“I will probably go on record as the oldest candidate ever to run for public office,” joked Toru Miyoshi, who, at 82, is running for Santa Maria city clerk on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Miyoshi is no stranger to public office. He served four terms on the Santa Maria City Council from 1970 to 1982, and two terms as Santa Barbara County 5th District Supervisor.
The position of city clerk pays $75 a month, so Miyoshi’s motivation in running for the office isn’t financial. He said he’s dedicated to making government better.
“I didn’t want to run for office, but it is really excruciating to the see the decline in government,” he said. “Every level of government needs checks and balances, and that includes the city of Santa Maria. The city clerk cannot be fired by the mayor, City Council, or the city manager, and therefore has an important responsibility to represent the best public interest and assume the role of checks and balance.”
Though Miyoshi hasn’t officially served in public office since 1990, he’s remained an active voice in Santa Maria government matters. He recently demanded an investigation by the State Attorney General’s Office into a possible cover up by Santa Maria city officials regarding charges of alleged misconduct against Police Chief Danny Macagni. He’s also repeatedly expressed concern about the city manager’s ability to hire and fire department heads without the City Council’s approval.
“I believe that the position of city clerk has been diminished from one of providing valuable checks and balances in government. The city of Santa Maria website even states that the city clerk ‘serves primarily in a ceremonial capacity.’ I disagree with that,” he said. “The current city clerk is also an employee in the city manager’s office, and I believe that represents a conflict of interest. An elected official is a public servant and should be beholden to the people, not to a paycheck from the city.”
Miyoshi is refusing any campaign contributions, suggesting that anyone who wants to contribute to his campaign divert the money to their favorite local nonprofit charity. He strongly believes that the elected city clerk position, as prescribed by law, is a public servant position, and he intends to be free of “quid pro quo,” or the idea that if someone contributes to his campaign, there will be reciprocation.
This article appears in Mar 15-22, 2012.