Sign placement causes stir in supervisor race
‘I see it as a very unethical attempt to block first amendment rights,” John Hamon says
–Controversy has surfaced due to political sign placement in Paso Robles that has two candidates for district supervisor, Paso Robles City Councilman John Hamon, and Political Strategist John Peschong, questioning tactics.
Hamon issued the following statement Wednesday after discovering that Peschong’s signs were placed directly in front of his on private property on 24th Street:
Placement of campaign signs can say a lot about a candidate’s integrity. I thought others might want to see how one of my competitors is running his campaign tactics. And this is from a former head of a local political party, a national political strategist and someone who is also a plaintiff suing over water rights, many of the very same constituents that he is asking to vote for him.
I hope our 1st District residents will make their decision on who to support based on the candidates business ethics, honesty, uprightness, integrity and history of service to our community rather than supporting a candidate that puts their campaign sign directly in front of another’s to deliberately block the public’s view, ( in both directions ).
Any political candidate is totally responsible for the way the campaign is run and also for the placement of campaign signs. The signs clearly show that this was paid for by the Peschong committee; I see it as a very unethical attempt to block first amendment rights on the local proprietor who gave my campaign the permission, (as he has for the last 11 years in other campaign for City Council).
I would appreciate letting others know that Supervisorial Candidate John Hamon renounces this type of discrediting – a childish campaign smear tactic. I have never allowed this type of behavior to occur in any of my previous campaigns where I had won for the office of Paso Robles City Councilmember and never will.
Mr. Peschong is a relatively unknown, never been elected want-a-be politician and an apparent political strategy expert that has a lot to learn about running a fair campaign in the North County. This type of campaigning my work in other parts of the US but not here. He has clearly tried to step in front and hide a respectful request from Candidate Hamon, to 1st District constituents, for their vote of support of his candidacy.
I wonder if The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association folks believe in the Peschong code of ethics as their name is on the sign too.
In response, Peschong wrote:
Mr. Hamon has indicated that sign locations say something about a candidate. We agree.
My signs are placed on private property with the permission of the land owner. Mr. Hamon’s were placed there without permission of the land owner.
In this case… what these signs say is that one candidate has demonstrated a respect for private property rights and the other does not.
In the end, signs are not going to determine who the best candidate for Supervisor.
The winning candidate will be the one voters trust with decisions like increasing taxes as demonstrated by the recent water district vote where I opposed the creation of the district and my two primary opponents supported it.
Peschong and Hamon are bidding to replace current Supervisor Frank Mecham, who announced earlier this year that he would be retiring. Also on the ballot in June are Paso Robles Mayor Steve Martin and Paso Robles retired attorney Dale Gustin,
The First District includes the City of Paso Robles as well as the communities of San Miguel, Templeton, Heritage Ranch, Shandon, Oak Shores, and Adelaida.
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