Vasquez Defended

Your recent story regarding leadership in the county (“Leadership Void Seen as Peril to Measure M,” Aug. 6) unfortunately missed the mark. I have to take exception with your criticism of the Board of Supervisors and particularly the heavy-handed criticism of Supervisor Gaddi Vasquez.

I hope in the future when you choose to give politicians a performance review, you talk to his constituents as opposed to people outside the district who may be frustrated with his independence. Frankly, the supervisors offer about as much leadership opportunity to any one member as a five-handed game of draw poker with no player holding a pair after the draw.

As for Vasquez, we haven’t always agreed with Gaddi, but as a community advocacy organization that works hand in hand on an almost daily basis with his office, we appreciate his open lines of communication, which your article failed to give him credit for.

As a freshman supervisor, he took hold of an embryonic program called the Foothill Circulation Phasing Plan. This was a very bold attempt at dealing with the transportation fiasco in the Saddleback Valley.

The $330-million new arterial road system paid for by the development community, coupled with his tough stand on implementing the new growth management ordinance of the county General Plan, is a clear demonstration of political risk-taking on behalf of community interests and his constituents.

Would Gaddi get reelected in the South County portion of the 3rd District today? You bet he would, and by a landslide! That’s proof of leadership quality.

RON W. GREEK

President

Saddleback Area Coordinating Council