Thumbs down: A disconnect in logic over Measure C robocalls

Backers of Santa Rosa’s Measure C say the robocall that a political campaign committee put out this month to residents didn’t violate the city’s robocall ordinance because it was “informational” and wasn’t pushing a certain perspective. Huh? We suppose that’s true if you also believe robocalls from timeshare companies are just invitations to enjoy a low-cost holiday - as long as you also participate in an informational meeting. But the truth is timeshare companies are always selling something, and so was the Measure C campaign.

If callers were being invited to a debate featuring speakers on both sides of Measure C, a rent control measure on the June 6 ballot, we could see how it would be in compliance with the city’s rules. But that wasn’t the case. The call was encouraging residents to join in a telephone town hall on May 10, a conference call featuring an hour-long conversation with Councilwoman Julie Combs, a strong supporter of Measure C.

Combs was also a strong advocate of the ordinance restricting the use of robocalls. If this wasn’t a violation of the letter of the robocall ordinance, it certainly was in violation of its spirit. Either the sponsors should have been held to the same disclosure rules as everyone else, or the rules need to be rewritten to close this loophole. There is clearly a disconnect.