Letter to the editor: Mayor Gaspar is an independent thinker

I was dismayed and disappointed that you chose to print a false, overt attack against Mayor Kristin Gaspar in the commentary section of your paper a few weeks ago. Mayor Gaspar is an honest, hard-working individual who has an outstanding reputation.

As you know, Mayor Gaspar recently defeated her opponents in a landslide election to become our first elected Mayor. Clearly the people of Encinitas have spoken and decisively so. The reason she won is that the citizens respect her and trust her judgment. Additionally, she is the most independent thinker on the Council and has more public and private sector experience than any of the other Council members.

In his commentary a few weeks ago, Mr. Keyes assailed Mayor Gaspar’s integrity by claiming that her campaign was “virtually funded” by development interests and by extension that she is unduly influenced by those that might harm the City. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Mayor is not only an independent thinker, but 2014 election campaign disclosure forms show that she received zero campaign contributions from developers. It is also interesting to note that while Mr. Keyes apparently supports Council Member Shaffer and vigilantly opposes development, Shaffer’s Council Majority colleagues each received maximum campaign contributions from an Encinitas-based developer.

In the future, I would appreciate if your publication would check the “so-called” facts presented in your commentaries, as opposed to allowing unbridled partisan, negative attacks on our community’s best and brightest.

One is entitled to their own opinions, but is not entitled to their own facts.

Thank you.

Edgar Engert