""Due to the federal Medi-Cal cuts, our County-run hospitals and clinics are at risk of closure," the piece read. "Under the leadership of the Board of Supervisors, we are fighting to preserve and protect our critical services." The boldface words of Santa Clara County Executive James R. Williams landed in the Saratoga mailbox of No on Measure A campaign chair Rishi Kumar last week."
"From Kumar's perspective, it was an inappropriate action intended to influence voting on a referendum on a proposed health care-focused tax hike. "What the County is doing is wrong," said Kumar, who is also running for County Assessor. He says the regional government-without explicitly mentioning Measure A-is trying to influence the outcome of the Nov. 4 Special Election. "They are telling them, without telling them.""
"According to Kumar, this is another example of how the County misspends money to sway public opinion. The Measure A campaign declined to comment for this story. When questioned about the piece-sent while voting is underway-Williams stood behind the maneuver. "The county has an obligation to ensure that every resident in our community understands the severe magnitude of budget cuts imposed on us by the actions of this federal administration," Williams said via email."
A mailer sent to 700,000 addresses at public expense warned that County-run hospitals and clinics face closure due to federal Medi-Cal cuts. The piece included boldface statements from Santa Clara County Executive James R. Williams and claimed every 11 minutes someone is taken by ambulance to a County-run hospital. No on Measure A chair Rishi Kumar called the mailer a thinly veiled campaign effort intended to influence the Nov. 4 special election and accused the County of misusing taxpayer funds. The Measure A campaign declined to comment, while Williams defended sending the mailer, saying the county must inform residents about federal budget cuts.
Read at Metro Silicon Valley | Silicon Valley's Leading Weekly
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