In the case of San Bernardino County’s Judge of the Superior Court, Office 15, voters are presented two choices:

• Michelle A. Lauron, San Bernardino County supervising deputy district attorney.
• Dieter Carlos Dammeier, administrative law judge, California Employment Insurance Appeals Board

As this editorial board has in the past, we must warn voters against casting a vote for Dieter Carlos Dammeier.

Below, we present our warning to voters published in the Press-Enterprise in 2016:

“There’s a familiar name on the primary ballot: Dieter Dammeier, who’s running for a vacancy on the San Bernardino County Superior Court.

This is the same attorney Dieter Dammeier:

• who ran unsuccessfully for Rancho Cucamonga City Council a decade ago with the intent of forging a council majority friendly to the interests of public safety unions;

• whose name still graces a downtown Upland building that once housed his law firm – Lackie, Dammeier, McGill & Ethir – which dissolved in 2013 during a scandal involving alleged fraudulent billing;

• who personally settled a police officer’s claim against Upland with then-City Manager Robb Quincey, who wound up getting fired over it. The settlement, involving Mr. Quincey’s own questionable personal behavior, was disguised as two separate settlements to stay under the threshold requiring review by the City Council;

• whose law firm was infamous for its hardball tactics against city leaders who were involved in negotiations with the police unions that the firm represented;

• who was on the board of the COP&FIRE political action committee when it sent a threatening letter to Claremont Councilman Corey Calaycay, trying to intimidate him into acquiescing to police union demands (He did not);

• whose dissolved law firm failed in an appellate court in May to block a lawsuit against it and the Costa Mesa police union by Costa Mesa Mayor Stephen Mensinger, accusing the union, the firm and private investigators hired by the firm of illegally planting a tracking device on his vehicle;

• whose dissolved law firm is fighting a lawsuit from another Costa Mesa councilman and his wife over alleged harassment for political gain. That suit alleges the union, the law firm and its investigators conspired to try to ruin the councilman by making a phony 911 call, claiming he was drunk. A former police union president testified last year that the union had paid Mr. Dammeier’s law firm to find dirt on two councilmen, fearing they would make cuts in the Police Department.

He is not the sort of attorney that we would like to see elevated to the bench.”

The only update of note is a legal update: “After five years of legal wrangling, the law firm has agreed to pay $607,500 to settle a civil suit alleging it illegally had a tracking device placed on a former mayor’s personal vehicle. The firm also was accused of having a private investigator falsely claim a council member was driving drunk.”

We further note that Lauron touts an impressive set of supporters who transcend the normal partisan divide, with every single member of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors supporting her campaign for judge.

She has been an impressive career prosecutor who has a track record free of the drama and scandal of Dieter Dammeier.

Elect Michelle Lauron to the bench. And please, don’t elect Dieter Carlos Dammeier to anything.

The district spans Pomona to Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga down to Eastvale and Chino. As such, it bridges Los Angeles County to the Inland Empire.

Torres, who was born in Guatemala and came to the U.S. as a child, has been a thoughtful and most importantly, balanced voice in her party. While no doubt in line with the norm of the Democratic Party on core issues, Torres has  been willing to work across the aisle to get things done and has been willing to stand up to the progressive wing of her party.

From taking heat for her endorsement of Republican San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman in 2022 to her recent vote to aid Israel in its fight against Hamas terrorists, is willing to take stands not because they will make her popular but because she believes they are the right thing to do.

Practically, Torres consistently delivers the goods for her district. In the last six months, she has been able to help deliver tens of millions of dollars in federal funds to improve the Ontario International Airport, tens of millions of dollars to improve road and pedestrian safety in Fontana, and $1.8 million in educational grants to Cal Poly Pomona. Additionally, along with Rep. Ken Calvert, she has also helped Eastvale finally get its own zip code. Far from being an aloof politico out in Washington, D.C., Torres remains as plugged in to the needs of her district as ever.

