Baxter: Desjardins has never voted in the 2nd Ward; Desjardins: "I had to run against Baxter"
In a forum held Tuesday night for City Council candidates, 2nd Ward incumbent remarked that his opponent Jason Desjardins, has never before cast a vote while registered in the 2nd Ward.
The 2nd Ward includes neighborhoods north of downtown and around Perris Hill Park, and Desjardins' acknowledged in an interview Wednesday that his opponent's statement is correct.
Desjardins said he has voted regularly, but moved to the 2nd Ward in July specifically to run against Baxter.
"He would have run unopposed," Desjardins said.
Two other candidates pulled papers to run in the 2nd Ward, but neither qualified.
Desjardins became a City Council candidate after voicing opposition to the now-rejected plan to create a city managed vehicle impound yard. The yard was proposed as a method to balance the city's general fund by allowing the Police Department to charge some of its costs to the yard, which would have collected fees from vehicle owners.
To Desjardins and others in the local towing business, the proposal was nothing more than a way for the city to siphon money from towing contractors. Desjardins owns Big Z Auto Works, one of six towing contractors in the city, and has said he will have to divest his towing business if he is elected.
He said Wednesday that he previously lived in the city's 1st Ward.
:"I couldn't beat Esther, so I had to run against Baxter," he said.
Esther Estrada, who represents the 1st Ward, is the council's longest-serving member. She is facing a challenge this election season from Virginia Marquez, a part-time staffer for U.S. Rep. Joe Baca.
The election is Nov. 3.
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Andrew Edwards. E-mail Andrew here.
Andrew, You are unbelievable. Jason was illegally registered to vote at his business on I st. in the 1st ward. That registration was signed under the penalty of perjury and is a crime. You cant register to vote at your business. Where on earth did you not learn how to be a reporter. Jason said he wanted to hold landlords responsible for their code violations. Ask Jason for a tour of his business and count the violations which are numerous and serious. Get off your butt and follow-up on this stuff it is serious.
Baxter "poned" Desjardin!
Desjardins felt compelled to force himself upon the second ward for what reason other than Baxter would have run opposed. Why would Desjardins care about that? Tobin Brinker ran unopposed in 2007 and Desjardins didn't feel the "need" to run for City Council. Another reason "I couldn't beat Esther, so I had to run against Baxter".
The reason Desjardins is running is that he was recruited by City Attorney Jim Penman. Desjardins admitted this fact on August 26th at the town hall meeting held at the Perris Hill Senior Center.
Of course Desjardins has been coached by Jim Penman and Wendy McCammack to disavow all ties to them. In fact, Wendy sports an Arnett sign at her home and in one of her businesses but poor Jason is left out in the cold.
Too bad they have him spouting inaccuracies like the non-fact that a rescue attempt can happen only if four firefighters are on scene at a fire. If a life is in danger and only three firefighters are present, then two go in and one stays out until reinforcements arrive.
I loved the part when Desjardins played the Badass Former Deputy that knows what criminals look like and what their "MO" is. More like Deputy Barney Fife from Mayberry.
As Barney Fife said "Man gets his best suit spotted and pressed, spends two hours polishing his hat, and for what? Heartaches!" Poor Jason, his heartache is coming on November 3rd. At least he will get to keep his job, and can move out of the 2nd ward. Good riddance!
The only thing this guy has has shown is that he is willing to move to another part of they city for a supposedly easier contest to get a council seat. So, basically, he just admitted he is lazy and unwilling to take on Esther Estrada to fight for the ward 1 council seat so he moves to ward 2.
He says he is going to eliminate blight in his community. Why doesn't he start with his business? If he can't be bothered to repair the broken windows on the Santa Fe side of his towing business for the last six months (he did put up plywood and paint the plywood and remaining parts of the windows blue) what can he do for the second ward? That lazy streak is showing again.
Is he going to pay his fines once he institutes that Code Enforcement crack down? I forgot, he is going to divest his business so the idiot, I mean, new buyer, will have to take care of that.
Go back to ward one and work on your blighted business carpetbagger!
"Desjardins owns Big Z Auto Works, one of six towing contractors in the city, and has said he will have to divest his towing business if he is elected."
At least he will still have Orange Towing in the OC and So Cal Tow in Riverside if the unthinkable happens. Don't start divesting yet Jason. Unless its that red tie.
Jason owns several pieces of property in SB, one being the home on I Street where he lived for a few years. He was totally within the law, no smoking gun here for you to investigate Andrew, and totally within the law when he moved and re-registered. You guys are grasping cause you fear Dennis' do NOTHING term has caught up with him. Being tight with Morris right now is NOT helping him although he is too stupid to figure that out. Nice guy, though.
When I was watching the debates on TV I was turned off by Mr. Desjardin. He seemed to be outraged by the conditions that ward 2 residents must live in. Well I live in ward 2 and took offence to his hostility. I have never seen Mr. Desjardin in ward 2, maybe because he moved here a month before he filled out his papers to run as required.
I have however seen Mr Baxter in MY neighborhood my entire life. Mr. Baxter lives in the house he was raised in and it is in MY ward. Mr Baxter went to Pacifica High, the school I graduated from. I have seen over the years Mr Baxter at OUR neighborhood functions and events. I have attended market night at Perris Hill, I have seen Mr. Baxter there promoting MY neighborhood. I Was driving down the street in MY neighborhood and saw Mr Baxter picking up trash from the street...no one else was around. Look around Mr Desjardin, ward 2 is nearly graffiti free, Mr Baxter encourages neighborhood clean ups. He actually gets out there and works with US. Mr Baxter promotes MY city, San Bernardino, everyday on his radio station. Mr Baxter is never to busy when I have spoke to him about issues that concerns ME.
