Letter to the Editor

5th District Assembly Race

The Mother Lode Taxpayers Association, which was formed recently to support Frank Bigelow, attacked Rico Oller for accepting $200,000 in per diem benefits during his terms in the Assembly and Senate. This attack is part of a campaign to subvert Rico's staunchly conservative record. In the absence of meaningful facts, Bigelow's supporters are forced to resort to specious claims.

The per diem was $25,000 per year over eight years. It is provided to all state legislators so they can live near the Capitol when the legislature is in session. Madera County Supervisor Frank Bigelow accepts the benefits of his job as well. Unlike a Madera Supervisor, a legislator works full-time, and more. Rico understood the compensation package when he ran for office, which included per diem and has no pension benefits. Rico believed the compensation package was generous and turned down a 12% pay increase. Supervisor Bigelow, on the other hand, will enjoy a comfortable retirement financed by county taxpayers.

Frank Bigelow also claims that Rico spent more money than any other legislator. The 1st Senate District that Rico represented stretched from Mono County to Modoc County, and was the largest legislative district in California. The challenges of communicating with all of those people were reflected in his legislative budget.

These attacks are ridiculous and hypocritical. They are efforts to attack Rico's conservative record. Good luck! Rico has a 100% rating with the California Republican Assembly, and has been endorsed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and Congressman Tom McClintock. Locally, Rico is endorsed by Sheriff James Mele, the Tuolumne County Republican Party, and Supervisors Randy Hanvelt and John Gray; in addition to myself.

Evan Royce
Tuolumne County Supervisor 3rd District