Of course, Torres has her critics and her challengers. There are those on the left that don’t think she’s sufficiently progressive. Her chief Republican challenger in recent years has been a nutty conspiracy theorist who sincerely believes “there’s a Satanic cabal running the world.”  And, of course, there are some rabid fans of El Salvador’s authoritarian strongman Nayib Bukele who don’t like that Torres sees him for who he is.

We respect Rep. Norma Torres for standing up to the loons on her left and the loon on her right. We don’t agree with her on everything, but she remains a reasonable voice amid the cacophony around us. She understands that America is the land of opportunity, that the U.S. Constitution means something and that Congress can get things done for the American people if it spends less time on theatrics and more time solving problems.

As we have in the past, we give our endorsement to Treasure Ortiz.

“I will be transparent about what is happening at City Hall, hold myself and my colleagues accountable for our actions and decisions and will continue to engage, educate and empower our community so they can become active participants in their own government,” she promises.

Her agenda is a practical and necessary one for the city of San Bernardino to move in the right direction. She knows what the city needs to do to uplift the community, spur economic development and help all city residents thrive:

With Treasure Ortiz on the council, we’d expect to see real results on her top priorities of public safety, economic development and addressing homelessness.

The city needs bold leadership on the council. Treasure Ortiz is the one to bring that to San Bernardino.

For this editorial board, it’s no contest. Residents who are sick and tired of stagnation and corruption in the city need to vote out Figueroa and vote for Shaughnessy.

To be sure, this editorial board doesn’t agree with Shaughnessy on everything. But he is clear-minded on the need for the city to move beyond scandal, beyond corruption and beyond cronyism.

His top three priorities are worth getting behind:“1. Stopping corruption and the pay-to-play practices that choke our San Bernardino and Ward 3 working families and small businesses.2. Creating good, local jobs and constructing affordable housing abundance to end homelessness3. Promoting accountable public safety and cracking down on violent crime and slum lords.”

We can’t say we have much confidence in Figueroa, who is a close associate of disgraced former Mayor John Valdivia.

He’s right. The city needs thoughtful, ethical leadership on the council.

Elect Christian T. Shaughnessy in Ward 3.

There are four candidates on the ballot running to represent the district on the county Board of Supervisors.

The two highest profile candidates are incumbent Supervisor Dawn Rowe and attorney Chris Carrillo.

Carrillo formerly worked for then-Supervisor James Ramos as well as the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Carrillo told us that the current county board “puts politics over people,” “special interests over the public” and vows to be a much needed agent of change on the board.

Most of Carrillo’s arguments for himself and against the incumbent centered on broad criticisms of the Board of Supervisors as a whole. He cited, for example, the board’s successful effort to override Measure K, which imposed strict term and pay limits on county supervisors. Carrillo argued it was self-serving on the part of the board to back a repeal of a measure approved by the public, while at the same time acknowledging that he didn’t think Measure K was a good idea either. So that’s a bit of a wash.

He also cited a 2022 instance of the board not spending $4 million in federal money intended to go toward homelessness and having to give it back to the feds. At the same time, though, the board did vote to spend over $70 million to fight homelessness.

You might recognize a pattern in these criticisms, which is that they are ultimately shallow. One matter of consequence is that Carrillo has been boosted from the very start of his campaign by local firefighters unions which seem specifically intent on ousting Rowe.

This editorial board is always suspicious of special interests going out of their way to target an elected official.

Which brings us to the incumbent and why we’re endorsing Supervisor Rowe’s re-election.

As long as we have known her, Dawn Rowe has been a fiscally responsible leader on the board keen on steering county government in a more responsive direction.

Among her current priorities include continuing to improve the county’s emergency response capabilities. This requires cutting through bureaucratic hurdles, bringing people together and ensuring easy information sharing and communication. Supervisor Rowe is making that a priority.

There’s a reason why Rowe has been able to draw a diverse support base, from Democratic state Treasurer Fiona Ma to Republican Rep. Jay Obernolte. She knows how to work across the aisle and will continue to do so for the betterment of San Bernardino County.

