An easy out

Opportune timing. That’s what recent litigation threats against the city of Chico gave to a local conservative group attempting to recall two elected leaders.

In case you missed it, the folks looking to boot Mayor Randall Stone and Councilman Karl Ory, aka the Recall Councilmen Stone & Ory group, announced this week that they were ending that effort. Their catalyst: an expected switch to district-based elections. At least that’s what they said in a press release. See Ashiah Scharaga’s report on the major election switch-up on page 8.

But back to the Stone and Ory detractors.

I can’t imagine anyone is surprised by their news. Putting the recall on the ballot would have required the group to gather nearly 7,600 signatures—15 percent of Chico’s registered voters—in 160 days. That’s a tall order, especially for those new to taking an active role in local politics. It always was a long shot.

No word from the group on exactly how many John Hancocks were collected prior to throwing in the towel. We asked. The response: crickets.

My guess is that, absent signatures and with the Nov. 26 deadline looming, the group realized that the talk of districting provided an easy out and a way to save face. Look, they made the announcement before the council voted on districts.

Additional creative writing in that aforementioned press release is the part that mentions how one of the other considerations for dropping the recall is “the additional expense a special election would already have on city expenditures.”

I’m not buying that narrative either.

The financial burden a special election would place on the city was clear from the get-go. To wit, some of the first words out of Ory’s mouth when he was served recall paperwork was telling the petitioner how costly it would be to put it on the ballot—enough funds to pay for a police officer, he said.

That context ought to resonate with a group whose main gripe about the liberals ostensibly is that they don’t treat public safety as a priority. This fiscal year’s budget indicates otherwise. The Chico Police Department got a bump of more than $1 million since the lefties took control. And indeed, 48 percent of the entire general fund is allocated to that department alone. Add the Fire Department and we’re talking about nearly 72 percent of the city’s operating expenses going to emergency operations.

Despite the outcome of the recall effort, there are some lessons for both sides of the ideological divide.

First, for the newbies: Now you know why the terms rough and tumble are used in politics. Instead of wasting time and energy attempting to dethrone duly elected representatives, try focusing on finding and supporting candidates you believe have our city’s best interests at heart.

Second, for the lefties: Irrespective of whether your critics are partisans, it says something when political neophytes band together to boot you. Consider yourselves lucky this effort wasn’t organized by people with experience. And, you know, show some humility.

Third, for the people who put money behind the recall: Clearly you have expendable cash. Congratulations! How about spending it on any one of the many actual worthy causes in this town?