an ideological bias or influence from special interests. I believed that I would demonstrate the utmost honesty and integrity while representing our city, and that I would earnestly study each issue, with all of its complexity and nuance, before casting a vote that affects the way we all live as a community. I care very much for my hometown, and I want to ensure that the people we elect, indeed, have our best interests at heart.
I decided not to run for city council in November for several reasons. While I understand that public service is a sacrifice; the amount of time, money, and effort required during the last campaign significantly affected my life in many ways. I was distracted from my full-time job, while monitoring city events on a daily basis. I often received phone calls in the middle of the day and after work from concerned residents who wanted to vent their opinions and frustrations. It became very difficult for me to separate my professional life, and my personal life, from the public life of a council candidate. The very thing that I loved most about politics- talking to residents about real issues- became the most difficult aspect to manage. How could I tell a voter that I already had the same conversation 30 times in the same day without sounding rude or indifferent? How could I go to dinner, or shop at a store, without constantly being in campaign mode, where someone approaches me for twenty minutes or an hour-long conversation. It’s a lot to handle, when you have other responsibilities and you like to exercise, or have other hobbies. For anyone who doubts the demands of the campaign, I highly encourage you to run for elected office and gain an appreciation for a very thankless and expensive undertaking.
On a personal note; I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for all of the voters, friends, and family who supported me in the past year. (…)
That being said, just because I am not running does not mean that I am not involved. I still want what is best for Fullerton- and in November that means two things:
1) We need to elect Jane Rands to Fullerton City Council. Jane is a very intelligent and tireless advocate for Fullerton. Jane is fiercely independent, and she has run very formidable, honest, and respectable campaigns without party endorsements and special interest dollars. You will find her at the Farmer’s Market on Thursday afternoons engaging voters and speaking in very dry detail about city policy issues and past council votes. Jane cares, and she cares A LOT. I have the utmost respect for her, and I believe she has integrity beyond reproach. Jane has sound judgment, sound character, and she is exactly what Fullerton needs. I am in her corner, every step of the way; and I hope you lend her your support in November.
2) We need to save Coyote Hills from development. There will be a very deceptive and one-sided ballot measure up for vote in November, sponsored by Chevron and its subsidiary, Pacific Coast Homes. It will talk about public benefits and a nature preserve, but it won’t mention the 760 homes that Chevron intends to build in the last significant and sizable piece of open space in north Orange County, which is also home to some endangered and protected species. We are all accustomed to the sprawl and traffic of living in southern California. I happen to believe that protecting habitats like west Coyote Hills is more important now than ever, if we are to preserve some of California’s natural beauty before it is covered by condos and strip malls. The best way to preserve nature, is not to build a “nature preserve” on open space, surrounded by 760 homes and widened roads.
I will continue to stay involved in Fullerton, and I may very well run again for council; but in the meantime, I hope that you stand with me on doing what’s best for our community. Please vote for JANE RANDS in November, and vote NO on the West Coyote Hills Development Project and “Nature Preserve”.
If it’s Whitaker-Kiger-Sebourn, it could be Bernie Sanders and Barbara Boxer in the last two seats and they’d still be outvoted most of the time. If it’s Whitaker-Sebourn and Chaffee and Rands + (Jaramillo or Alvarez or Roberta Reid, etc.) then Rands gets to put together a coalution and actually make policy. The big issue in this election is: does one faction, as usual, have an outright majority?
P.S. It’s good to see Matt Rowe still involved.
Well, first of all Greg and Bruce are both reasonable and listen to all sides; also, Jane and Greg are great old friends. So the council I envision isn’t so crazy unbalanced as you think … not that it would be a bad thing for another Democrat to get in there along with Jane, but I don’t know which one…
I bullet-vote for Jane. Back to worrying about Costa Mesa and Anaheim, for this Huntington Beacher!
I’m worried about Costa Mesa too. I’m worried about it happening right down Brea Blvd. from me.
Matt Rowe states, “…I am honored and proud to have been a part of this very democratic movement for reform and accountability within our city….” How DARE you try to take any credit for the successful recall!!!
You didn’t do JACK SH** for “reform and accountability”. Jane Rands didn’t do much of anything either… All you did was throw your hat in the ring for the recall election once all the dirty work was done! I know because I was heavily involved in the signature gathering and the get out the vote and neither of you were anywhere to be seen.
Get over your lying self, Rowe…
Hey Nameless– I need to know who to send my defamation suit to. Those are some pretty bullshit lies you just posted. Man (or woman) up.
Jane was one of the signers of the three original complaints to get the recall ball rolling. Look at top of every printed petition and you will see her name there. Unlike some others, she campaigned strongly in favor of the recall.
I didn’t say she didn’t do anything, I said she did very little. Yes, she was one of the complaint signers and I give her credit for that. However, she did not collect very many signatures unlike some others who signed the complaint as well. I know because I helped with processing them.
Re-reading what I wrote, I don’t want to take anything away from her contribution to the recall and every little bit helped.
Matt Rowe on the other hand did squat…
Still waiting on that name, coward.
There was an incident in the recall campaign where the person in charge used recall campaign to his own personal opinion(on who should be elected) on a recall flyer. Matt got upset about that, but from that incident, people got to see how much Matt got involved. He did a lot more than you think.
But with that thought, come on let’s call it what it really is. Matt is not running so he doesn’t take votes away from Jane Rands. I think it should be the other way around(Matt run, not Jane). Matt has better qualities as a candidate than Jane. Eh, who cares, this is all just becoming “a political planning for the future” strategy anyways.
Mr. B S I seem to remember Matt Rowe on national TV broadcasts calling out the city council for their lack of concern on the Kelly Thomas case as well as his direct statements to Chief Sellers where almost immediately Sellers went on sick leave and then never came back. His actions seemed to really get things rolling with the recall campaign. Why don’t you go ahead and give Ryan Cantor you name so that you can see first hand “How to get the ball rolling?’
A ballot measure sponsored by chevron? I thought the friends of coyote hills made that ballot happen.
If I’m right then a YES vote would stick chevron. Make ’em pay I say!!!
There seems to be an organized effort to defame Matt Rowe by one of the groups backing some of the candidates. Looks like thay are afraid they may have to face him again in the future. They know he won’t be a puppet for them.