Call to Action for the oil & ag industry, royalty owners, landlords, property owners and anyone who supports our police.

Dear friend,

I am writing to personally call you to action for what you believe in.  

Three weeks from today, we will have the most important election for Santa Barbara County in the last 3 decades.  What is at stake is whether Maribel Aguilera or Ricardo Valencia is elected the next 5th District County Supervisor to replace Steve Lavagnino, who is retiring.

If you know me very well, you know I am blunt and to the point.  So I am going to be very clear about where our county will be going forward depending on who gets elected.

If Maribel is elected:

-We will be able to put the effort into putting the oil industry out of business on a much slower pace, helping the industry survive through court challenges and ultimately winning the 3rd District seat in 2028, which we can do, but only if Maribel wins.

-We will be able to stop any efforts to impose a minimum raise on agricultural workers.

-We will be able to avoid the county enacting one of the most progressive, liberal rent control ordinances in the State of California for ALL of the unincorporated areas.

-We will be able to make reasonable efforts to stop the defunding of the County Sheriff's Department budget.

-And, we have a great candidate who will run for 3rd District Supervisor in 2028, who has a better than 50% chance of winning that seat, ensuring that a pro-business, pro-taxpayer, pro-property rights, and pro-public safety agenda is implemented in county government. 

If Valencia is elected, I can almost GUARANTEE you the following will occur:

-The county will completely shut down the oil industry and will pass an ordinance to force all the existing oil companies already in business to shut down.

-He will lead the effort to pass an agricultural minimum wage of NOT $26 dollars an hour, but $32 or more dollars an hour.

-The county will pass the most progressive, liberal rent control ordinance in the State of California applicable in ALL the unincorporated areas.

-The County Sheriff's Department will be significantly defunded.

-And the great candidate we have to run for the 3rd District seat in 2028 will NOT run because she has no desire to serve on a board where she will be in the minority and have nothing more than to sit back and watch what I mentioned above be implemented on her watch. 

So it's decision time: which Santa Barbara County you want to live in.  Do not take this lightly.  One or the other alternative is going to take place. 

So now I am going to ask you whether you are a person who just talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk.  Or do you do both?  If you do both, then you will contribute something today to do everything in your power to make sure the agenda that supports business, taxpayers, property rights, and public safety is pursued.  I say that because I know you can afford to contribute AT LEAST $5.  If you're taking this election seriously and the consequences of who wins, contribute what you can afford, whether it is $1, $10, $100, or $1000.  

There are two Campaign Committees helping Maribel that you can contribute to today.  Her campaign and an Independent Expenditure Campaign (IEC) Committee called the North County Jobs & Opportunity PAC.  Maribel's committee will focus on her positives.  The North County Jobs & Opportunity PAC will focus on what Valencia stands for and what he will try to accomplish.  Polling shows that when voters know where he stands, they will vote for Maribel.  But polling also shows people don't know where he stands, so it is essential to fund this committee to get the word out. So arguably, at this point, this North County committee is more important to contribute to than Maribel's committee.

So I am asking you to not just talk about it but to do something about it.  If you have already contributed to Maribel's committee, I want you to match that contribution and contribute to the North County Jobs & Opportunity PAC.  If you haven't contributed at all, shame on you; contribute to the North County PAC today.  And if you can afford to contribute to both, please do so.

Here is the link to contribute to Maribel's committee: https://www.maribelforsupervisor.org/

And here is the link to contribute to the North County Jobs & Opportunity PAC:https://www.efundraisingconnections.com/c/NorthCountyJobsandOpportunityPAC/ 

If you're in the oil industry, a royalty owner, a farmer or rancher, a landlord, a small business owner, a property owner, or want to see our police supported, there is no excuse for you to sit by and let what will happen, happen.  I've given you a realistic assessment of what is to come based on who wins this election.  If you do nothing, please do NOT be one of those persons who complain about what you get.  You're on notice.  So step up to the plate and be counted.

Together, talking the talk AND walking the walk, we will win in November and start down the right road to get this county back on the right track. 

If you have any questions, feel free to email or call me.  When I look at the campaign committee's list of contributors, I want to see your name on it!

Sincerely,

Mike Stoker