Is a fight brewing?

Employees have found the flexibility of working from home makes life more manageable, particularly for those who have children.

But some government leaders think it is time for employees to come back to the office, mirroring a growing sentiment in the private sector.

They argue that a return to the workplace will mean improved customer service, and will increase collaboration and cooperation between co-workers, which will improve the quality of government work and enhance career opportunities for those who are in the office.

What was a temporary reaction to COVID has become something many employees now regard as permanent.

“Our unions are opposed to it,” said Julie Lind, who leads the San Mateo County Central Labor Council and whose unions represent workers at every local government in the county.

“The hybrid schedules that have been maintained since folks started coming back from the COVID shutdowns have not negatively impacted productivity or performance, but they have positively impacted morale,” Lind said via text message. “The time they don’t spend commuting to and from the office is time they get to spend with their families. Plus, it’s cars off the road, which helps the environment. Our members have demonstrated that the work gets done, even if they are not being watched while it occurs; why does that need to change?”

SPENDING REPORT, CONT.: Assessor-county clerk-recorder candidate Jim Irizarry’s latest campaign finance report shows that he is largely keeping pace with San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa moneywise in the race to replace retiring incumbent Mark Church. The office also manages all local elections.

Irizarry, the assistant accessor-county clerk-recorder, and Church’s number one aide for 13 years, reported raising $129,000, from Jan. 1 through April 18; he spent $20,200 and had about $111,000 in cash on hand.

Irizarry was almost the only contributor to his campaign. He donated $128,000 to his treasury, in keeping with his own assertion that he was willing to spend up to $250,000 of his own money on the race. Interestingly, Irizarry chose to forgo the customary practice of candidates loaning money to their campaigns — it is an outright contribution, with no expectation that it will be repaid.

Irizarry did receive five individual donations, most notably $500 from former state Sen. Jerry Hill, and $250 from former San Carlos Councilmember Mark Olbert.

Irizarry has contended that funding his own campaign demonstrates the independence of his candidacy for an office that is nonpartisan and whose critical duties include property assessments and elections management.

CLARIFYING: An item here last week misstated the filing requirements facing former Half Moon Bay Councilmember Joaquin Jimenez, who is running for the Board of Supervisors against incumbent Ray Mueller.

Jimenez has yet to file a campaign finance report, and it appears he may be running afoul of state law. Jimenez does not have to file a detailed report if he raises less than $2,000.

But on his campaign website, he is asking for donations ranging from $25-$100. No matter how modest, the request means he has to file a form indicating he has organized a campaign committee.

Asked about this, Jimenez said, “We are actually — I’m aware of that. I need to do that.”

THOSE DEMS: The San Mateo County Democratic Party has issued its endorsement slate; among the candidates in contested races, they have endorsed Canepa in the assessor-county clerk-recorder race and Hector Camacho in the race for county superintendent of schools. … In a race for this region’s seat on the state Board of Equalization, the Dems endorsed Sally Lieber over San Mateo County Community College Trustee John Pimentel. … Pimentel has loaned $250,000 of his own money to his campaign.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Speaking of the community college district, which we were, sort of, construction now is underway for a 316-unit student housing complex in one of the main parking lots on the College of San Mateo. If it is anything like the faculty housing project at Cañada College, it will be one of the nicer looking buildings on the Peninsula.