After in effect running Bill’s press release verbatim a week ago, the Auburn Sentinel today published a balanced piece that told both sides of the story.

I like Scott’s point even better than my own. Who does, in their right mind, spend the time and energy to write a 25 page report AGAINST balanced budgets?

Several Sierra College board members discredited a report released last week that took the board to task for failing to “fairly present the college’s needs to the public.” That report came from one of their own: Sierra College Board Trustee Bill Martin, acting on his own accord outside the boardroom.

The report specifically criticized three board members – Aaron Klein, Scott Leslie and Jerry Simmons – of “misrepresenting” past claims of budget and fiscal abuses by former college president Kevin Ramirez, who was forced into early retirement in 2005. The response was swift and pointed.

“Bill Martin’s actions sadden me because he has issued yet another report riddled with inaccuracies and falsehoods,” said Area 7 board member Aaron Klein. “This new report contradicts his own record of voting, without objection, for the budgets and policies he now so vehemently criticizes.”

Klein, who is running for his second term on the board of trustees in the November election, initially responded to Martin’s claims on his website (aaronklein.com), and to a Sentinel article covering the report posted at auburnbuzz.com.

Fellow board member Scott Leslie, who is up for re-election but is running unopposed, agrees with Klein. “Who in their right mind does a 25-page report against having a balanced budget?” he said. “He’s obviously reaching for things to complain about.”

Klein and Leslie, backed by a board vote of 6-to-1 in favor of the current budget policy, insist revenue must exceed expenses except in dire economic times and that there is “no excuse to deficit spend,” said Klein.

Martin, who made the board aware he opposed its budget policy at a retreat in July, said he supports a budget approach that is followed by “virtually every other community college in the state.”

Counters Klein: “We need to embrace who we are here in this county. We are a unique community that values fiscal responsibility and I want to reflect that in how we run the college.”

On his website, Klein wrote: “Bill needs to issue a retraction and apology to all six of his board colleagues.”

Martin plans no apology. In fact, this is exactly the kind of response he expected when he announced the report near the conclusion of the Aug. 12 Sierra College board meeting. He released the report prior to the election – where four candidates vie for two open board seats – in the hopes of raising voter awareness about “misguided” budget policies and the need to shake up the board’s make up this November, he said.

So…Bill spends the time and energy to write 25 pages about why balanced budgets are a bad idea. He is explicit about the transparently political nature of his attacks. He flip-flops on his own record of voting for these budgets so that he can now criticize them.

And to top it off, he hand-picks two candidates, one whose campaign is being run by officials of the Democratic Central Committee, and the other whose campaign is being run by a long time consultant for Democrats…and then suggests that he’s a “non-partisan” board member?

I’m quite proud of our bi-partisan support — Republicans like Kathy Lund, Don Brophy, Tom Cosgrove and Tom McClintock; Independents like Josh Alpine; Democrats like Gina Garbolino…and more bi-partisan endorsements to come in the next few weeks.

» Read the Entire Story

A big hat tip to Catherine Morris, Sierra College Veterans Counselor, for her front page profile in the Sacramento Bee today! Her work for our returning veterans has been going on for some time, and she has my deep admiration for her efforts.

Photo Credit: Sacramento Bee

“Some of these veterans are truly more afraid of going to college than they were of going to Iraq,” said Morris, who has served in the Army National Guard and the California Air National Guard as well as the Marines. “They are so overwhelmed, and they feel very isolated.”

» Read the Article

We ran into our friends, Paul and Sarah, at church (they don’t normally attend where we do, so it was a fun thing to have happen) and got to meet the little guy they are in the process of adopting!

Here are two dads who love their boys…

(Thanks for the picture, Sarah!)

From an article in the Auburn Sentinel…

“This November election is just crucial,” said Martin. “It will be pivotal and will ultimately decide the direction of the college for years to come.”

How very true that is. Which is exactly why I trust that the voters will choose to continue on the agenda for change, rather than go back to the old way of doing business.

Bill Martin has launched another round of sad, contradictory and false political attacks. I issued the following statement this morning.

“Bill Martin’s actions today sadden me, because he has issued yet another report riddled with inaccuracies and falsehoods. This new report contradicts his own record of voting, without objection, for the budgets and policies he now so vehemently criticizes.

“At our July 19 meeting, Bill tried to convince the board to abolish our balanced budget policy, and in a 6-1 vote, failed to convince even one trustee to join his ridiculous idea that you can balance a budget by borrowing money from reserves or other funds.

“This reminds me of years ago, prior to our current management team, when the college was reprimanded for borrowing funds from a retiree trust fund to balance the budget, and was forced to repay those funds back to the retiree trust with interest.

