Hart Challenge to Ferguson

Hurray for Evelyn Hart! She is willing to say what many have thought for four years: “The emperor has no clothes!” Gil Ferguson has not been an effective representative for the 70th Assembly District, and Evelyn Hart has the strength of her conviction to voice her disappointment publicly and run for the office.

In his winter 1988 Views From Sacramento, our non-representative reports on the “Important Measures” he authored or “co-authored.” Of the seven he wrote, not one is law today. His major efforts appear to be aimed at removing another assemblyman from office and in building the Republican numbers in the Assembly, neither of which is a major objective of those who sent him to Sacramento.

Ferguson is apparently proud of his part in supporting the governor’s tax rebate, despite the polls which told the governor to give the money to the schools. The “Big Spenders” to whom Ferguson refers were thinking conservatives and liberals who wanted the money to go where the public needs it desperately: to relieve overcrowded classrooms. But then again, our out-of-touch representative has never indicated that he even believes in public education.

So Evelyn Hart is “taking on the Republican establishment” and “will waste valuable resources.” Marian Bergeson faced the same dilemma, remember, when she and many of us could not abide the Republican nominee. Over the strenuous objections of “the establishment,” she garnered enough write-ins to split the Republican votes and the Democrat won. Marian came back two years later, won in a walk, and gained the respect of lawmakers and the public everywhere, with quality representation.

JOHN F. DEAN

Newport Beach