Needless to say MY VOTE goes to Mr. Baxter. Thank you sir for a job well done. Please continue to support OUR Ward like you so proudly have for the next four years. Your service to OUR neighborhood is appreciated.
Desjardins never mentioned why he left law enforcement after a few years. The truth be known he was a screw up, and was never going to get promoted. I know many of ward 2 residents have proudly served in our military, and knows if you get skipped over twice for promotion you might as well DD214. Same thing in law enforcement. Desjardins left because he was going no where. I hate to break it to Mr Desjardin but Mr Baxter is well loved in our ward just like Ms. Estrada is well loved in her ward. Guess you picked the wrong neighborhood to carpetbag in Mr Jesdardin. Do what you do best, start packing your bags. Moving day is coming soon when we vote Mr Baxter in for another four years!
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! No! It's P-man flying around City Hall with his over inflated ego in that hideous lycra bodysuit!
Somebody call the National Guard!
Seriously, why isn't P-man making up, I mean, finding his latest crusade? Surely there is some little old lady that he can have Wendy run over in the cross walk while driving a car similiar to the Mayor's. Then P-man can swoop in the day! He just needs to find a lite new day so he can get the media coverage.
This is not a public service announcement. The TAAG team needs information about the following monikers: Big Z, MCM and P-man.
Baxter's vote to bring more parolees and sex offenders to the city matter more to 2nd Ward voters than the slimey personal attacks being offered by the Baxter campaign.
Not to mention, Baxter's vote to cut fire safety and law enforcement--and then hire a costly new PR flack for the city manager. I don't think these budget priorities are going over well with 2nd Ward voters.
Desjardins is an active and effective candidate. I can smell the fear coming from the Baxter campaign.
Hurray for the Press Enterprise....they got it right!
Baxter, Shorett & Estrada....they are all committed to San Bernardino...their combined histroy in this town goes back over 150 years....their investment of time, money and relationships reaches accross the County and the State....and the voters are going to exchange this experience and history for 3 individuals who have contributed about a total of 1 year of dealing with City issues, organizations and activities....
No disrecspect to VM...she has been devoting her time and career to a worthy career and has actually earned her paycheck.....just been away too long....the other 2 canidates have never been in the trenches....it is like sending a Boy Scout to war....the battle will be lost before it begins.
Please give the voters a little more credit....mama did not raise no fools.
Carpet-baggers aren't bad if they intend on doing well.
Let's not be too hard on little "JD". He wanted to vote....but you have to be able to read the ballot first. He also has a hard time stying inside the lines...
I just wish that before he tries to clean up the city that he starts with his own backyard....what a mess over there on 3rd Street....the gateway to our historic depot and it is one of the worst shi/holes in the entire west side.
From the Press Enterprise article which DID NOT EVEN mention Jason Desgardins:
"San Bernardino's progress also depends on a City Council that can avoid pointless infighting and has a broader strategy than political gridlock. Estrada, Baxter and Shorett recognize the need for civility and cooperation on the council. They realize the council squabbling does nothing but stall progress and damage San Bernardino's public image. And they have not tried to obstruct the mayor's program, which is the only coherent plan for improvement on the table right now.
In the 2nd Ward, incumbent Dennis Baxter points to such basic improvements as a senior center expansion and additional stop signs in his district. But he also echoes the mayor's ideas on both suppressing and preventing crime, and highlights the need for attacking graffiti and blight to stop civic decay."
Baxter for 2nd Ward City Council!
Baxter points to an expansion of the senior center (Baxter thinks the second ward only encompasses Perris Hill Park) and additional stop signs ...WOW is that all in the past 4 years?! The truth is that Baxter has ignored many of the communities in his ward that are suffering with crime, graffiti, blight and poor economic development. I think he is afraid to come to our part of the 2nd ward and meet some real constituents.
October 5, 2009 5:39 PM
Gary Moore said:
Dear Mr. Pine, Editor, San Bernardino Sun:
It has been brought to my attention by the City Clerk's Office that Jason Desjardins has not, as of this a.m., filed any of the required forms regarding his campaign organization (Form 410) or the required filing, declaring donations and expenditures (Form 460), nor a Form 470, declaring he is not going to spend more than $1000. These filings are required by the Political Reform Act of 1974. My understanding is that the City Clerk has written Mr. Desjardins a letter requesting him to come into compliance. He has yet to respond to the Clerk's letter.
Mr. Desjardins has made a statements that he was all for "transparency" in government, although he has not filed any of these forms. Jason also says he is for eliminating blight and graffiti even though his business, Big Z towing, has numerous code violations which has been brought to your attention before. If you dont believe me, go look for yourself. It just seems very odd to me that Mr. Edwards has not followed-up on these matters. It seems to me that your newspaper owes it to the voters of the 2nd Ward and the citizens of San Bernardino, to put Mr. Desjardins on record regarding these obvious violations of State and City laws. No one, not Jason or any other candidate, should get a free pass.
October 5, 2009 4:09 PM
Hey Psuedo Gary Moore, I dont know what you are up to, but apparently there are two Gary Moores. I dont know Will, Kim, or Debbie or any other of your make believe people. Slander: What I said above is factual and true and reflects poorly on Jason as a candidate and a person. Jason should practice what he preaches. At this point, Jason comes off as a carpet-bagging hypocrite.