Times-Standard - 08/24/2006
Local Solution Gives its Endorsements: LaVallee,
Glass, Abrams and Kuhnel Receive the Nod
by Kimberly Wear
EUREKA -- There were no big surprises when Local Solutions announced
its endorsements Wednesday for the City Council race, throwing support
behind three challengers and Mayor Peter LaVallee.
A release by the political action committee said interviews were done
during the past week.
Challengers Larry Glass, who's running against Councilwoman Mary Beth
Wolford and Tish Wilburn; Ron Kuhnel, who's in a race with Councilman
Jeff Leonard; and Nan Abrams, who's looking to unseat Councilman Mike
Jones, received the nod.
”We were impressed by the knowledge and commitment of the candidates
we endorsed in the Eureka City Council races,” Dennis Huber, Local
Solutions co-founder, said in the release. “Their election
will bring a new era of political leadership to Eureka at a time
when vision and innovative thinking are required to take us forward
in a rapidly changing world.”
He did not return a phone call seeking further comment.
LaVallee's campaign manager, Andrew Bird, said he believes the PAC picked
up on the mayor's environmental record, noting his stance against Calpine's
proposed LNG terminal on the bay.
”We thank Local Solutions and we appreciate any and all endorsements,” he
said.
Other responses were similar.
Glass, an Old Town business owner, attributed the endorsement to his
stance on public safety.
”I am pleased to learn that Local Solutions has endorsed me in
my bid for Eureka City Council and I'm proud to share their endorsement
with the other two challengers and I look forward to serving with them
both come November,” he said.
Planning Commission Chairman Kuhnel said he was running on a platform
of change and leadership and would be reaching out to a diverse range
of constituents.
”I'm pleased to receive the endorsement of an organization such
as Local Solutions, an organization that I think I share common values
with,” he said, adding those include an “equal opportunity
for everybody and having a good, vital city in which all citizens
have opportunity to have a good life.”
The endorsement questions, according at least one of the candidates
who was interviewed, ranged from their views on Measure T and the Marina
Center to why they want to run and whether they believed in social progress.
Local Solutions said that only challengers requested endorsement interviews
in the City Council races. Councilwoman Virginia Bass, who is running
for mayor against LaVallee and resident Jerry Droz, said she asked for
an interview, but was out of town on her honeymoon during the narrow
window the PAC said it needed to conduct them in.
She said she would be happy to sit down and talk with the PAC about
issues at a later date.
Leonard has said that it's his policy to not accept endorsements from
political parties or political action committees because the City Council
is nonpartisan. Jones and Wolford did not return calls.
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