Sacramento Bee Endorsement - October 7, 2006

By Michael R. Rockenstein

Rockenstein Endorsed for Sacramento Metro Fire District Director

Of the many races on this election ballot, few are more obscure than the contests for two seats on the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District board of directors. But make no mistake: This board may be obscure, but its work is important.

The district provides fire and emergency services for more than 600,000 people across 417 square miles -- a huge swath of Sacramento and a tiny slice of Placer County. The district collects more in local property taxes each year than most school districts in our region but gets far less scruntiny from the pubblic.

When Sac Metro does make news, it is often unsettling. Last year, the board eased the district's veteran chief out in favor of a new chief who had strong backing from the firefighters union, Local 522. Acting without the board's approval, the new chief and a union vice president he had elevated to a leadership role in the district tried to strong-arm a merger between the city of Folsom's Fire Department and Sac Metro -- a tactic that Folsom's mayor and City Council appropriately condemned.

During their last contract negotiations, the Sac Metro board, which the union dominates, gave firefighters pay raises of 30 percent to 40 percent over three years.

Meanwhile, many parts of the Sac Metro district remain in danger because of old, substandard fire hydrants and limited water supplies. A large house burned to the ground in Arden Oaks less than two months ago when Sac Metro firefighters were unable to get enough water to it.

The sorry state of fire hydrants is not the fault of the Sac Metro board or its leadership, but the disposition of equipment is. So is advocacy for improved public safety.

The Sac Metro board needs members more interested in upgrading fire protection for residents than in handing out big pay and benefit increases or expanding turf. Unfortunately, the two board incumbents, Gregory Valley and Matthew Kelly, are more focused on the latter issues than the former.

Neither Michael Rockenstein, who is running against Kelly for the Division 7 seat, nor John Taylor, who's up against Valley in Division 9, knows a lot about the issues facing the fire district. Nonetheless, they are the better choices because they are more likely to be independent and thoughtful voices for the public.

Taylor, a teacher, is personable and public-spirited. Rockenstein, a consultant for a voting machine company, has worked in the Legislature and the Department of Finance. He has experience with local government funding issues that would be a valuable asset in this post.

This board needs new members who will look out for the public, not just firefighters. Electing John Taylor and Michael Rockenstein will help fill that need.