Porter Supports Charity Fundraisers

I first met Bruce Porter at a Buellton City Council meeting. Before the council was a Resolution asking the county not to count winery charity fundraisers as a special event. Representing the Red Cross, Bruce urged Buellton’s council to approve the Resolution. The Buellton librarian and other nonprofit organizations appeared and requested a yes vote. The Buellton City Council voted 5-0 to approve the Resolution. A councilmember requested the Resolution be continued to the next meeting’s consent calendar for “minor” word changes.

I first met Joan Hartmann at the continued meeting. She appeared with the Valley Alliance Establishment — Gail Marshall, Bob Field, Mark Oliver, John Poitras, and Donald Gallagher. They urged a no vote. They argued the Resolution was “premature,” and the county would address this issue. The council rejected Hartmann and the Valley Alliance Establishment’s position 3-2. The Resolution was also approved by the Solvang City Council 3-1 and Lompoc City Council 5-0.

It is true that at the continued Buellton meeting Hartmann said she supports winery charity fundraisers and was looking forward to attending a Buellton Library fundraiser at our vineyard. If that is true, the question for Hartmann is why she showed up at the Buellton council meeting and urged a no vote on the Resolution.

The question for voters is, do you want someone like Bruce Porter who says what he means and means what he says? Or do you want a lawyer like Joan Hartmann, who plays the lawyer game of saying she is in favor of winery charity fundraisers and then urged a vote no on the Resolution?