The Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG)
is an association of city and county governments in Santa Barbara County, and in 2006
Kevin Ready, Senior Deputy County Counsel, wrote that, "SBCAG may
use its general funds to produce and distribute an impartial presentation of relevant information to the electorate, provided the information cannot be viewed as an express advocacy of a position, pro or con, on the measure."
So why is Kevin Ready, Senior Deputy County Counsel, listed as the Administrative Contact of the "Yes on Measure D" website (measure-d.com)?
Updates:
-
Several days after the above was posted on theis website, on April 28, 2008 the "Vote Yes On Measure D" website, created in 2005 and paid up until 2009, was suddenly shut down, and archives deleted, but views were still available on google and other resources in mid-2008.
-
Kevin Ready ran for Superior Court Judge in 2008
-
Gerald Comati officially took over web hosting duties for the renamed Measure A in 2008. It is being investigated if this is part of a $500,000 marketing campaign using your tax dollars.
-
A local lawyer representing a group calling itself the Santa Barbara Coalition Against Automobile Subsidies, has filed suit against the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments, accusing the body of electioneering - or inappropriately using public funds - to promote Measure A.
Attorney Eugene Wilson charges that SBCAG used taxpayer dollars to hire a “prestigious” polling firm to poll likely voters in the county and craft the language of the measure to determine which arguments would best persuade voters.
According to SBCAG spokesman Gregg Hart, the agency is not promoting the measure, but is educating the public about the upcoming ballot issue
(from The Daily Nexus (UCSB paper) reported on April 2, 2008)
Views expressed in this page are not necessarily those of anyone who is known by anyone associated with this webpage. Readers are encouraged to seek answers to the questions presented in the preceding discussion.