Ray Watson (broadcaster)
Raymond A. (Ray) Watson (born 1936) is a former American television executive who was a member of the Board of Supervisors in Kern County, California, representing the western part of the county, between November 2002 and November 2012. He was chairman of the board in 2010. Watson was named Broadcaster of the Year by the
Biography
Watson was born in
Watson graduated from the
Television experience
Watson was a
He was vice president and general manager of television stations in
He was head of
KGET dedicated its downtown studio building in Watson's name upon his retirement from broadcasting in July 2002.[3]
Community service
Watson was awarded the John Brock Award by the School of Business and Public Administration at
He was chairman of the Employers Training Resource
Board of Supervisors
Elections
Watson was elected to the county
He was elected to a third term in June 2008. He was accused by his opponent, Cliff Thompson, of "playing dirty backroom games" during the campaign. The latter claimed that Watson had told Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall, owner of an ambulance service, to move Hall's public relations man off Thompson's campaign team. Watson denied the charge. Watson had 11,064 votes to Thompson's 8,005. Thompson was endorsed by State Senator Dean Florez and public employee unions.[6][7][8]
In 2010, Watson was named chairman of the board by his fellow supervisors for a one-year term.[9]
The 4th District covers the rural, western part of the county, and in 2010 it included the towns of
Positions
- State powers, 2003
Watson strongly criticized State Senator Dean Florez for introducing a bill that would have banned all dairies within three miles of any school or urban area, to improve air quality. Watson said he wanted "customized buffers around cities that could be closer than three miles in some places and farther in others." He also stated that it was "a local planning issue and it should remain so. Kern County should not allow the state to usurp the authority of local governments to establish land use policies."[11]
- Public safety, 2008
Residents of
- Oil tax, 2010
Watson declared his opposition to a bill in the State Assembly by Fremont Democrat Alberto Torrico to impose a 12.5 percent severance tax on oil production. "This tax is aimed right at the heart of our economy," he said. He predicted the tax would result in the loss of 7,000 oil industry-related jobs and millions of dollars in unrealized tax receipts.[13] Kern County produced 60 percent of the state's oil in 2010.[14]
- Maricopa annexation, 2011
He declared himself open to the county's taking over the city of
- State prisoners, 2011
Watson said he was encouraged by a plan to retain state prisoners in county jails beginning October 1, 2011. He said he especially liked Kern County's plan to confine the prisoners to their homes with electronic monitoring and the creation of fire camps to train them as firefighters.[16]
- High-speed rail, 2012
He was one of two supervisors who voted against a successful supervisorial resolution opposing a proposed high-speed rail project through the Central Valley ""in its current form." He said he had been "involved with California's high-speed rail plan for 20 years" and believed it was needed for the "long-term health of the state."[17]
Criticism
Watson was accused by The Californian newspaper in 2008 of having an "ivory tower style, which leaves many constituents, especially those living in outlying communities, feeling abandoned." To charges like these, of being a "drive-by supervisor," Watson responded that it was more efficient to schedule meetings back-to-back in his office than to spend time driving.[18]
San Joaquin Valley
- Motor vehicle fee, 2010
As a member of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, Watson voted in favor of a $12-per-vehicle annual fee to fight air pollution, but only on those vehicles registered in the Valley. Activists complained that Valley vehicles contributed only 9 percent of the ozone problem, but Watson said that "I think $1 a month from vehicle owners is not too much to ask, especially if it prevents businesses from shutting down because they can't afford to pay the penalty."[19]
- Altamont mitigation, 2011
Watson commented adversely on an agreement between the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the developers of a power plant in
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Who Is Ray Watson?" The Californian, May 2, 2008 (questionnaire returned by Ray Watson)
- ^ Maggie Van Ostrand, "Local Personalities," Frazier Park Online
- ^ a b c d e 4th District official Kern County page
- ^ Camille Gavin and Kathy Leverett, Kern's Movers and Shakers, Kern View Foundation (1987), 208 pps., page 64
- ^ Bureau of Land Management
- ^ James Burger, "Supervisor Says He's No Extortionist," The Californian, March 27, 2009
- ^ "Watson Denies Thompson's Extortion Claims," KGET-TV, June 4, 2008
- ^ Patric Hedlund, "Election Results: Watson Keeps His Seat," The Mountain Enterprise, June 6, 2008
- ^ James Burger, "Watson to Chair Kern County Board of Supervisors," The Californian, January 4, 2010
- ^ Map, "Kern Supervisors District Being Redrawn," Taft Midway Driller, July 13, 2011
- ^ Davin McHenry, "Supervisor Slams Florez Over Dairies," Bakersfield Californian, posted February 26, 2003, on www.vallleyair.org
- ^ James Burger, "Thompson: Watson an Extortionist," The Californian, June 4, 2008
- ^ "Kern Speaking Out Against Proposed Oil Tax," Taft Midway Driller, January 8, 2010 With photo.
- ^ "Lawmakers Want to Tax Oil From Kern County," KGET-TV
- ^ Steve Chawkins, "Panel Tells Maricopa to Give Up Cityhood," Los Angeles Times, June 10, 2011, page 1 (Library card may be required.)
- ^ "County Starts Allocating Money for Prisoners' Shift," McClatchy-Tribune Business News, August 31, 2011
- ^ James Burger, "Supervisors Vote 3-2 to Oppose High-Speed Rail," The Californian, February 7, 2012
- ^ "4th District: Re-elect Watson," The Californian, May 10, 2008
- ^ Mark Grossi, "Air Fee Misses Dirtiest District," The Modesto Bee, October 29, 2010
- ^ Alex Breitler, "Deal Made Over Altamont's Bad Air," Stockton Record, October 21, 2011 with a map
External links
- James Burger, "Appointment Book Pages Capture Life of County Supervisor," The Californian, May 23, 2008
- Biography at Carrizo Plain Monument Advisory Committee With photo.
- Biography at San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District With photo.
- Interview concerning high-speed rail proposal between Northern and Southern California, Tribune Business News With photo.