County Supervisor Peg Pinard (RPCV Philippines) prides herself in her bipartisan appeal. The Democratic candidate for State Senate District 15 won her supervisor seat in a Republican county, and has garnered the support of Unocal Oil Company as well as traditional liberal organizations for her current campaign
Pegging away: Supervisor tackles issues and opposition
Oct 21 2004 12:00AM By
By JOANNA GALUSZKA
FOR THE REGISTER-PAJARONIAN
SEASIDE - San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Peg Pinard prides herself in her bipartisan appeal. The Democratic candidate for State Senate District 15 won her supervisor seat in a Republican county, and has garnered the support of Unocal Oil Company as well as traditional liberal organizations for her current campaign.
Neither she nor her opponent, Abel Maldonado, has ever lost an election. The redrawn and evenly split district will change that statistic for one of the candidates.
Pinard grew up in San Jose and graduated from Santa Clara University. A former teacher and Peace Corps volunteer, she was elected to the San Luis Obispo City Council in 1987. She was elected as mayor of San Luis Obispo in 1992. In 1996, she was elected to the County Board of Supervisors. She was re-elected to the board in 2000.
One of the highlights of Pinard's career was her work with Avila Beach, a community contaminated by leakage from a Unocal oil pipeline. As a San Luis Obispo county supervisor, "Pinard negotiated a settlement agreement with Unocal that required the company to temporarily relocated residents, dig up the contaminated soil, and rebuild the town," according to www.pegpinard.com. Unocal has since endorsed Pinard and contributed to her election campaign.
Pinard agrees with her opponent that the economy is a top priority for Sacramento.
"I have always had a balanced budget," she said at an Oct. 3 candidates' debate in Seaside, noting "a total lack of fiscal responsibility" at the state level.
Pinard's priorities also include improving the education system and protecting the environment.
She drew criticism from Maldonado regarding partisan contributions to her campaign at the Oct. 3 debate. The Democratic State Central Committee recently boosted her election fund with a mammoth donation, pushing her total close to $1.4 million.
"Boy, do I wish my party would write me a check for $1 million," Maldonado said.
In addition to contributions from the Democratic Committee, the Pinard campaign has received donations from various groups such as the Burton Senate Fund, the California Federation of Teachers and the California League of Conservation Voters.
Pinard is endorsed by California Attorney General Bill Lockyer, Congress members Lois Capps and Sam Farr, Watsonville Mayor Pro Tem Ramon Gomez, former mayors Todd McFarren and Oscar Rios and former Watsonville City Council member Rafael Lopez. Current council members Ana Ventura Phares, Antonio Rivas and Manuel Bersámin also endorse Pinard, according to www.smartvoter.org. The Mexican American Political Association and the Green Party Council of Santa Cruz County have endorsed Pinard as well.
"Peg is right on the money. She really has a lot of the environmental issues covered," said Larry Cafiero, a member of the Green Party Council.
Cafiero said his party members are backing Pinard instead of Green candidate Brook Madsen, who withdrew from the race in April.
"When you look at the records between Pinard and Maldonado, it's a slam dunk," Cafiero added.
©Register-Pajaronian 2004