Statewide

No on Proposition 1:  “Proposition 1 on the March 5 ballot is a costly bureaucratic power grab that robs counties of mental health services funding and saddles taxpayers with $6.38 billion in debt for what amounts to a bloated version of Project Roomkey and L.A.’s Measure HHH.”

Los Angeles County

Elect Nick Melvoin to the House in District 30: “If voters want sensible, scandal-free and balanced representation, Nick Melvoin is an excellent choice.”

Re-elect Kathryn Barger to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors: “For us, her fiscal discipline is an absolute necessity on the board, a counter-punch to any free-spending tendencies of her four Democratic colleagues.”

Re-elect Imelda Padilla to the Los Angeles City Council: “She is continuing to engage all stakeholders in the community, including the business sector, in order to improve a district that her predecessor clearly neglected.”

Elect Ethan Weaver to the Los Angeles City Council: “The L.A. City Council would benefit from more reality and less ideology. Ethan Weaver has our endorsement.”

Re-elect John Lee to the Los Angeles City Council: “John Lee has provided a touch of much needed balance. We hope he is able to tap the brakes on more of the failed policies that have led to economic stagnation and greater poverty in Los Angeles.”

Elect Dan Chang to the LAUSD school board: “Rarely have voters in the Los Angeles Unified School District had a chance to elect a school board candidate as qualified and potentially impactful as Dan Chang, and we heartily endorse his candidacy for Seat 3 in the San Fernando Valley on March 5.”

Re-elect Tanya Ortiz Franklin to the LAUSD school board: “Tanya Ortiz Franklin fully recognizes the problems facing the district and the fact that the district’s fundamental problems go back decades. Absent a majority of likeminded board members, however, there’s only so much she’s able to get done.”

No on Measure HLA in Los Angeles: “Measure HLA would add costs and delays to street maintenance, worsen traffic, and invent yet another way for the city of Los Angeles to be sued by activists.”

No on Measure RW in Long Beach: “Voters in the city of Long Beach will weigh in March 5 on a union-backed proposal to raise hotel workers’ minimum wage to a startling $29.50 an hour within four years — with the absurd proviso that the edicts of this Measure RW would not affect hotels whose workers are already unionized and have a collective bargaining agreement.”

ALSO SEE: Los Angeles County District Attorney: How to decide who to vote for

Susan Shelley’s guide to the judicial candidates in Los Angeles County

Orange County

No on Measure E in Westminster: “Westminster needs to tighten its belt and pass pension and other employee compensation reforms. On March 5, voters need to say: Read our lips, no new taxes.”

No on Orange Unified recall: “Is this necessary to protect the public, or are the issues motivating the activists ones better left for the normal election cycle? With regards to the Orange Unified School Board recall on the March ballot, we believe the answer lies in the latter.”

No on Huntington Beach charter amendments A, B and C: “Vote ‘no’ on all three to encourage the council to get back to governing rather than political theater.”

Elect Janet Nguyen to the Orange County Board of Supervisors: “Given the options, it’s not a difficult decision to make.”

Re-elect Don Wagner to the Orange County Board of Supervisors: “While Wagner has quietly pushed to improve county government, Khan has championed high-profile progressive priorities. Wagner is the clear choice — and it’s much clearer considering a Khan victory would give Democrats a 4-1 board majority.”

Re-elect Jorge Valdes, Tim Shaw and Ken Williams to the Orange County Board of Education

Riverside County

Elect Angelo Farooq to California State Senate in District 31: “His agenda is a modest one based on the actual needs of constituents. He’s not an ideologue. And he’s not just in this for a career. We can’t say the same for Sabrina Cervantes.”

Re-elect Bill Essayli to the California Assembly in District 63: “Essayli, in brief, is a sharp legislator and needed voice in Sacramento.”

Elect Jose Medina to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors: “Medina is clear on what he wants to do. He wants to see the coroner’s office split from the sheriff. He wants to see an oversight body put in place and an inspector general installed to see to it that things are going as they should. Richard Roth, by contrast, is beholden to the same deputies union that recruited Sheriff Chad Bianco to run for sheriff in the first place.”

