Good evening council, staff, and people in the audience and watching on TV. I’m Jeff Rubin. At the January 10 Candidates’ Forum, Maria Alegria said her Form 460s were available to the public, so I thought I’d have a look.

I see where the International Association of Firefighters, the union representing the Pinole firefighters, has given Maria another $3,200 since January 1. That brings the firefighters union’s investment in Councilwoman Maria Alegria for their upcoming contract negotiations with the city of Pinole to $10,700 over the last four years. That’s roughly 16% of the more than $65,000 Maria has raised since 2004, most of it from special-interest groups, some of which, such as TKG Development, have contracts with the city on which Maria votes. Additionally, Councilman Stephen Tilton has accepted $3,500 from the International Association of Firefighters since 2006, including $1,500 since January 1, a period in which he did not declare any expenses. Stephen, why are you accepting money when you’re not spending it?

By contrast, Mayor Peter Murray and Councilwoman Mary Horton have accepted no money from the firefighters’ union, or any other union, during that time.

The Pinole firefighters’ contract expires in a few months. I have heard they will negotiate for retirement at FULL PAY at age 50. Can the city afford to allow ANY employee to retire at age 50, with the possibility that employee will live another 20 to 40 years, while the City of Pinole pays FULL medical benefits AND retirement pay?

Pinole is already in debt. Are Maria and Stephen willing to bankrupt the city to pay back the firefighters’ union for their massive campaign contributions? The city should pay only what it can afford to its firefighters - and to all of its employees. It’s highly unethical when elected officials accept such huge amounts of money - $10,700 for Maria and $3,500 for Stephen - from an organization whose contract they’re going to negotiate and vote on. Maria Alegria and Stephen Tilton have accepted the money. It appears that their votes have been bought. The purchase of political favors cannot - and will not -be tolerated in Pinole.

Both of them need to be recalled.

A crowd of 100+ looked on as Political Editor, Lisa Vorderbrueggen, of the Contra Costa Times, expertly moderated the debate before a well-behaved audience that clapped loudly and at length at the end for the Pro Recall side, while a deafening silence greeted Maria Alegria’s closing statement.

Ms. Trego repeatedly pressed the case of mismanagement, abuse of power and incompetence by the incumbents and Recall targets, Alegria, Tilton, and Cole. Alegria defended herself by not disputing facts but by asserting, that (1) the Pear St Bistro was not her fault; (2) that when people disagree with her it should be considered a personal attack; (3) that it’s all OK now that vague procedures are finally in place, and that (4) she enjoys the very tenuous support of the labor-democrat political machine looking for a sweet contract negotiation payday.

See Recall Photos nearby.

Recent fundraising financial reports show that the Concerned Citizens of Pinole, organizers of the Pinole Recall campaign, raised about $17,675 in 2007, $15,769 between July 1 and December 31. Meanwhile, recall target, Maria Alegria’s financials show her raising $30,865 in 2007, $30,447 collected between July and December. Alegria paid political consultant, Kevin Raikes, over $31,000 to advise her to pursue ultra-negative, slash-and-burn tactics where Alegria in public comments, print ads and video, has called Pinole citizens supporting the recall thugs and hooligans.

Prominent Alegria contributors include:
- $3,500: Plumbing Industry Consumer Fund
- $2,000: Northern California Carpenters Regional Council
- $1,500: Operating Engineers Local 3, International Association of Firefighters Local 1230
- $1,000: Stephen Tilton, CCC Labor Council, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
- $ 500: The Kivelstadt Group, PG&E, CCC Labor COPE AFL-CIO, Comcast, Richmond Sanitary Service, Northern California Carpenters Regional Council, UFCW Local 1179

Fujita, who retired last year and was re-hired by the city this year on a part-time basis without benefits, is the first Japanese-American to ever run for the council in Pinole. She will be elected if Tilton is recalled, as she is the only candidate running. See text of Fujita’s announcement speech to the Pinole City Council, delivered on November 20.

Two candidates are running for Alegria’s seat; one will be elected should she be recalled. They are former Councilman Roy Swearingen, who served from 1987 to 1990, and machine shop owner Steve Denlis. Denlis has endorsed the recall but is not a CCOP member.

In a separate special election for former Councilman David Cole’s seat, the candidates are Pinole Planning Commissioner Debbie Long and former Pinole Camber of Commerce Executive Director Ivette Ricco. Cole resigned his seat in August. Ricco has a long association with Alegria and Pear Street Bistro owner/former Chamber of Commerce President Gary Wong, whose failure to make monthly payments on nearly half a million dollars on his Pinole Redevelopment Agency loans for more than two years was a catalyst for the recall. All three elections will be on Tuesday, February 5, the day of the California Presidential Primary.

Meanwhile, a coalition of County Democratic and Labor interests flexed its muscle recently in announcing its not unexpected outside support of Alegria and Tilton and to quash the local, citizen-driven recall. Observers say this decision was “railroaded,” perhaps in a desperate attempt to stave off potential damage to Alegria, one of the County Dems’ rising stars. “I feel that there was insufficient notice of this resolution,” said Rich Verrilli, who also is editor of the Contra Costa County Democratic Party central committee’s newsletter, Democratic Dispatch.”

The county had 30 days to certify or deny the recall. The requirements for a recall are stringent. Petition-gatherers had to collect valid signatures from no fewer than 25 percent of the 8,900 registered voters in Pinole, or 2,225 signatures.

- For Alegria, of the 2,695 signatures that were verified, 2,441 were found sufficient, 216 more than required.
- For Tilton, of the 2,688 signatures that were verified, 2,398 were found sufficient, 173 more than required.

The certificates will be forwarded to the Pinole City Council at the next meeting, October 2, with a recommendation to call the election. The CCOP, a grass-roots, citizen-led campaign that spent two months gathering signatures of Pinole residents on recall petitions, submitted the petitions for verification on August 30.