SLO County voter guide: How John Peschong and Stephanie Shakofsky match up on key issues
Are you a voter trying to chose between District 1 incumbent Supervisor John Peschong and challenger Stephanie Shakofsky?
To help you make your choice, we sent out questionnaires to the candidates to compile their positions on key issues.
Your vote matters because the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors makes decisions that shape your community, environment and economy by approving or denying development, setting rules for how water and land is used and overseeing county services.
The board has been run by a conservative majority in power for several years.
Peschong is a conservative Republican seeking a second term representing North County on the board. He has a long career in Republican politics, working with President Ronald Reagan, the Republican National Committee and the California Republican Party. He is currently a principal with the Sacramento-based political consulting firm, Meridian Pacific. Major donors include the Lincoln Club of San Luis Obispo County, San Luis Obispo County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, wineries, developers, executives with PG&E and oil companies.
His website is johnpeschong.com. His stated priorities are public safety, water management and homelessness.
Shakofsky describes herself as “a meat and potatoes Democrat.” She is a farmer and hydrologist, a former analyst for the California State Legislature, director of the Center for Creative Land Recycling, and member of the San Francisco Port Commission. She currently owns and operates a vineyard outside Paso Robles and has fought against a few large cannabis operations proposed in her area. Major donors wineries and the Democrats of San Luis Obispo.
Her website is www.stephanieforsupervisor.com. Her stated priorities include a series of good government reforms to increase transparency and groundwater management.
Here’s where the two stand on some of the most important issues facing the county, in their own words:
Affordable housing
Hundreds of families in San Luis Obispo County are on waiting lists to move into low-income housing; less than a quarter of county residents can afford to buy a median-priced home; and most renters in the county struggle to pay their rent. Businesses have moved out of the county because they can’t pay employees enough to cover basic living expenses.
Q: Two years ago, a coalition of business owners, housing nonprofits and developers recommended the county invest $2 million to $4 million a year to support affordable housing projects. Where should money come from to support affordable housing projects?
Peschong: Municipal bond.
Shakofsky: Most affordable units require government funding and historically, SLO County has not been able to meet the required match. (She said she believes the citizens of SLO County would support funding for affordable housing if they had confidence in the Board of Supervisors that the funds would accomplish their stated goals.)
Q: Should the county further limit vacation rentals in some communities?
Peschong: I need more information.
Shakofsky: I need more information.
Q: Inclusionary housing rules ask developers to include affordable units in their projects or pay a fee that helps funds housing projects. Should developer fees be reduced?
Peschong: Yes.
Shakofsky: I need more information.
Q: Should some environmental regulations be waived for housing development?
Peschong: Yes.
Shakofsky: I need more information.
Homelessness
The number of families and veterans in the county that do not have safe and consistent shelter has grown over the last decade, creating instability and health and safety risks for those individuals and the larger community.
During his time on the board, Peschong voted against other conservative board members in order to allocate $4.8 million in grant funding to groups around the county that seek to reduce homelessness. He supports efforts to provide a homeless shelter in Paso Robles, saying it’s a public safety and humanitarian issue.
Shakofsky said we need to make clear public policy that as a matter of right, people should be living under a roof with access to necessary support services. She said she would work with the state Governor’s Office to make certain the county takes advantage of funding opportunities and surplus properties available.
Q: Should the county pay for preventive services, like rent vouchers?
Peschong: No.
Shakofsky: I need more information.
Q: Should the county provide land to temporarily house hundreds of people?
Peschong: I need more information.
Shakofsky: Yes.
Q: Should the county increase law enforcement efforts, such as removing homeless encampments and issuing tickets?
Peschong: Yes.
Shakofsky: I need more information.
Job creation and the economy
San Luis Obispo County is bracing for the economic impact of PG&E shuttering the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant by 2025. The plant is the second-largest employer in the county with about 1,500 workers, and its closure could result in an economic hit to the county as high as $800 million.
Q: Should the county offer tax incentives to attract employers to the region?
