DISTORTION ACCUSATIONS FLY IN SUPERVISOR RACE BETWEEN PATTERSON AND ARNOLD

Patterson Says His Stance on Pot Dispensaries Was Distorted; Arnold
Says So Were Her Ties to Builders

A failed attempt at opening a medical marijuana dispensary in the
North County has become the center of a high-profile dispute between
Supervisor Jim Patterson and challenger Debbie Arnold.

Patterson says Arnold--the Pozo rancher running against him for the
seat representing the Atascadero and Santa Margarita areas on the
county Board of Supervisors -- distorted his position on prescription
marijuana in a telephone poll last month.

In the survey, Arnold's consultants reportedly suggested that
Patterson favored allowing more medical marijuana dispensaries in the
community.

The statement -- included in one of 31 questions Arnold's
representatives posed to 350 likely voters on March 20, 25 and
26--set off a series of terse exchanges between the two candidates,
each accusing the other of using phone surveys to misrepresent their records.

Arnold's representatives have accused Patterson of asking loaded
questions about her connections to local ranching and development
interests. His campaign conducted a poll of about 350 likely voters in January.

The medical marijuana claim, Arnold said, was derived from
Patterson's 2007 vote to allow dispensaries in certain portions of
the county's unincorporated inland areas, an ordinance Arnold said
she would have opposed.

The poll took place at least one week before Patterson's April 8 vote
against a proposed marijuana dispensary on Ramada Drive in Templeton.

The dispensary, which county planning commissioners had approved, was
appealed to supervisors amid concerns from some neighbors and
community leaders. The supervisors turned down the dispensary.

"(Arnold's) poll told voters lies about me and about my position on
certain issues--plain and simple," Patterson said in a letter
published Tuesday in The Tribune.

Arnold defended the phone survey, which she said was designed to
gauge voters' opinions on a variety of issues, including medical marijuana.

"Everybody did a poll," Arnold said. "We're trying to show where the
different candidates are on the issues."

The dispute came as records show Arnold raised nearly triple the
amount Patterson did between Jan. 1 and March 17 -- $106,652,
weighted heavily in donations from ranchers and developers.

Her donors included Protect Our Property Rights attorney Charles
Daugherty and former Supervisor Mike Ryan, who had employed Arnold as an aide.

Patterson raised most of his $37,726 in small contributions, with
prominent donors including Atascadero Mayor Mike Brennler and county
Planning Commissioner Sarah Christie, whom he appointed.

Patterson and Arnold face off June 3 for the 5th District, which
includes Atascadero, Santa Margarita, Creston, California Valley and
part of San Luis Obispo.