Letter: An old friend for Board of Supervisors

I’m impressed with that television ad that’s been running daily for weeks now for the San Mateo County supervisor seat coming up for vote June 8.

After watching that polished and costly ad (it must be tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars someone is putting up) for the candidacy of the retired sheriff with a $208,000 county pension, a lovely home in Emerald Hills and virtually the county’s entire public and private power structure coming together for one of their own — two members of Congress and a senator (who lives in San Francisco), a board of Realtors, all sorts of clubs and brotherhoods — I thought what a smooth transition it will be when the sheriff takes his seat beside his old friends on the board and can tap into relationships developed over decades of county networking. A handshake here, a word or two there — we can count on the continuance of county policies currently in place.

The only people who haven’t yet signed on are the 360,000 voters and their families, but that minor inconvenience will be dispensed with June 8. I’ve heard other candidates are running for supervisor, but where are their ads? If they aren’t willing to pay a few hundred thousand for the seat, what right have they to represent the people of this county?

Those who have been governing and influencing policy over the years are old hands at managing the county for us and should be encouraged. A new face with fresh ideas can only disrupt the convenient arrangements they have developed over the years.

Clark McKowen

San Mateo