The CotoBuzz Journal, Community Journalism

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA- If you follow college football, more than likely you know of or have heard of the Fresno State Bulldogs football. 1994 marked the beginning of three consecutive losing seasons for the Bulldogs, ushering the Pat Hill era, who defined, implemented and has cultivated a culture of Anytime, Anywhere, Any Time, meaning that his teams are never afraid to take on any opponent, on their own terms. Hill’s teams routinely play elite, highly-ranked teams and has the distinction of leading the only non-BCS school to record three consecutive bowl victories over schools from BCS conferences.

Similarly, coming from nowhere, Jesse Petrilla seems to be the Rancho Santa Margarita Bulldog, not afraid to take on the machine, regardless of its size or brand name. Perhaps as a result of a Hill-like mentality, the Petrilla campaign recently announced it led all Rancho Santa Margarita City Council candidates in the fund-raising game. Even more note-worthy however, is the fact that of the RSM candidates Gary Thompson, James M. Thor, Neil C. Blais and Jesse Petrilla we asked to interview, only Petrilla has responded to date - reminds us of the warning to foreign diplomats: Be careful about what they do not say, as it is more meaningful than what they do"

Petrilla’s philosophy “is pro-business, low taxes, limited government, and more personal liberties. Our government should work for us, not the other way around.”

According to the CotoBuzz Journal’s Poldex©, a proprietary political Index reflective of name recognition, he scored 0.2%, whereas Jim Thor scored 100 , yet the fundraiser numbers are a mirror image, so we asked Jesse if he could explain the differences "As we witnessed with Scott Brown’s victory in Massachusetts, all across the nation people are excited to see new leadership step up and take the reins. Rancho Santa Margarita is no different. It is through my conservative activism that I have been lucky enough to meet so many kind individuals who have been willing to put their faith in me, and I am truly humbled by the outpouring of support shown so early on," Petrilla said.

Petrilla says he is running for RSM city council because “I have reached the point in my life where conservative advocacy is not enough, and I can no longer sit on the sidelines. Our community of RSM is a fantastic place to live, credit to the council members who have built this town, but I am deeply concerned about our future. Having recently been married in Rancho, I want the best for all families,” and if elected, Petrilla’s top three priorities for Rancho Santa Margarita if elected would be

“ Our economy is number one. We must reprioritize our spending in light of the current economic situation. A crucial part of this will be attracting and sustaining quality businesses in our community. I have fought hard in my position with our chamber of commerce, working to ensure businesses in our city thrive, and I will fight to make RSM the most business friendly city in Orange County.

Public Safety is another top issue of mine. I will work to re-establish positions of public safety officers that have been unfortunately eliminated. Rancho Santa Margarita must remain one of the safest cities in the state while maintaining our liberties.

Maintaining a limited, transparent government will always be a priority of mine. I believe complete government transparency must exist. It must remain ethical and open in all business transactions, always putting the taxpayers first”

We also asked Petrilla if he was aware of the Baugh’s Initiative? - GOP Chairman Scott Baugh’s mandate that in order to be endorsed, candidates much choose between the GOP or the union and his approach to dealing with the OCSD's union. Without blinking Petrillas says "I endorse the paycheck protection initiative. It’s not a choice between the unions and GOP, it’s a choice between the unions and conservative principles of liberty. I’m not a GOP marcher, and believe that the GOP must return to its founding principles, and it is a step in the right direction that the GOP is willing to address the issue of unions forcing their members to fund left-wing political agendas" and thinks the best way to deal with the OCSD union is a combination of the Reagan/Brown model " I believe unions must return to being about their members and the jobs they represent. All too often we have seen unions rally for causes which have absolutely nothing to do with the purpose they were founded to represent," he added.

Petrilla did not respond directly to our question about the the city's contract with the county for OCSD services but added

"transparency, transparency, transparency.

I will always fight for the taxpayers, fighting to maintain a transparent government in this and all other areas." His parting shot? " But I’ll need the support and generous contributions from kind individuals to get me there. Those interested can join me at http://www.JoinJesse.com"

Whether you agree with, like or dislike Pat Hills' approach to football, most would agree that you get what you see with Hill - you know where he stands: Anytime, Any Place Anywhere - now synonymous with the Fresno State Bulldog program. Likewise, Petrilla is certainly looking like a Rancho Santa Margarita's own Bulldog.

Jesse Petrilla – Who is That Guy?

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA- Jesse Petrilla is a self-described anti-tax, pro-business, community-oriented advocate against big government running for Rancho Santa Margarita City Council.

Jesse Petrilla, Rancho Santa Margarita's Bulldog?