It’s all about housing

A candidate who talks about the economy is addressing something that is on the mind of every voter, every election.

As I make the rounds of campaign events, only two candidates, thus far, have mentioned inflation and what it is doing to those of us who live here — Menlo Park Councilmember Ray Mueller, running for the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in District 3, and Noelia Corzo, San Mateo-Foster City School District board trustee running for the Board of Supervisors in District 2. Meanwhile, everyone wants to say they are better at approving more housing, which, in at least one notable instance, is a phenomenal overstatement.

It is early, of course, and much rhetoric will spout forth in debates, online postings and direct mail. But the question is always the same: Who is talking about the issues that matter to voters? It’s the economy, and it’s housing.

HERE’S YOUR HAT, WHAT’S YOUR HURRY: The Batmobile hoo-ha — a colorful flap involving raids in Indiana and the apparent conviction by Sheriff Carlos Bolanos that he is always the best person to investigate himself — serves to remind supporters of Sheriff-elect Christina Corpus why they were so gung-ho to elect her over the incumbent.

Bolanos’ public response to this latest episode borders on stonewalling and is prompting grumblings among some political insiders that he should resign early, although you can bet that will not happen.

Even if we assume nothing improper was done, either by Bolanos or District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, whose various positions on the matter have been various, their insensitivity to appearances is remarkable. When the controversy arose over this whole matter, both of them should have stepped aside and let others handle it. Never mind whatever connections there may have been between Bolanos and real estate broker Sam Anagnostou, Wagstaffe has been Bolanos’ biggest booster and was a huge help to the sheriff in fundraising for his reelection.

The system cannot just be fair, it has to appear fair.

INCOMING: Meanwhile, by the time Corpus takes office in January, the level of expectations, and associated pressure, will be immense. The risk now is that she will be expected to implement sweeping reforms, some of which she may not support. All this in a large, unwieldy department still run by an incumbent who is said to be largely uncooperative.

POLITICAL NOTES: Mueller kicked off his fall campaign at Faith and Spirits in San Carlos with an event that drew about 35 attendees, many from the real estate business. He was introduced by Jessica Eva, current president of the San Mateo County Association of Realtors. We have seen in the 21st Assembly District race what the Realtors can do when they get behind a candidate, or line up against one. Mueller offered a number of contrasts between himself and his opponent, San Carlos Councilmember Laura Parmer-Lohan, suggesting the polite days of the primary election are behind us. … Steven Booker, who finished fourth in the four-way primary race for this seat, was at the Mueller event and has endorsed him. Booker and multi-district director Virginia Chang Kiraly got 23% of the vote in June and both have lined up behind Mueller. … Also at the event, Drew Dunlevie, who runs Menlo Park’s Guild Theatre, the newest live entertainment venue on the Peninsula, who said the theater project would not have happened without Mueller. Dunlevie said, “I like to call it Ray’s Place.” Not to be confused, I suppose, with the Ray Charles classic, “Ray’s Rockhouse.” … As for the aforementioned Corzo and endorsements, she has been endorsed by Cameron Rolfe, whose un-campaign still drew 11% of the vote in the District 2 primary, in which Belmont Councilmember Charles Stone finished ahead Corzo by a scant 2.8%. At a recent Corzo event, Rolfe, standing alongside San Mateo Mayor Rick Bonilla, said, “I disagree with him on just about everything, but I agree with him (about supporting Corzo).”

THE STRAIGHT POOP: San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa, running for the 15th Congressional District seat, said he needed to give his campaign a boost south of Daly City, but I did not expect him to step into the goose controversy in Foster City.

“I disagree with Foster City’s plan to get rid of its goose population,” Canepa wrote on social media. “It’s inhumane and does not solve the issue. The geese are a countywide concern and I stand against any plan to kill them.”

And that is no goose(bleep).

Mark Simon is a veteran journalist, whose career included 15 years as an executive at SamTrans and Caltrain. He can be reached at marksimon@smdailyjournal.com.