In the impending election for the only vacant seat on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors this forthcoming November, various law enforcement and labor unions significantly contribute to the campaign finances, ammassing nearly $1.2 million. The ex-Pittsburg police lieutenant, Mike Barbanica, is a seasoned individual elected to the Antioch City Council in 2020, and an accomplished entrepreneur owning a real estate property management firm overseeing more than 200 properties in the region.
Conversely, Shanelle Scales-Preston, who currently serves as District Director for Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, has been a dedicated member of the Pittsburg City Council for six years and has been a steadfast servant for California’s 10th Congressional District since 2001. These two significant figures are ardently vying for the position currently held by Supervisor Federal Glover, a representative of the county’s northern seafront.
With a little over a month left before the decisive November election, both campaigns are abundantly financed by independent expenditures. This rampant funding underlines the clear distinction between the campaign strategies that Barbanica and Scales-Preston are employing to govern their diverse constituents.
Mike Barbanica uses the law-and-order card to run a campaign rooting for stringent crime control, expeditious dismantling of homeless settlements, eradication of urban and rural decay, while vehemently criticizing the current management of the county’s voluminous $5 billion budget.
In stark contrast, Scales-Preston advocates for a platform that fundamentally focuses on promoting affordable housing, easy-to-access transportation infrastructure, and provisions for youth and job programs to aid residents, specifically those facing marginalization. She insists on addressing both massive, systemic issues and everyday concerns.
A political action committee staunchly supporting Barbanica has accrued more than $433,000, primarily sponsored by groups representing various law enforcement entities. However, it doesn’t stop at that, they have hyphenated their efforts by fundraising for another committee of ‘concerned citizens’ devoted to essentially countering Scales-Preston.
Throughout his tenure with the Antioch City Council, Barbanica has been vocal about his support for increased funding and expanded resources. He proposes that if he is fortunate enough to be elected to the Board of Supervisors, his focus would be promoting inter-agency interaction and working closely with pertinent departments to respond to residents’ frustrations and provide efficient oversight.
Meanwhile, independent expenditures rallying behind Scales-Preston barely miss the $402,500 mark, financing advertisements, polling, and text campaigns, majorly through trade unions and different labor groups. Scales-Preston, having been nurtured in a union environment, stresses the necessity of such jobs for ensuring safe work conditions and sustainable wages.
Scales-Preston’s agenda strongly resonates with the desire to advocate for cleaner, safer, and more energy-efficient job environments. However, her focus isn’t limited to maintaining existing jobs and economic opportunities, but also incorporating new youth apprenticeship programs and creating alternative career avenues.
In summary, the election for the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors sees the clash of two distinct ideologies and methods of administration. On one hand, Barbanica’s law and order approach, paired with an emphasis on budget management, draws support from numerous law enforcement factions.
On the other hand, Scales-Preston’s approach, rooted in collaboration and support for marginalized communities, attempts to boost working conditions and wage standards but lacks the aggressive stance on essential issues like crime control and effective budget management.
Despite the extensive funding collected by both candidates, only time will tell which approach will resonate more with the population. Nonetheless, the level of financial backing each candidate receives provides further evidence of their divergent strategic paths.
This election in Contra Costa County, therefore, marks an exciting, yet daunting time in their history. The elected candidate will need to deliver on their promises and rally the trust and support of the community they will serve.
The large sums of money involved in the election signal the intensity of the campaign and the commitment of each candidate’s supporters. The donations received on both sides underline their distinct campaign missions and underscore the widespread interest in the outcome of this election.
These two candidates, with their starkly different approaches and levels of financial backing, both seek to represent their diverse communities with ambitious plans. However, as the countdown to the November elections continues, the tension grows and the need for the right representative grows even stronger.