Over the weekend, some Coronado residents received the above mailer that was paid for by the Richard Bailey for Mayor 2016 campaign.
Mayor Casey Tanaka posted the following to his 4,000+ Facebook friends on his personal page expressing his concerns about the mailer:
This weekend, I have been the recipient of two pieces of political junk mail from Richard Bailey, candidate for Mayor, one of which was a negative attack piece against Carrie Downey.
I do not want or need more junk mail or attack mail in my life. Do you?
This sort of campaigning is expensive and unnecessary. If someone wins a Coronado office using junk mail and negativity, it is going to force our future mayoral, city council, and school board candidates to consider raising big sums of money and even going negative too.
Coronado has been free from this type of destructive campaigning. Let’s keep it that way!
If someone sends you an attack ad, please, boycott that candidate!!
If someone wastes large sums of money on junk mail, don’t call on that person to help to manage our City’s finances!!
Tanaka added in a follow up comment to his post: Taking two items that are not prominently featured anywhere else in your campaign and then including only those two items in one piece of mail to argue that your opponent is a wasteful spender is clearly a negative, misleading, undignified piece of attack mail.
Hannah Stern commented: I have had the opportunity to hear Carrie Downey argue at length for Measure A, which she did shrewdly and with the obvious experience of being in local government for a number of years. She’s a long-term resident of Coronado and clearly understands the reality of our city and county. She’s the only candidate who could lead our city responsibly and with discretion. To me, a person who sends negative mailers in our mayoral race and posts yard signs in June clearly doesn’t understand our city.
Read comments from Mayor Casey Tanaka’s Facebook post here.
Current city councilperson and mayoral candidate Richard Bailey responded with the following:
It has been suggested that a recent mailer was a “negative attack ad” and I respectfully disagree with that characterization, as the mailer simply contrasts our positions on two issues regarding spending and taxes.
If you have attended any of my campaign’s meet and greets or asked me one on one of what I think of Ms. Downey you will hear me say “While we have different types of experience, leadership style, and a few different policy positions, I truly believe Coronado will be in good hands no matter which one of us is elected.” I have the utmost respect for Ms. Downey and have always stated as such.
While campaigning, many Coronado residents have asked for an example of differences in our voting record and policy positions. The mail piece was an attempt to address that question and compare our positions on two issues that are well-documented by our voting records – the public deserves to know this information and campaigns are meant to disseminate it.
The differences stated in the mailer were:
1) I voted against spending up to $475K on 47 new wayfinding signs – I felt we didn’t need that many signs and the price tag per sign was unreasonable especially considering most people have smart phones these days.
2) I oppose increasing the sales tax by 1/2 percent to fund the projects listed in measure A – In my opinion Coronadans already pay more than their fair share regionally and most of the proposed projects will not benefit Coronado residents.
While I do not believe in personal attacks at any level, I do think voting records should be subject to a healthy conversation and debate.
Phillip Manion commented: As a resident and voter of Coronado I did not find this to be “junk mail” or an “attack ad.” I found the mailer to be informative, factual and fair.
It did not disparage or attack Mrs. Downey personally, but rather provided clear policy differences between two credible candidates that have opposing views on these two issues regarding our tax dollars.
To call for a “boycott” of someone who has served us well because you disagree with his positions is, in my opinion, an unnecessary attack and irresponsible for a sitting mayor.
Jacques Spitzer commented: I love Richard, he is an incredible person and a great candidate. As is Carrie! I’m disappointed with this post and you know how much I appreciate you – but how do you boycott someone who works as hard as Richard to meet with so many people? Express your opinion about mail pieces, but this kind of negativity is unnecessary, both candidates are exceptional!
Read the comments from Richard Bailey’s Facebook post here.
Current city councilperson and mayoral candidate Carrie Downey shared these comments:
I think of myself as a public servant, between my years in the Military and City Council I have taken the oath of office to serve for 19 years. During campaign seasons I only advertise what I have accomplished, my service, my experience, education and community leadership.
Until this election I have not spent more than the amount I earn in one year as a Council person. Because this campaign unfortunately is changing Coronado politics, my first mailing ever will arrive next week. It is a positive advertisement for me. I believe in our small community of less than 10,000 voters, that is all that is appropriate. Others are entitled to disagree.
Carrie Downey
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If you are a member of Coronado Happenings on Facebook, you can read even more comments.
Is this ad fair or is it out of bounds?
Related Stories:
- City Council Approves $475,000 Wayfinding Signage Program
- Bailey Will Run for Mayor in 2016
- Downey Announces Candidacy for Mayor
- Mayoral Candidates Speak Out on Coronado Issues
- Letter to the Editor: Understanding Measure A – ½ Cent Sales Tax
- Community Wide Candidate Forum Now Streaming
