As most people know Supervisor Bill Horn's accounting of campaign contributions has been under scrutiny of late, in particular by the Sierra Club. Whether it matters I'm not sure. Suffice it to say Bill has raised a lot of money to help grease his re-election machine. If Enron has taught us anything, is that it's more important to look at who's giving money, not how much changed hands.

Also known is Supervisor Horn's public denouncement of efforts to protect and preserve the little open space remaining in San Diego County. In 1997, in a State of the County Address Bill Horn stated that he would fight to stop the County from preserving one more additional square foot of open space. Claiming the Multiple Habitat Conservation Program (MHCP) committee as one of his accomplishments in re-election material, he fails to mention his repeated attempts to stop or delay the County's open space habitat plan.

Bill Horn, the only Supervisor who voted against the eventually passing of the MHCP, also tried to stop the expansion of San Diequito River Valley Park and repeal the County Resource Protection Ordinance. In a remarkable vote against property rights, Supervisor Horn voted against the State of California's voluntary Forest Legacy Act, which was designed to allow property owners to protect environmentally important forestland from conversion to non-forest uses, such as subdivisions and commercial development.

Issues that Supervisor Horn supports, in keeping with the majority of those contributing to his campaign, are most notably, road construction, unchecked development of rural areas; increased rail freight, an international airport east of Mira Mar, and decrease of public participation in governance matters. Of course it is no surprise that at least 60% of the campaign contributions received by the Horn political machine come from development interests. The politics of pavement have never been more obvious.

Other donations include money from a group with an interest in expansion of Palomar airport, investors with interests in a controversial quarry (Rosemary's Mountain), and proponents of the ecologically challenged Gregory Canyon landfill. Did I mention Bill Horn is trying to widen and straiten Highway 76 as to improve access to the aforementioned landfill and the mushrooming casinos east Interstate 15? In Horn's outstretched hands, sprawl knows no boundaries.

Speaking of sprawl and pavement politics, it's interesting to see which local elected officials have contributed to Bill Horn's re-election. Echoing Mr. Horn's call for a reduction in citizen participation in their own community, Oceanside's Manchester trio; Mayor Terry Johnson and Council members Carol McCauley, and Betty Harding, have all given money to further Horn's jihad against the natural environment. Also contributing to politics of pavement are mayors Bud Lewis and Corky Smith of Carlsbad and San Marcos.

That Bill Horn is seeking a third term is in no way surprising, after all his first two terms have been very profitable for him and other proponents of governance by gluttony. If Bill Horn is again allowed to represent the Fifth District when sound environmental decisions need to be made, once again residents will be left with nothing but a commitment for more roads, more growth, increased population, and a reduction in natural resources such as water and room to breathe.

If 5th district voters are interested in maintaining their quality of life I suggest they familiarize themselves with Kevin Barnard and Patsy Fritz, the two candidates seeking to dehorn the County Board of Supervisors. I suggest readers go online at www.kevinbarnard.com and www.PatsyFritz.org.

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