Arnold and Beraud debate at County Government Center
–Supervisor Debbie Arnold and challenger Ellen Beraud faced one another Thursday night at the San Luis Obispo County Government Center. About fifty people attended the debate at the supervisor’s chambers, which included questions posed by the League of Women Voters.
Beraud was a no-show for a debate Wednesday night in Tempelton. She also didn’t show up for a forum last week at the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau. Thursday night, Ellen Beraud took issue with an accusation that she is afraid of debating Supervisor Debbie Arnold unless the questions are prepared by progressives. She cited a news release issued Thursday by the Arnold for Supervisor campaign calling Beraud a “chicken.” Ellen told those attending Thursday night’s debate that calling her a “chicken” was uncivil.
The questioning Thursday included banning off-road vehicles on the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Area. Do the candidates support banning the off-road vehicles? Beraud said that health concerns for those living on the Nipomo Mesa were her first priority. She said if she were to serve on the Air Pollution Control District, she would vote to put the health of those living on the mesa above the off-road recreation on the dunes. Supervisor Debbie Arnold said she did not support a ban on off-road vehicles at the Oceano Dunes State Park. She said recent testing indicated that mitigation had reduced particulates in the air. She also said the off-road recreation had a profound impact on the economy of Arroyo Grande and Grover Beach. Friday, hundreds of off-road enthusiasts are expected to protest the closure of the dunes in a rally in Sacramento.
The primary election is March 3. Vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed out next week by the San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder.
