The city of Rancho Santa Margarita will have a new council member after the November election. There are three open seats and only two incumbents. The two incumbents, Neil Blais and Gary Thompson are well-respected and widely recognized as two of the most important visionaries in Rancho's cityhood efforts and subsequent development that has RSM ranked consistently as one of the best places to live in the country and one of California's safest cities.
There are three new candidates running for city council this November. They are RSM Planning Commissioner Steve Baric, retired business owner Larry McCook, and military reservist Jesse Petrilla.
From all accounts, Steve Baric is the one to beat. Besides being a planning commissioner, he is a high-ranking official in the California Republican party, and has the financing and endorsements to show for it.
Larry McCook was a last minute candidate who didn't have the opportunity to submit a ballot statement. He doesn't have the name recognition or backing, but all agree he has good intentions.
Then, there's Jesse Petrilla. With Jesse, there is much more to him than meets the eye.
Jesse first appeared on the political scene in RSM last year when he scheduled a meeting with then-Mayor Gary Thompson, and told him that he was planning to run for city council as a stepping stone to higher office. After that, he went to the city council and asked them to impose term limits. When he was turned down, he decided to pursue a ballot initiative, which he never completed, and cost the city close to $15,000, at a time where significant budget cuts are necessary.
Jesse has been to exactly three city council meetings, including the one where he asked for term limits. At one of the other two meetings, he attended just to make a speech about spending cuts that he felt should be made on the 2010-2011 city budget. At that meeting, he chastised the council for including things in the budget that had already been cut, then left immediately after his speech, before hearing city staff correct his mistakes. Note that he had no problem spending the city's money for his personal agenda, but didn't have a clue as to what was actually in the budget. Why would anyone want such a self-centered individual making their budgetary decisions?
When it came time for ballot statements, Jesse tried to fluff up his military credentials and got caught. When the city clerk called him on it per the advice of the city attorney, he threatened the city with a lawsuit and threatened the clerk's job. Again, is this someone the residents can rely upon to act in the city's best interest?
Jesse has made running for City Council his full-time job. He's done an excellent job of canvassing the city to let everyone know he is running. He claims to be a business owner, but that is a sham. His business name is Petrilla Entertainment. What does Petrilla Entertainment do? It has developed several crude video games all targeted towards his anti-jihadist activities, which have included organizing a hanging in effigy of Osama bin Laden in front of a Los Angeles County Mosque. His website, or is it former website? www.petrillaentertainment.com , says it all, which is nothing.
According to the California Secretary of State's office, he dissolved his business entity at the end of 2008. Jesse's claim to fame in RSM is being a founding member of the recently formed RSM Business Alliance. The RSM Watchdog is still looking for Jesse's business...
If anyone has proof that Jesse Petrilla is a businessman and not a self-serving opportunist using the title of businessman as a front, the RSM Watchdog would love to see it.
Remember to vote for the best qualified candidates for City Council on November 2nd, when you will have the opportunity to once again prove that Rancho Santa Margarita deserves to be called one of the best places to live in the USA!
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