Elect Jack Guerrero to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors: “No other candidate or member of the board will be able to match his financial acumen, which is why we take seriously his warnings about the fiscal trajectory of the county. Guerrero will put considerations of the county’s finances first and foremost, especially the county’s still-massive pension obligations.”

Re-elect Patricia Lock Dawson as mayor of Riverside: “She is a sensible and pragmatic leader who understands the need to balance the demands of the city’s unions with the fiscal realities of the city and the pocketbooks of taxpayers.”

Elect Sean Mill to the Riverside City Council: “Instead of virtue-signaling, Mill wants the council to focus on making sure Riverside residents get the services they deserve at the best possible cost. That sounds like common sense to us.”

Elect Warren Avery to the Riverside City Council: “Warren Avery’s practical approach is no doubt why he touts the broader range of endorsements, with supporters as varied as former Democratic Mayor Rusty Bailey and conservative Assemblyman Bill Essayli.”

Elect Hasaranga Ratnayake to the Riverside City Council: “We think the city of Riverside could benefit from having someone from outside of the political machine.”

San Bernardino County

Re-elect Norma Torres to the House of Representatives: “We respect Rep. Norma Torres for standing up to the loons on her left and the loon on her right. We don’t agree with her on everything, but she remains a reasonable voice amid the cacophony around us.”

Elect Michelle Lauren to judge: “Don’t elect Dieter Carlos Dammeier to anything.”

Re-elect Dawn Rowe to the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors: “She knows how to work across the aisle and will continue to do so for the betterment of San Bernardino County.”

Re-elect Kimberly Calvin to the San Bernardino City Council: “Kimberly Calvin’s voice on the council is badly needed to keep the city moving in the right direction.”

Elect Treasure Ortiz to the San Bernardino City Council: “With Treasure Ortiz on the council, we’d expect to see real results on her top priorities of public safety, economic development and addressing homelessness.”

Elect Christian Shaughnessy to the San Bernardino City Council: “For this editorial board, it’s no contest. Residents who are sick and tired of stagnation and corruption in the city need to vote out Figueroa and vote for Shaughnessy.”

For related news, see: To see the latest election results once polls close, visit our election results page.

Project Roomkey was the pandemic program of placing homeless individuals in hotel rooms with optional supportive services. Measure HHH was a $1.2 billion bond for homeless housing that has cost as much as $800,000 per unit.

Proposition 1, which will appear on the March 5 ballot that mails out to voters statewide by February 5, is being marketed by Gov. Gavin Newsom as a “transformational” solution to the mental health crisis, alcohol and drug addiction, and homelessness. Don’t fall for it.

In addition to adding $6.38 billion to the state’s $80 billion bond debt, Proposition 1 permanently raids the funding for mental health services that voters approved in 2004 with Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act. That measure put a 1% tax on incomes over $1 million, and it typically generates between $2 billion and $3.5 billion per year. By law, 95% of the money goes to the counties for mental health services and the state takes 5% for mental health programs.

But Proposition 1 would change that. The state would take 10% of the money, leaving less for the counties to cover the cost of existing programs. In addition, the measure requires the counties to spend about 30% of their Prop. 63 funds on housing programs. Not only does that leave less for mental health services, it forfeits federal matching funds for health care by spending the money on housing instead.

Politics is baked into Proposition 1. It establishes mental health and behavioral health services “oversight and accountability” commissions with a total of 43 voting members, variously appointed by the attorney general, the superintendent of public instruction, Assembly and Senate committee chairs and the governor.

That’s a concern because, according to the Legislative Analyst, “The types of places that would be built with bond funds would depend on future decisions by the state.” Voters are being asked to sign a blank check to spent $4.4 billion on unspecified “places” for mental health care and drug and alcohol treatment.

Proposition 1 requires “streamlined, ministerial” approval of such housing projects, which must comply with “prevailing wage” requirements. Community input will be limited but costs will not be.

The $6.38 billion will build only 4,350 housing units and enough “places” to accommodate only 6,800 people for mental health care or drug or alcohol treatment at any one time, according to the Legislative Analyst. California’s homeless population as of January 2022 was 171,500, including 10,400 veterans.

