A call for civility

News that former Chico City Council candidate Toby Schindelbeck is running for a House seat in his recently adopted state of Idaho (see Downstroke, page 8) reminds us we are in an election year, which almost invariably means we can expect a couple of ugly, mud-slinging campaigns for office, both locally and statewide.

Schindelbeck, a relatively recent arrival to Chico when he filed candidacy paperwork, was almost a mascot for such campaigns when he ran two years ago. He was demeaning and disrespectful to people who disagreed with his positions, and at the end of the day got trounced at the polls.

This year, we’re hoping to see respectful campaigns that focus on real issues. Among other contested positions, the Butte County Board of Supervisors seats of incumbents Maureen Kirk and Larry Wahl are up for grabs in June. And the contest for Chico City Council positions currently held by Mary Goloff, Mayor Scott Gruendl and Vice Mayor Mark Sorensen will be decided in November. Both races will involve controversial matters.

The city’s budget will be the hot topic in the city. At the county level, medical marijuana is the thorny issue. Both matters can easily spark emotional displays and accusations, but we’d like to see everyone rise above it. We’re calling on candidates and their supporters as well as the general public to be civil to one another throughout election season.