Editor, Daily Nexus,

I am a graduate of UCSB. I have lived in Isla Vista, Goleta and Santa Barbara since 1966. For the past 15 years, I’ve lived in the Santa Ynez Valley.

The money, power and people that are advocating the recall of your supervisor, Gail Marshall, hate UCSB students. These are strong words but true. They hate you because you can tip the balance of power in Santa Barbara County. Criticism about Gail Marshall spread by Recall supporters is one lie or distortion after another.

These people want Gail Marshall out because she takes an interest in I.V., especially in renter’s rights and the environment. The landlords hate her because she has strongly supported regulations that provide for inspections of apartments and regulations that make it harder to evict students on a whim.

She’s been an unwavering opponent of oil drilling in the channel and a strong supporter of beach access, protecting natural resources like endangered oak trees and preserving open space like Ellwood Mesa.

Gail Marshall’s opponents tried to move I.V. into another district and get control of the county that way. Then they tried to hold the recall election during the summer, when you wouldn’t be around to vote. Marshall stopped them. Now this recall election will happen on Nov. 5.

During my years at UCSB, we fought for students’ right to vote in local and national elections. So please use the hard won privilege and the power. The votes you cast on local issues will impact the students of I.V. in decades to come, just as I.V. voters in years past have made decisions that affect you today.

MARK PRESTON