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Tojo Thomas: Why You Should Vote For Me

A column written by the candidate challenging incumbent Nate Miley for Alameda County's District 4 Supervisor seat in the June 5 election.

By Tojo Thomas

I need your vote on June 5.  I need your vote because without it we can’t take back County government from the current brood of politicians, who have forgotten the most important truth about their jobs.

They exist to serve the people who elected them.  Not the other way around.

Together, we need to remind them.  Their jobs don’t exist so that their children can either get a county job with a fellow county Supervisor or benefit from county contracts to private companies where their children just happen to work. They don’t exist so that they can receive lucrative taxpayer funded retirement packages on top of their already generous pensions.  And they sure don’t exist so that they can attract large campaign contributions from special interest groups and then spend it on themselves at expensive, upper class health spas. We need to send a singular message to my opponent, who wants to spend another four years taking advantage of his powerful political position:  No thanks, Nate.

The politicians and their appointed government bureaucrats would rather protect their way of life than to address what should be the number one concern of county government: public safety in the face of the recent criminal justice realignment.  Rather than acknowledge their fiscal mismanagement, which has lead to the near collapse of the criminal justice system, the politicians have chosen to deal with the problem, not with rational policy and adequate funding, but with semantics and half-truths. 

My opponent has described their realignment plan as “ambitious” and “exciting,” when in reality it is a solution designed to cover-up mistakes and placate our fears.  Police officers and probation officers on the front lines instead use words like “myth” to describe the very same plan.  The bureaucrats are lying to us and it needs to stop.

I read the news every day hoping to learn how County government is addressing the serious issues that face us.  Instead, what do I find?  Sex tape scandals, sexual assault accusations against the Chief Probation Officer, and report after report of corruption, malfeasance and cronyism occurring in County government. It’s time to bring back some common sense and some good old-fashioned decency to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors.

My name is Tojo Thomas and I come to you as a working man who loves his family, loves his neighbors and loves his job. I would hope the same kind of success for every one of you.  Hey, I’ll be honest with you; I’m a simple guy who is simply running on a promise of strong ethics and integrity. No hidden motives.  No secret agendas.  No affiliations to any political parties and no special interests. I have no personal agenda except to see our neighborhoods thriving and our County government working hard to serve and protect.   Elect me to the Board of Supervisors and I’ll work to get the Board back on track.

Learn more about me at www.tojo2012.com.

Editor's Note: Castro Valley Patch asked both candidates running for the Alameda County District 4 Supervisor seat to submit a column, 500 words or less, before the elections on June 5, 2012.

Gary Peterson June 4, 2012 at 03:00 pm
Tojo is a honest hard working person. The BOS would benefit greatly with Tojo on the BOS. Nate Miley has sucked the county dry. His time has come...it is time to get rid of Nate and give a new perspective to the BOS. Tojo will represent all of the district...not just the pot clubs and his kids with jobs. Alameda County deserves better. Vote for Tojo and send Nate packing. No gray area here.....
Rob June 4, 2012 at 03:21 pm
I voted Tojo Thomas.I never met him or Know him.Vote ABM (anybody but Miley) this election
Daniel June 4, 2012 at 03:44 pm
Daniel
My family voted for Mr. Tojo on our absentee ballots . He will be a welcome addition to the Board of Supervisors.
Philip June 4, 2012 at 05:40 pm
I know Tojo for a while, and he is one of the most honest person I met . Make him win so he will get our Alameda County back on track.
VP Cheney June 4, 2012 at 05:48 pm
Sounds a little naive from what I have read about him but look what the alternative is. I'll vote for Tojo.
John Magyari June 4, 2012 at 07:09 pm
Tojo,
It is against the law to post your signs to city signs polls. Besides breaking the law it makes our neighborhood look trashy when signs are inappropiately posted. COuld you please remove them?
Brenda Carr June 4, 2012 at 08:58 pm
Mr. Thomas,
As I appreciate your willingness to run for public office and addressing specific issues that you are passionate about, I am concerned that your campaign committee would “trash” our current Supervisor and his family in order to “win” votes for you. As the issues you have brought to light are important issues, the inappropriate comments made by your campaign committee have overshadowed the “WORK” that a County Supervisor is responsible for, in-turn creating a mud-slinging campaign. Is this conduct by your campaign committee authorized by you? Is this conduct, conduct that we, the people, will be subjected to if you make it into office? As a resident of Alameda County Unincorporated, I rely on the County Supervisors working together as a “team” on "issues that affect our communities". These issues include law enforcement, but also include public health, public schools, zoning, public employees, public assistance, community development, public libraries, public parks, community centers, etc. As I appreciate your speaking out on behalf of the probation department, what is your experience in these other areas? A County Supervisor finds ways to resolve issues in order to “BUILD A BETTER COMMUNITY”. Supervisor Miley has created safer neighborhoods, elevated property values and promoted leadership. I say, Vote for Nate Miley-Look around and you can see “A BETTER COMMUNITY!” Respectfully Submitted Retired Public Education US ARMY Veteran
Gerard June 5, 2012 at 12:08 am
Ms. Carr, Tojo Thomas and his campaign committee have not trashed Nate Miley, they have simply reported the truth. There have been numerous investigative pieces reporting on Miley's misconduct specific to his giving jobs and contracts to family and friends. Even the Oakland Tribune/ANG is endorsing Tojo Thomas because they cannot ignore Miley's misconduct, calling him "ethically challenged." Just think how bad Miley must be for a liberal rag like the Tribune to throw a black democrat under the bus! I can only conclude Ms. Carr that you are either an idealogue, refusing to see the truth about Miley, or you have not done your homework, ironic as a self-identified educator.
Xu Leo June 5, 2012 at 12:52 am
Xu Leo
Debate on April 30 Nate Vs Thomas Nate Miley “You say that I pay dues to the Belleview Club. Yeah, I can pay dues to the Belleview Club. I pay dues to the Claremont. I do that because I need to get away and have an opportunity to be in an environment where I don't have to deal with constituents who are constantly talking to me whether I'm in church, walking the streets or I'm in the grocery store. Once again, it didn't say paying dues was illegal. It just said if I'm using those dues and it's inappropriate that I need to pay those dues back to my campaign. So you make all these accusations that are totally outlandish” Tojo Thomas: "When I need to relax. I go home and play with my kids."
Xu Leo June 5, 2012 at 01:07 am
Xu Leo
My family voted for Tojo Thomas- I am a working man Nate:Go and spend public money for nice message upper class health spas
Brian June 5, 2012 at 01:09 am
I was on the fence before Xu Leo's quote...
Brenda Carr June 5, 2012 at 04:18 am
Wow, Mr./Ms. Gerard, as your response indicates, I guess name calling, verbal attacks and avoiding the questions are acceptable actions and/or reactions. Again I ask, is this conduct, conduct that we, the people, will be subjected to if Mr. Tojo Thomas makes it into office?
A public official needs to orchestrate common ground, tolerance and compromise. This is how the democratic process works. The democratic process promotes leadership within their own communities, sets up training programs, maintains open door policies, provides opportunities to ALL who are interested in getting involved, finds the common thread and develops a course of action that is inclusive. Supervisor Miley does these things, his work has elevated property values, orchestrated safer neighborhoods and platformed new leadership through-out our communities which is what we, the people deserve from our elected leadership.
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