Calaveras District 5 Supervisorial candidate Kearney on Assessor Davis

     This press release came after we requested a comment from Steve Kearney regarding the comments made by the current District 5 Supervisor about our Assessor Leslie Davis;

   "Fortunately in the campaign process I had the opportunity to sit for a few moments with Leslie Davis, Calaveras County Assessor.

   She was a wealth of information and from my standpoint had a great handle on a very tough job.  Her position is bound by law and regulation which she knew well and explained to me thoroughly.

   While I might have had some knowledge of Proposition 13 and 218, when she was done talking I knew much more.

   I was also confident her office puts a tremendous effort into assessing property according to the law and regulations which exist in our state.

   Most importantly, every question I had for her was answered forthright and completely.

   The looming budget process will be very tough.  I am sure the head of each department will do everything they can to bring revenue into the county coffers, but I have confidence that it will be done legally and in accordance with state statutes.

   I believe infighting amongst officials is counter-productive, especially publically, and I also believe if I had a question of Davis, she would give me a straight answer, even if it was one I did not particularly want to hear.

   Sitting through a meeting of Calaveras Consolidated Fire last week I can tell you our voters are not in support of a increase in taxes and neither am I!

   We must look at the way the county conducts our business. Some of that has already begun, such as considering how to consolidate departments, but there is more work to do and probably some out of the box thinking will have to be seriously considered.

   I suppose we all have a style of communicating our approach and ideas.  I have found more success through diplomacy and avoid insulting someone publically."