“Despite Bill’s desperate attempts to paint the college in a negative light, respected community leaders agree: Sierra College is better off than it was four years ago. Bill needs to issue a retraction and apology to all six of his board colleagues.”

“I’m a firm believer in looking at the results, and Aaron has achieved results at Sierra College. He has worked to balance the budget, build up strong surpluses, and make it possible for the college to make it through this economic downturn without massive cuts. I’m proud to support him for re-election.”
— Don Brophy, Sierra College Executive Dean Emeritus

“Before Aaron was elected, our budget suffered tremendous cuts. He has worked diligently to make sure the budget is balanced, and he has protected our academic freedom. All our community has to do is to look at our financial standing and take a look at the curriculum which has been approved in recent years as proof of Aaron’s performance as a board member. I strongly support his re-election.”
— Lindy Atoms, Sierra College Professor

We sent the following press release to the media today.

Lifelong Local Educational Leader Don Brophy Endorses Aaron Klein for Re-Election

AUBURN — Don Brophy, a sitting member of the Placer County Board of Education, and Executive Dean Emeritus at Sierra College, today announced his endorsement of Aaron Klein for re-election to the Sierra College Board of Trustees.

“I’m a firm believer in looking at the results, and Aaron has achieved results at Sierra College,” said Brophy. “He has worked to balance the budget, build up strong surpluses, and make it possible for the college to make it through this economic downturn without massive cuts. I’m proud to support him for re-election.”

“In this region, Don is a legendary educational leader who has invested his life in the betterment of our community,” said Klein. “I couldn’t be more proud to earn his support.”

Brophy joins a long list of community leaders endorsing Klein for re-election, including Senator Tom McClintock, Rocklin Council Members Kathy Lund, Brett Storey and Scott Yuill, Roseville Council Member Gina Garbolino, Lincoln Council Member Tom Cosgrove, Colfax Council Member Joshua Alpine, and many others.

Elected in 2004, Trustee Aaron Klein represents the entire Sierra Community College District comprised of Placer County, Nevada County, and parts of Sacramento and El Dorado County.

Some breaking news: filing has closed, and we do have an opponent. John Vodonick, a self-funding attorney from Nevada City, has launched his campaign to return Sierra College to the old ways of doing business.

Here’s what we know so far.

• First, we know that my opponent has publicly claimed that “there were no budget deficits at Sierra College” and that “the college isn’t even allowed to have budget deficits under state law.”

  This is a common statement from the folks who believe that there is no good taxpayer dollar left unspent – and many people say the same thing about the State of California’s budget! It’s simply false – any time you spend even $1 more than your revenues in a given year, you have a budget deficit. And if a candidate for the Board of Trustees actually thinks that interpretation is open for debate, I’m happy to say that Sierra College does offer remedial arithmetic courses!

  Sierra College had three straight deficits totaling $850,000 before I was elected. I led the charge to turn that around, and my colleagues joined me in passing a balanced budget and prudent reserve policy that has led to four balanced budgets in a row and has generated $2 million in surpluses. As a direct result, we have the chance to make it through this economic downturn, without slashing access to college education and opportunity.

• Second, we know that my opponent is making claims that I’ve “wasted taxpayer dollars” in supporting a change of leadership at Sierra College. It is true that we have a new President in Dr. Leo Chavez – a man of vision, integrity and ethics. I served on the search committee that found him, and it has been one of my finest votes as a trustee to appoint him as our fifth President.

  But again, all the people of this district have to do is look at the results. Sierra College is far better off than it was four years ago. We are preparing more students than ever before to thrive in any four year university in the world. We’re equipping more students than ever before with the skills they need to get a real world, high paying job. While other districts are slashing their budgets, we’re still increasing access to college, and access to opportunity – all because we’ve had the leadership in place to balance the budget and build $2 million in new surpluses since 2004.

• Finally, we know that my opponent is apparently wealthy enough to self-fund his campaign by a significant amount. Using his own money, he has already outspent us, spending at least $11,000 so far, and $6,000 of that has been to hire two professional political consultants. His only hope in winning this race is to outspend us so badly that we can’t respond to his distortions of our record.

  We don’t need to match my opponent dollar for dollar…we just need the resources to get our message out and ensure that people know the facts.

So if you can join the many friends and neighbors who have made an investment in their own future by donating to our campaign for a stronger Sierra College, you’d have my great appreciation! You can do so by clicking here.

I raised my right hand and said “I so swear…” over the lunch hour at Placer County Elections. We are officially filed for re-election.

Will post a few pictures for evidence later when I have a spare second.

UPDATE 8/8: And there’s the picture. My two favorite people even showed up! (No offense to the incredible elections staff, but I mean Cacey and Spencer. :>)