SAN BENITO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS (2/16/2000)

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Posted at 11:13 a.m. PST Wednesday, February 16, 2000

SAN BENITO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
District 1

What's at stake? As with most of San Benito County, growth is the focus for District 1, which covers northern and northeastern sections of the county. Roseline "Gidget" Crisafulli is challenging incumbent Richard V. Scagliotti for a seat on the board. In District 5, incumbent Bob Cruz is unopposed.

ROSELINE 'GIDGET' CRISAFULLI

Who is she? Businesswoman Roseline "Gidget" Crisafulli, 53, is in her fourth year on the San Benito High School Board of Trustees and is president-elect of Hollister Rotary.

Why is she running? Crisafulli identifies growth as the biggest issue facing the county. She also says she's "tired of potholes" and the dangerous traffic situation on Highway 25, the main connector between Hollister and Highway 101.

RICHARD V. SCAGLIOTTI

Who is he? Businessman Richard V. Scagliotti, 46, is an incumbent supervisor serving for a 12th year.

Why is he running? Scagliotti would focus on "services related to growth" -- for example, roads, water, and drainage. In District 1, he says it's important to retain the "rural ambience."

District 2

What's at stake? As in District 1, growth is the issue for District 2, which covers the western portion of San Benito County. Former Supervisor Ruth Kesler is attempting to win her seat back from Richard Place, who beat her in 1996. The other challengers are Marley Holte, mayor of San Juan Bautista, and John Shelton, a former San Benito planning commissioner.

MARLEY HOLTE

Who is he? Marley Holte, 73, is in his second four-year term on the San Juan Bautista City Council and is serving as mayor. Holte has also served on the San Juan Planning Commission, the Hollister Parks and Recreation Commission, and was president of the county chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens.

Why is he running? Holte says the county must be "overprotective" against growth. "We have to make sure people on the board are not for out-of-town developers coming in here doing large developments."

RUTH E. KESLER

Who is she? Ruth E. Kesler is a child care commissioner and served two terms on the board of supervisors before losing the seat to Richard Place in 1996. She is co-chair of the county Democratic Central Committee.

Why is she running? Kesler cites growth as her main concern -- "above all, clean air and clean water." She also says the county must pay more to its employees, some of whom have left for better-paying jobs in surrounding counties.

RICHARD PLACE

Who is he? Businessman Richard Place, 59, is an incumbent supervisor who displaced Kesler on the board in 1996.

Why is he running? Place identifies roads -- particularly Highway 25, with its heavy volume of Silicon Valley commuters -- as a big issue. He has championed widening Highway 25 instead of Highway 156 to the south. Also, he wants to see "more long-term planning. We do stop-gaps, but we're not doing long-term plans. A certain level of growth is going to happen."

JOHN SHELTON

Who is he? Businessman John Shelton, 54, is a former San Benito County planning commissioner.

Why is he running? Shelton did not respond.

Published February 20, 2000