John W,

You think Piepho has been a disappointment? Really? So you don’t like the fact of reigning in the county’s OPEB Liability, a liability which she did not create (which was $2.6 billion when she got on the board)? In 2006 Piepho and the rest of the BOS set out to fully fund the liability over 30 years, cuttingt the liability to LESS than $1 billion, along with pre-funding an OPEB Trust Fund. What part of that is a disappointment?

Maybe you are disappointed that the BOS froze the county’s contribution to health care premium increases in 2010 so the majority of the county’s employees are now paying ALL of any increase in their health care premiums? Or is it maybe that you are unaware of the second retirement tier that was negotiated with the Deputy Sheriff’s Association? It appears not only to reduce costs to the county, but also to address recruitment and retention issues so there will be more law enforcement officers in the field. Still disappointed?

Maybe you don’t like the fact that with Piepho on the Board of Sups the county now has a Reserve Fund, with a Reserve Policy? (Let’s not forget that with over a $1 billion budget the county had only 45 million in reserves when Piepho got on the board…her colleagues and predecessors were spending it down on ongoing expenses like wages and benefits). However during Piepho’s tenure, a policy was adopted and implemented and now the reserves are exceeding $150 million. Still disappointed?

Maybe you don’t like that with Piepho’s input the BOS is reducing the county general fund support to the County Hospital system in order adjust priorities and better support law enforcement?

Maybe John, you need to take a closer look. Pretty conservative philosophies and ideals that have been implemented over the 7 years and the only newcomer that I can see (that was the driver to them) is Piepho. Why do I say this? Because all but the District 4 Supervisor were there making the “spend, spend, spend like there is no tomorrow” policies! The only thing that changed was Supervisor Piepho coming onto the board. Oh, and don’t say the economy drove these actions… remember the down-turn did not take place until 2008. Piepho was there in January, 2005. Look at the record and see who the catalyst of change is.

I find it disappointing that these accomplishments are so easily overlooked.

Publius, I have no problem voting “across the aisle,” in the aisle, or wherever when it comes to local offices. But, when it comes to dealing with fiscal responsibility in dealing with public employee contract issues, party affiliation is not necessarily a predictor of what the person will do. Piepho, a Republican, has been a disappointment in that regard. Mayor Wilson gave away the store on the city manager contract in San Ramon. If Mark Peterson, a Republican, makes good on his promise to find a candidate who will stand up for law enforcement in establishing budget priorities, I wouldn’t bet my life that that person, presumably a fellow Republican, would be a hawk on public employee contract issues. There are no hawks on the board now, but I think that Gioia, a Democrat, at least has the best intellectual grasp of the situation.

Perata is a lying, self-aggrandizing piece of crap.