It's rugged country, and it now features a rugged campaign for supervisor. Incumbent Bruce Kranz faces two challengers -- Serene Lakes business owner Jennifer Montgomery and Bob Houston, a Meadow Vista resident who runs a lobbying and government relations firm.
Growth is the big issue across Placer County, including the 5th District. The next supervisor will have a say over relatively large housing developments proposed for Royal Gorge (near the Donner Summit) and Foresthill. He or she could also cast crucial votes for proposals in western Placer County that involve thousands of units.
Kranz, a protege of U.S. Rep. John Doolittle, came into office in 2004 by defeating Rex Bloomfield, a favorite of environmentalists. Over the past four years, he's been highly engaged and has surprised some of his detractors.
Along with supervisor Robert Weygandt, Kranz helped broker a deal to preserve 1,500 acres of the scenic Martis Valley near Truckee. He also has sparked discussion on how to invest power revenues that will flow to Placer County in five years, once bonds are paid off on the county's hydroelectric plants on the Middle Fork of the American River.
Yet Kranz has made several decisions that raise questions about his judgment. In 2005, he appointed a Realtor, Michelle Ollar-Burris, to the county planning commission, despite the obvious conflicts that poses. Kranz later had to remove her amid allegations that, while serving the county, she split properties in violation of the State Subdivision Map Act.
In 2006, Kranz joined with Doolittle and developers in an unsuccessful attempt to unseat Weygandt, a moderate who as a supervisor has been an important voice for planned growth and open space preservation. This year Kranz is supporting Proposition 98, an eminent domain initiative that would make it harder for agencies to enforce environmental regulations and acquire land for public works.
Fortunately, there's a candidate in this race who better suits the moderate conservatism of this rural district. Bob Houston, a longtime resident of Meadow Vista, has thrown $100,000 of his own money into his first run for office. He vows not to be beholden to anyone, opposes Proposition 98 and is wary of the scale of the proposed Royal Gorge project.
Houston, a Republican, says he's not anti-growth, but wants projects that better fit with the 5th District and its rural values. And he rightly says Kranz has politicized a seat that is supposed to be nonpartisan.
Jennifer Montgomery shows promise as a future officeholder, but Houston, with his experience in the Capitol, would be a better choice for the voters of the 5th District.
Voters should pick Houston on June 3.
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