According to its official guidelines, the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District Assessment District Citizens Oversight Committee for the Measure E tax “shall consist of at least five members representing specific interests and constituencies related to parks, recreation and open space preservation and/or fiscal oversight.” To this end, the late Monterey Peninsula Taxpayers Association President Ron Pasquinelli served […]

Here’s a PDF version of the Opposition Arguments and Rebuttals in the Official Monterey County Voter Guide for Measure E, the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District Tax on the November 8, 2016 ballot: Measure E Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District Tax – Opposition Arguments and Rebuttals in Official Monterey County Voter Guide

On October 16, 2016, the Monterey County Herald published a commentary by Ron Pasquinelli, President of the Monterey Peninsula Taxpayers Association, in opposition to Measure E on the November 8 ballot. Measure E would authorize a special tax to provide supplementary funding to the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District. Here’s the commentary: Ron Pasquinelli: Vote […]

Despite its diligent attempts to serve the people and seek public accountability, the Monterey Peninsula Taxpayers Association has failed to identify a state or local agency that accepts authority for enforcement of California Government Code Section 54964, which prohibits local governments such as parks and recreation districts from using public funds for campaign purposes. On September 14, […]

In 2015, the elected Board of Directors of the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District awarded two no-bid contracts for a total of $80,000 in public funds to a San Francisco-based campaign consulting firm. In 2016, under the authority of the second contract, that firm coordinated with the Park District to design and distribute a four-page folded full-color glossy mail piece about a ballot […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 12, 2016 Contact: Kevin Dayton, (916) 439-2159 Monterey Peninsula Taxpayers Association Criticizes Park District for Its Publicly-Funded Notice to Voters Promoting Tax Increase Did the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District Cross the Line to Violate Election Laws? The Board of Directors of the Monterey Peninsula Taxpayers Association is criticizing the Monterey […]

UPDATE: The statewide bond and tax measure watchdog group Big Bad Bonds noticed something we didn’t: the indicia for the mailer sent by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District reveals the involvement of a political consulting firm. This firm was hired by the district board on January 5, 2015 for $35,000. On May 4, 2015, the district board increased […]