After making some phone calls and taking a second look at some news clips - I seem to have a better picture of who the players are in the 5th Sup District race...

Cross-Posted at the Placer CRA Blog

The Tahoe Sierra-Sun had an opening article on Jennifer Montgomery:

The Article is "LINKED HERE"

A good look at Jennifer Montgomery is contained in the following excerpts:

Montgomery said she has no experience in politics, but contends that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Instead, she draws on a wide background and 17 years living on Donner Summit.

Montgomery's goals include examining the affects of climate change on the area's economy, implementing a night-sky standard for lighting, re-examining public transportation in the Tahoe Basin, and insuring new development is both responsible and green, she said.

After talking to a few people around the area, they have all told me that Montgomery started criticizing Bruce Kranz and has never met him. I will have to get a look at her voter registration history - it is a common trick for people to re-register Republican before running for office in Placer County.

As to Bob Houston: I was contacted a few weeks ago before he announced. I asked two questions of the person who called me: the first was will he (Houston) support the pay raise thing? The answer is held in his announcement speech/release that says he won't take a salary at all.

The second was will he support local tax increase measures? The answer was - "I think he will be with you 75% of the time". (Meaning 25% of the time he will endorse bonds and parcel taxes)

An excerpt from the article in "the Bee" regarding his announcement:

Houston, 71, founder of Corporate Advocates, a government affairs firm, said he isn't part of any "political machine."

"I will be an independent and experienced voice for the people of Placer County," he said in a news release.

Later research has determined that Bob Houston is also a man of means and several I talked to see Robert Weygant's fingerprints on his candidacy. At least two I spoke with think that Houston is going to write himself a nice-sized check to start his campaign.

UPDATE (3/10/2008) - Sources close to Bob Houston have indicated that Weygant is neither involved no will endorse the Bob Houston Campaign.

Kranz, Uhler and Rocky Rockholm make up the 3-2 Conservative majority on the Board of Supervisors.

I would not look for much input from Kranz on the 4th Congressional race as he now has his hands full.