QUIRK and QUIRK Mirroring Each Other In More Ways Than One

City Council candidate Steve Quirk is the identical twin brother of current City Councilmember Dan Quirk, who was elected in 2020 for a four-year term.

 

As it turns out, they are identical in more ways than one, with campaign materials using identical words and identical photos, as though nothing has changed in two years.

IDENTICAL TAGLINES

The two brothers have a virtually identical tag line.

Dan Quirk has been on the City Council since Dec. 2020, voting regularly with the Council majority. Steve Quirk’s attacks on decisions by the current Council and past Councils are simplistic to the extreme.

“FINANCIAL WASTE”

Steve Quirk (2022) and Dan Quirk (2020) use nearly identical language to decry “Financial Waste” that “Leads to Fiscal Crisis” and “Cuts In Services” (Dan) or “Cuts to Services and Projects (Steve).

Meanwhile, the City’s Finance Manager/Treasurer paints a vastly more reassuring picture of the City’s financial status, and of the recovery from Covid-19 impacts on the City’s budget, in her most recent Budget Update. The City’s finances are in a stronger position than anticipated, and meet conservative standards for prudent financial management, including reserves.

CITY HALL – CIVIC CENTER

Steve appears to be campaigning AGAINST the Civic Center that was completed in 2018 on time and on budget, with no new taxes and reduced-rate State financing. Steve uses the identical language and the same two photos used by Dan in 2020 to criticize this project.

 

Steve and Dan both call the old City Hall “functional” though there were no indoor restrooms, major health and safety issues, and half of the building was off-limits to office use because of seismic concerns. As then-Deputy Mayor Terry Sinnott said at the demolition party, “We have been living with water leaks, environmental hazards, no indoor bathrooms, and space inadequate for conducting business for years.”

Steve Quirk 2022
Dan Quirk 2020

Identical right down to the dog photo:  These campaign materials are not confidence-inspiring as to either Quirk. Has nothing changed from two years ago? Will two Quirks on the Council result in identical thinking and identical votes?

Left: Steve Quirk doorhanger (2022). Right: Dan Quirk mailer photo (2020).

The issues facing Del Mar today are complex and require deep knowledge and nuanced thinking. A mailer full of negatives expressed in 2-3 word captions does not signal a candidate prepared to work constructively to get real results for Del Mar.