Endorsements recapped

(Condensed from our full endorsements of candidates and ballot measures)

U.S. President

Barack Obama
Transformational politicians come along rarely. Obama is one of them.

U.S. Congress, District 2

Jeff Morris
It’s a big jump from Weaverville to Washington, but we know Morris can make it easily and well.

U.S. Congress, District 4

Charlie Brown
The Air Force veteran is a moderate Democrat with a practical approach.

State Assembly, District 2

Charlie Schaupp (write-in)
Jim Nielsen is a shoo-in in this race but has been dishonest about his residency. Launch a protest by voting for Schaupp, a Yolo County farmer who lost in the primary.

State Assembly, District 3

Mickey Harrington
We don’t think Harrington will be a leader in Sacramento, but we know we’ll agree with most all his votes—and that, in the end, is what we want from our Assembly representative.

Chico City Council

Andy Holcombe, Ann Schwab, Mark Sorensen, Jim Walker
Our support of incumbents Holcombe and Schwab is based on their performances as council members and their records. Walker has shown on boards and commissions that he’s a thoughtful, independent thinker who seeks out compromise. We expect Sorensen to be a flexible conservative who doesn’t let political ideology get in the way of pragmatic decision-making.

CUSD Board of Trustees

Liz Griffin, Jann Reed
We join the teachers’ union in endorsing Griffin, a first-time candidate, and Reed, the current board president.

CARD Board of Directors

Jerry Hughes, Mark Sweany
Both Sweany, the incumbent, and Hughes, the recreation district’s longtime general manager, are known quantities.

Oroville City Council

Jack Berry, Steve Harvey, Dave Pittman
Berry, seeking his second term, and challengers Harvey and Pittman all are moderates who want Oroville to grow but aren’t willing to support growth at any cost.

Paradise Town Council

Steve Culleton, Joe Di Duca, Robin Huffman
Council members Culleton and Huffman have served Paradise well, and we appreciate Di Duca’s tempered views (and Planning Commission votes) balancing growth with preservation.

PUSD Board of Trustees

Justin Meyers, Lisa Nelson, Donna Nichols
We will be glad to see Nichols get a fifth term on the Paradise school board—all the more so if joined by youth advocate Meyers and dedicated parent-volunteer Nelson.

Prop 1A

No
The high-speed rail line is a worthy project, but California can’t afford it.

Prop 2

Yes
Farm animals should not be confined to crates and cages so small they prohibit natural movement.

Prop 3

No
Children’s hospitals still have $350 million available from 2004 bonds.

Prop 4

No
Parental-notification laws do not work in the real world, let alone with California voters, who’ve voted this down twice in three years.

Prop 5

No
“Rehabilitation of Nonviolent Criminal Offenders"—good in principle, but not in this unworkable initiative.

Prop 6

No
There’s no correlation between increased prison sentences and reduced crime, plus there are better, cheaper ways to fight gang activity.

Prop 7

No
AB 32 promises to do a better job of encouraging renewable energy than this flawed measure.

Prop 8

No
Domestic partnerships are not the same as marriages. This is a matter of human dignity.

Prop 9

No
Victims’ rights are already protected in California, so why cut education and health care for an unnecessary amendment?

Prop 10

No
Spending bond money on cars—in the name of alternative energy—makes no sense.

Prop 11

Yes
This change in redistricting for the Legislature will make races more competitive and politicians more accountable to the voters.

Prop 12

Yes
With the money paid back by the veterans who take out the home loans, this bond is self-supporting.