Tag: Dai Meagher

Dai Meagher is expected to run for County treasurer-tax collector against incumbent Tina Vernon, according to my sources.

Meagher lost to Vernon four years ago in the treasurer’s race. Vernon had about 52 percent of the vote, compared with 48 percent for Meagher. The job — a “plum” position for our rural region — pays $121,871 annually.

This is more of the “cold soup” politics you see in our community, because nobody new rarely moves in — and nobody moves out. The political faces you see are largely the same. Some alliances extend back to high school.

Last month I wondered aloud whether Meagher would run, noticing he’d been highly active in the blogosphere, including on Moonshine Ink.

Meagher also joined the newly formed NCTV board as Treasurer, along with greater Grass Valley Chamber co-CEO Keith Davies, who is president. I wondered if he was trying to bolster his public resume.

I asked Meagher point-blank in the threads whether he would run. No answer, which made me suspect the answer was “maybe yes.”

CABPRO recommended Meagher for treasurer four years ago. Meagher launched an “October surprise” against Vernon that largely backfired.

Hard-right activist blogger George Rebane — who supported Meagher and contributed to his campaign — reported that Vernon had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 1996.

It was another cheap political shot from the hard right, redolent of Barry Pruett’s campaign against Greg Diaz for Clerk-Recorder, which failed miserably.

Rebane never contacted Vernon to ask why. Vernon responded in a post on YubaNet.

Voters sympathized with Vernon, concluding it was an “apples” and “oranges” situation.

Meagher outspent Vernon by more than 1.5 times in the race. He is a CPA. In the end, I wondered whether CABPRO’s endorsement cost Meagher the election. He signed the Grover Norquist “Taxpayer Pledge.”

Vernon has done a good job as treasurer. The hard right has always badgered the Rood Center about unfunded pension liabilities, though they have managed the situation well. In addition, the issue is more in the hands of state politicians, not local ones.

As with most of the nonpartisan jobs in the county, partisan political groups like have “control” — or think they do. It is sophomoric behavior but it is rampant in our community.