Not only would counties lose a significant portion of the funding for mental health services they are currently providing, they would incur new costs to operate the “places” for treatment that the state chooses to build.

Vote no on Proposition 1. It’s no solution.

We will provide weekly updates as we continue to issue endorsements. You can read full endorsements in the links below.

San Bernardino County races

• Jesse Armendarez for San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors

Congressional races

• Jay Obernolte for the 23rd congressional district
• Norma Torres for 35th congressional district

California Legislature races

• Kelly Seyarto for Senate District 32
• James Ramos for the 45th Assembly District
• Greg Wallis for Assembly District 47

Jeff Burum, the local developer who spearheaded this measure, lamented in an interview with our editorial board those many ways San Bernardino County fails to get its fair share of resources to support everything from education to infrastructure. “Until when are we going to wait — until our freeways aren’t usable anymore?” he asked.

Echoing these concerns is San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson, who noted the county’s consistently underresourced judicial system. In 2020, the state Judicial Council reported that San Bernardino County was budgeted for 94 judgeships, but actually needed around 137 or 138.

Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren likewise argues that as much as the state talks about equity, it’s time for San Bernardino County to get some of that equity in state funding. “We’re not respected,” she said. “We’re not valued.”

Ontario Mayor Paul Leon told the editorial board of the not-uncommon tendency of many in the state to look down upon San Bernardino County, and the Inland Empire in general.

This is untenable.

San Bernardino County is the fifth-largest county in the state by population and the biggest by area. The Inland Empire is one of the fastest-growing regions in the nation, as people from coastal California continue to look for more affordable places to live.

Measure EE calls on San Bernardino County leaders to study all options, including up to secession, to determine its options for getting the county’s fair share.

While the secession talk generates plenty of headlines and grabs the attention of people who otherwise might not be interested in this measure were it not for the mention of leaving the state, those promoting the measure have clearly succeeded in generating interest  in their just cause.

Jeff Burum deserves credit for spurring this needed discussion. San Bernardino County residents should vote yes on Measure EE.

You can read our full endorsements in the links below to understand our reasons for our decisions.

Related: Read our full list of endorsements for the November 2022 election

Lieutenant Governor

Eleni Kounalakis has lived up to her campaign promises from four years ago, and has done a fine job as lieutenant governor, earning re-election and your vote.

• Eleni Kounalakis for lieutenant governor

Secretary of State

Shirley Weber, who became secretary of state after Alex Padilla was appointed to the U.S. Senate, is doing an important job with vigor and should be returned to office.

• Shirley Weber for secretary of state

Attorney GeneralAlthough Rob Bonta has been on the job a relatively short time, he has amassed a solid record as being fair-minded – something the previous two attorney generals were not. Bonta deserves your support in November.

• Rob Bonta for state attorney general

State Controller

Lanhee Chen would bring competence and independence to the office of controller, the state’s official accountant. He has drawn support from across the political spectrum, and deserves your vote.

• Lanhee Chen for state controller

State Treasurer

Jack Guerrero has an impressive resume, which includes helping expose a financial scandal in his city. He also has the financial background and fiscal know-how to become California’s next state treasurer.

• Jack Guerrero for state treasurer

Superintendent of Public Instruction

California has the lowest literacy rate of any state, according to a recent survey – one reason why our broken education system needs a major shakeup. Electing Lance Christensen the next superintendent of public instruction would provide just that.

• Lance Christensen for state superintendent of public instruction

Insurance Commissioner

Here’s why our opinion team didn’t endorse anyone in the California Insurance Commissioner race.

• No endorsement for insurance commissioner

U.S. Senate

Sen. Alex Padilla is is a champion for voting rights, and a proud and passionate advocate for Southern California, where he’s from. He very much deserves your vote, says The Editorial Board.

• Alex Padilla for U.S. Senate

Statewide ballot measures

• No on Proposition 26
• No on Proposition 27
• Yes on Proposition 28
• No on Proposition 29
• No on Proposition 30
• No on Proposition 31