Peschong: Yes.
Shakofsky: In a few cases.
Q: Would you support expanded oil drilling in the county?
Peschong: Yes.
Shakofsky: I need more information.
Q: What role should the cannabis industry play in the county’s economy in the next few years?
Peschong: No answer. (Peschong has supported a slow roll-out approach.)
Shakofsky: Cannabis can potentially be a viable industry in the region. However, the county needs be sure the cultivation and manufacturing of cannabis is compatible with existing land use. The county should follow the lead of the City of Denver, which has created industrial areas near airports and rail for the manufacturing and cultivation of cannabis, and away from family homes, existing agriculture and neighborhoods.
Q: If the vote were today, would you support amending the county cannabis ordinance to allow storefront dispensaries in some areas?
Peschong: No.
Shakofsky: Yes.
Climate change
The region faces several risks from climate change, including extreme heat, increases in extreme weather events such as drought, and sea-level rise. San Luis Obispo County emerged as a leader in action and adaptation plans a decade ago, but dedicated resources have declined.
Peschong has not said much about climate change. He has said in the past he thinks some warnings about climate change have been exaggerated.
Shakofsky said the science is clear and decided, but the models of sea level rise still need more work to understand the direct risk to county communities. She said the county should make full use of farms and rural lands by encouraging smart farming practices, like planting cover crops and practicing low-till farming, because of the significant amounts of carbon sequestration these practices can accomplish.
Q: Community Choice Energy provides customers with an option to choose an energy supplier other than PG&E. The energy is delivered through PG&E infrastructure but allows customers to increase demand for renewable energy sources in the energy mix. The county board majority voted against the program to wait for more information about price. If the vote were today, would you support Community Choice Energy?
Peschong: No. (Peschong sought additional information about the potential price effect on consumers.)
Shakofsky: No. (Shakofsky supports the intentions of CCE but said she wants to make sure the project has the financial ability to weather fluctuations in power markets and that the portfolio offered is truly sustainable.)
Q: Should the county invest more resources into the Climate Action Plan, prioritize reducing greenhouse gases and encourage renewable energy?
Peschong: No.
Shakofsky: Yes.
Paso Robles Groundwater Basin
During an extreme drought in the last decade, groundwater levels in the Paso Robles basin dropped rapidly, causing shallow wells to run dry. The state required water users to work collaboratively to come up with a plan to sustainably manage the aquifer, which may require reducing pumping by 20%.
Peschong supported a plan created by the county and other water-user representatives that asks irrigated agriculture to reduce pumping by 20%, but it is not without controversy.
Shakofsky called the plan toothless and said it lacks important benchmarks. She criticized the conservative board majority’s vote to prevent a group of farmers from having a representatives seat on the management board. “Our water plan needs to be addressed intelligently, using the best available conservation technology will full stakeholder participation,” she said.
Q: Do you support metering individual wells used to irrigate agriculture?
Peschong: I need more information.
Shakofsky: I need more information.
Q: Who should be responsible for reducing groundwater pumping?
Peschong: All major water users including cities, community service districts and irrigated agriculture.
Shakofsky: All major water users including cities, community service districts and irrigated agriculture.
Q: Who should pay for implementing the plan to manage the groundwater sustainably?
Peschong: All major water users including cities, community service districts and irrigated agriculture.
Shakofsky: All major water users including cities, community service districts and irrigated agriculture.
About this voter guide
The Tribune created this voter guide to clearly and accurately communicate the candidates’ positions on some of the most pressing issues facing our county residents. It was created in response to requests from readers to explain the differences between the candidates.
Over the last two months, The Tribune received 200 poll responses from residents across the county about what local issues are most important to them this election. We identified the most common topics that came up, identified relevant policy questions, and then asked candidates to fill out a questionnaire.
Correction March 3: The original version of this story contained an error. It has been corrected to say the San Luis Obispo County Deputy Sheriff’s Association contributed to John Peschong’s campaign.
This story was originally published February 29, 2020 at 11:41 AM.
