Jeff Eckles
The race for the San Luis Obispo County District 2 supervisor seat heats up as Jeff Eckles announces he will challenge Supervisor Bruce Gibson in the June election while former District 2 supervisor and coastal commissioner Steve MacElvaine considers joining the battle.
Gibson, who has served as a county supervisor since 2006 and has been subsequently re-elected twice, is under fire for his alleged rude and arrogant behavior. As chair, Gibson reduced public comment to two minutes and regularly corrected public speakers.
Probably the biggest challenge facing whichever candidate voters elect in June, will be dealing with the lack of civility at board meetings and social media attacks initiated by Supervisor Adam Hill and several of his supporters.
Eckles is a small business owner and the former executive director of the Home Builders Association of the Central Coast. He has also worked as a financial adviser.
In late 2016, Hill allegedly threatened to put a target on Home Builder Association members’ projects if the association did not donate more money to his campaign. After the association refused to comply with Hill’s pay-to-play demand, Hill attempted to have Eckles fired, several members of the association said.
Gibson and Hill, both Democrats, generally vote together and regularly oppose the boards three-person conservative majority. Eckles is registered as no party preference.
MacElvaine, a Republican, served as the District 2 supervisor from 1979 through 1983 and on the California Coastal Commission from 1983 through 1993. Currently the owner of a cattle ranch and avocado orchard, MacElvaine is considering joining the race for District 2 supervisor, he said.
ABB
Anyone but Bruce
Will Gibson use the civility taught to him by Hill?
In a word…. “yes”. And it will get ugly. Jeff and Steve need to gird their loins.
He will treat them with the same respect he treated his wife.
Maybe he will treat them like his mistress, hire them and pay them a salary with taxpayer money?
ANYBODY would be better than philanderer Gibson. I don’t know Eckles but MacElvaine would be a great choice. At the very least, with two challengers, Gibson would probably be forced into a run off in November.
Jeff Eckles or Steve MacElvaine would be great choices, just hope they don’t dilute the vote and let Bruce Gibson sneak back in!!!
I don’t think Bruce is such a bad guy, just is so far left of the issues as well as protecting and voting with Adam Hill, he has just become ineffective as our Supervisor:(
When I read that California has the highest poverty rate in the nation, mainly do with housing cost’s, made think of policy’s like Bruce and Adam’s that have caused this to happen even more so on a local basis. The strain on working people in this area is staggering, trying to find and hold good help is a problem for local business, mainly do to housing policy’s! Out of control building wouldn’t be a good solution either. But being against everything or making the process so expensive that housing cost’s just keep skyrocketing hasn’t worked very well either.
Either Mr. Eckles or Mr. MacElvaine would be a breath of fresh air compared to the incumbent.
Respect to those who deserve it.