Hopkins Contrast Mailer Misleads on Ambulance Fee

Council District 1 challenger Ilaya Hopkins has released this contrast mailer asserting that incumbent Roger Berliner supported the ambulance fee “as part of 2010 budget.” That’s true, but it’s also misleading.



Berliner has voted twice against the ambulance fee in full council session – once in 2009 and again in 2010. Berliner did vote for the most recent county budget that included the ambulance fee (over his opposition), but so did two other Council Members who voted against the fee: Nancy Navarro and Valerie Ervin. All three have been endorsed by the Volunteer Fire Fighters, who are the biggest opponents of the ambulance fee in the county.

We’re not saying Berliner is perfect. His record, along with that of almost every other council incumbent, has some problems. But when a candidate includes a misleading criticism along with more legitimate points, it undermines that candidate’s entire message. So it is with this mailer.