||| FROM AMANDA AZOUS |||
Dear Stephanie O’Day Supporters,
Many of us are aware of misinformation circulating recently about Stephanie O’Day, her team’s postings and their effect on our community.
1. The Land Bank and Affordable Housing tax is paid by buyers of property in our county. If we vote down the Land Bank tax that is on buyers, not property owners, we loose the primary funding for affordable housing in our county. We can’t tweak a state law to change out the ratios, as suggested by Stephanie O’Day, without the support of other counties in the state. Where are Stephanie’s connections for tweaking and can she guarantee statewide support? What alliances does she have? She’s proposing to entrust our community commitment to conservation of farm and wild lands and an affordable housing fund to the political whims of other state counties. I can’t support O’day’s gamble.
2. Stephanie, call your dogs off Kari McVeigh. Maybe your name isn’t on the posts but your team is featured. It’s unbecoming mudslinging that is factually incorrect. Diligent voters have checked the links, documents and statements your team has posted and know there is no basis for the attacks on Kari. Just stop. It’s not how islanders act. Ok. Sorry to call them dogs, I love dogs, but their barking is annoying.
3. Voting Against the Islands. I have lived in San Juan County for 34 years and part time before that. Please supply some evidence of O’Day working on behalf of environmental protection. Seriously one. I hadn’t seen that phrase Voting Against the Islands before your letter but it’s a pretty accurate characterization of a vote for O’Day.
4. Stephanie Buffum became a real estate agent after being Director of the Friends of the San Juans and that speaks to her personal goals. I have no beef against real estate brokers. But I don’t think any of us should assume Buffum’s support of O’Day is because O’Day cares about environmental protection.
5. Campaign Contributions. You can frame it however but the facts are that most of the contributors and money contributions to O’Day’s campaign are from people who do not live in our county but have vested interests here. I want council people to represent people who actually live here; not so much those invested here.
6. Union Endorsements. Our county staff have suffered from poor management by our previous county manager and random staffing decisions that affect their work. Morale is low. If you don’t believe me talk to them. The county workers union is endorsing the person they feel will most listen to what they need to run our county. O’Day accusing
county staff of wanting to keep the status quo as a reason for not endorsing her shows a lack of respect for county employees needs and little understanding of county operations. Stephanie O’Day, they didn’t endorse you because they don’t want you in charge. I trust our union workers. They live here! And they know your adversarial history.
I hope this clears up any confusion about misinformation that is being posted.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
Thank you Amanda for this summary. I was already convinced weeks ago. Mailed in my ballot and voted for Kari McVeigh.
O’Day trotted out a number of fact-free endorsements from people I’d never heard of, several of which were published on this website. These mostly appeared to be from friends and family, and contained almost no mention of her policies. Guess what, folks… being a friendly neighbor doesn’t qualify someone for public office.
O’Day seems to be a crypto-conservative who wants to push the typical pro-growth, pro-business, pro-development agenda while pretending to care about the environment and the community. One particularly odious proposal appears to involve turning Land Bank properties into housing developments. Any candidate who proposes such a thing has no place running for public office in San Juan County. I’ll vote for their opponent every time.