By PE Politics
on April 28, 2010 10:32 AM
Fontana Mayor Mark Nuaimi is slamming a re-election mailer sent out by San Bernardino County Supervisor Paul Biane.
The mailer criticizes Fontana Councilwoman Janice Rutherford, one of Biane’s opponents in the June 8 election, for being a “big spender” and for going on a “reckless shopping spree with your $$$!”
It features Rutherford’s photo on a likeness of the Energizer Bunny but with “spending” written across the drum.
In a letter to local media, Nuaimi said Biane should focus on highlighting his accomplishments rather than trying to “tear down the success that Fontana has enjoyed this past decade.”
Nuaimi said the city’s budget increased because of population growth and because businesses added jobs.
“So please elevate the dialog from ‘energizer bunny’ cartoons and attacks against a woman of impeccable accomplishments and perhaps share why we should ignore the growing list of accusations against you — accusations that amount to one of the worst corruption cases in the history of our county,” Nuaimi wrote.
Biane campaign consultant Chris Jones said this morning that the mailer is an accurate representation of Rutherford’s record. Instead of conserving, Rutherford and the City Council kept spending, Jones said by telephone.
“Councilwoman Rutherford has a record as a elected official and is going to have to defend that,” Jones said. “The facts are on our side. Some of the other Fontana politicians may not like to hear that but they aren’t running.”
The mailer, shown below, also includes a quote attributed to The Press-Enterprise on July 22, 2006 about the Fontana budget.
“The budget increased spending by 17% over last year’s budget … but instead of taking a break, Councilmembers spent Wednesday reviewing just how they are going to keep it up,” the mailer read.
Here are the first four paragraphs of the story that appeared June 22, 2006:
In the year since City Council members last pored over Fontana’s annual budget, they’ve moved toward annexation of about 3,000 acres, watched construction of 1,100 homes and broken ground on $100 million worth of parks, libraries and community centers.
But instead of taking a breath, council members spent Wednesday reviewing just how they’re going to keep it up.
“This is a fantastic story,” said Mayor Mark Nuaimi, moments before the council unanimously adopted the city’s $208.5 million budget for 2006-07, “and I just think we’re going to keep exceeding everyone’s expectations.”
To read entire story, click here.
Chris Jones is Biane’s and Kurth’s campaign consultant?? NOW I KNOW he is an associate of corruption.
Chris Jones is one of the leading examples of hypocrisy now. He must have attended to University of David Ellis.
And good for Mayor Nuaimi for telling it like he sees it. But many have already beat the Mayor to certain conslusions about Biane.
And with Chris Jones helping steer the bus, we know the destination.
“Supervisor Biane’s campaign has clearly struck a nerve with Councilwoman Rutherford and her cronies on the Fontana City Council Apparently, they don’t like seeing the light of public scrutiny being shined on her irresponsible tax and spend record at City Hall,” stated Biane Campaign Consultant Chris Jones.
“The fiscal facts being highlighted by our campaign mailing are indisputable. Councilwoman Rutherford doubled the city’s spending and left local taxpayers with an $8.2 million debt. She has raised taxes repeatedly to finance her reckless spending,” continued Jones.
Then again, big spending is a way of life for Rutherford, a career government political staffer who currently works as an advisor to the State Tax Collection Board,” declared Jones. “No wonder she doesn’t want her record scrutinized!”
Tax fighter, Chris?, your comment ignores this articles claim that the increase in budget was not to finance ever increasing government largese, but to finance one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.
Everyone was left with a deficit when the housing market crashed in 2006, not just Fontana.
You know, one of the prime political movers and shakers of the 1990′s in San Bernardino County was Gil Lara. It was complaints about him that spawned the FBI investigation of those years. Although many other were indited, he was not. But with the change in his name recognition, he thought it best to move back to Texas.
So, Chris Jones, now that your name is associated with ill repute, according to the words of John Lewis, citing Chris Norby, and the opinion of many others; and since your involvement with any future campaigns will ruin the candidate in any future Sothern California elections, where will you be moving to?
Here are some facts: when Janice joined the City Council, Fontana employed 3.16 employees per thousand residents (FY00/01). For the current year budget (FY 09/10), that per capita ratio is 3.10 employees per thousand (a decrease of 2%). See for yourself on pages 104 – 106 at the link:
http://www.fontana.org/main/mgmt_serv/budget_docs/2009_10_budget/2010_Adopted_Operating.pdf
So if the charge is wasteful spending, it’s not on staff. So what is the consultant talking about?? Well, we delivered a $60 million+ regional library, a $60 million Fontana Park, a $40 million Cypress Overpass, and hundreds of millions of other projects funded through Redevelopment, grants from the state / feds / SANBAG, and also through our Capital Improvement Program. All of this will show up as an increase in spending that apparently the northern California political hack thinks is reckless spending.
If anyone is spending recklessly, it’s the campaigns of Biane & Kurth for hiring this consultant.
Way to go Mark! This is crap, what their saying about Janice. We could say the same thing about our county and blame Paul! That’s how stupid they are. They need to take a deep breath,smell the roses, return to reality and stop saying factitious things. Others can play the same game but that would be only childish. Fontana, keep up the great work! Go Janice GO!!!