OP-ED..By Mike Borean

   Dear Voters of District Three,

   Why I have chosen to support Merita Callaway for Calaveras County District 3 Supervisor and why I strongly oppose the candidacy of Michael Oliveira.

   First, the positives. 
I have known Merita Callaway for many years and have dealt with her on several County issues.

     I have always found Merita to be honorable and honest.  Merita expends an incredible amount of time and energy with her duties as a County Supervisor.

   She is constantly out in the community and attends several meetings and events every week.  In the primary election campaign, Merita was gracious to me as a competing candidate.

   I am especially grateful that she ran an honorable campaign.  I have publicly endorsed Merita and she has my full support.

   I have profound reservations regarding the qualifications and the integrity of Michael Oliveira. He has made too many comments and claims during the campaign that lead me to believe that he has little understanding of the needs and issues facing District 3.

   He has exaggerated his background to such an extent that makes me believe that he is misleading the voters on his accomplishments and his experience.

   Michael Oliveira CLAIMS that he has been a permanent resident of Arnold for the past two years.

   Even if that was correct, two years is not enough experience to fully understand the complexities of District 3.

   More importantly, there is ample evidence that his claim of residency is false.  As of this spring, the mailing address listed on his voter registration was his house in Danville, not Arnold; also his homeowner's exemption was claimed on his home in Danville.

   He recently changed this exemption to the Arnold house, a fact that he vigorously displayed at a recent Candidate's Night in Arnold.

   Further, Mr. Oliveira reportedly operates three businesses out of Danville; Coastal Motor Escort, Visual Forensic Analysys, and Double Eagle Firearms Training Institute (information about all three companies is available online).

   During the Candidate's Night held in Murphys last spring, Mr. Oliveira stated that when he was the Safety Director for the De Silva Gates Construction Company, he managed a budget larger than the budget of Calaveras County and that he was personally responsible for the safety of over 1500 employees.

    I have learned that when he worked there, the company was quite small, had nowhere near 1500 employees, and had a budget much smaller than Calaveras County.

   I believe that the claim that a Safety Manager managed a budget larger than the County's is intentionally misleading.

   During the Candidate's Night in Murphys, the issue of the shooting range at the old Candy Rock Quarry came up.
 
   In his dissertation, Mr. Oliveira stated that the quarry is safe and that the sound of the gunshots heard in Canyon View Estates are no louder than the background noise of the forest.

   He completely ignored the reports from nearby residents of shots ringing overhead and the complaints of the extremely intrusive noise that residents are forced to endure.

   It was obvious that he cherry picked data from the documented studies and that he never offered to speak with the affected residents.

   His most appalling statement is when he mocked the residents of Canyon View Estates and their complaints.

    This belittling was extremely callous considering that three families have been forced from their homes due to the hundreds of gun shots fired each week.

   Mr. Oliveira has often boasted about his fourteen year career with the Oakland Police Department.  I have learned that during these fourteen years, he was never promoted nor did he hold a position of leadership.

   My understanding is that he retired at the entry level position in which he started.  This is not an attribute that I would expect in someone who now wants to be one of the leaders of the county.

   Mr. Oliveira continues to state that he was the Resident Deputy for the Arnold area.  the fact is, he never was given this title.

   Mr. Oliveira's experience with the Sheriff's office is limited to that as a bailiff and as a volunteer Reserve Officer.

   We judge People, in part, by the company they keep and by their supporters.  My apologies to the decent people who support Mr. Oliveira, but many who share in your support have behaved far from honorably.

   Campaign signs can be found on the public right of way and on public land, both of which are not allowed by the campaign laws of California.

   The most telling trait, however, is the bigoted vitriolic comments made by some Oliveira supporters on the online forums.

   These comments have included thinly veiled threats.  The people who post these negative comments display their cowardice by posting anonymously.

   Mr. Oliveira has often touted about the success of his "Cash Mob" program.  He states that the Cash Mobs were done purely for the economic benefit of the County and not for political gains.

   However, one business owner that I know was solicited to host a Cash Mob and was promised that the event was non-political.

    Then on the day of the event, Oliveira signs and literature were set up in front of the establishment.

   The business owner was angry that he was deceived and that his store was used for political gains.  It is my opinion that the Cash Mob program is little more than a cheap political trick and that it has had little to no positive impact on the County.

    In summary, I believe that Mr. Oliveira has been dishonest about his residency, his experience, his qualifications, and his intentions.

   In short, Mr. Oliveira is an unaccomplished, uneducated outsider who lacks both the intellect and the integrity that I would expect of a County Supervisor.

   I strongly urge the voters of District 3 to join me and vote for Merita Callaway for Calaveras County Supervisor.

   Mike Borean
   Hathaway Pines