I did a post in May about the June election for the city council spot left over from when Rocky "Government is the problem so I'm going to take another government job" Chavez left.
So now I'm doing a post about the city council candidate forum at St Mary Star of the Sea school auditorium tonight sponsored by the League of Women Voters. The last time I attended the forum there was 2 years ago and there were a LOT of candidates; this year there are only 4. I guess this is OK; it reduces choices but it also focuses candidates and issues. Perennial Loony Party candidate Mike Lucas is NOT - I repeat - NOT running this time. That makes me a little sad.
Background
The four are Gary Felien (current city treasurer), Jerry Kern, Chuck Lowery and Rex Martin (no website listed on campaign flyer, tsk tsk).
We all know Kern, he is an incumbent and has been controversial for a lot of reasons. He did ace the recall election a while back, though, so he can say that his controversies are supported by the citizens of the city. As far as I can tell and his campaign materials and his website don't mention it he has never owned his own business so he'll have to hold up the "red" card when the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce Q and A happens in a few days and they ask that question (because you know they're gonna ask that question like they did last May). He's lived here since 1975.
Felien is the current city treasurer, a pal of Kern's and Feller's who was appointed after Rosemary Jones who held the treasurer spot for decades passed away in office. He's a bean counter by profession, as you'd expect a treasurer to be, right? Was a corporate type for a long time and then fell into this job due to his connections as far as I can tell and also as far as I can tell has never owned his own business so he'll have to hold up the "red" card, too. He's lived here since 1988.
Lowery is the local boy who grew up here, went to school here, ran a successful business for decades here and is a current incumbent. He can hold up the green card for "that" question.
Rex Martin is a transplant from the Midwest and hasn't lived here all that long. Is currently on the Arts Commission and is a former city councilman and mayor of the town of Birmingham, Michigan (which is where he's from). Birmingham is about 10-15 miles north of Detroit. He was also the "Emergency Communications Director" for San Francisco for many years. He'll have to hold up the red card.
Issues
I-5 Widening
Lowery and Martin are negative on it, Felien and Kern are positive on it. I suppose there is some influence a City Council member can exert on this process, I can't see how there would be all that much of a different outcome.
Kern did toss off a throwaway comment I thought was wrong. He said that the people who are pushing for more mass transit infrastructure are the types who want everyone else to take mass transportation so they can have a clear freeway.
You know, if only I could take a Sprinter-like tram/lightrail/trolley down to San Diego and back at reasonable hours (like until 1 or 2 AM) I'd never drive my car again. And I know many people who feel the same way, since many of us have taken mass transportation in many cities in the world and recognize it's convenience, cost effectiveness and ease of use.
Someone else made a negative comment about eminent domain (Martin, maybe?). Well, guess what? This sort of thing is exactly what eminent domain was invented for in the US Constitution. Kelo - as bad as that decision was - does not apply in this case.
RdO Interchange
Speaking of outmoded transportation assumptions, the panel was split 2-2 on the Rancho del Oro interchange, too. Felien and Kern yes, Lowery and Martin no. No one was asked about their opinion on improving the SR78 and I-5 interchange.
Water
As I recall pretty much everyone was in favor of ramping up the desalination plant's capacity to allow us to be free(er) from the Metropolitan Water District. Felien was couching it in terms of "what's cheaper" (compared to rate increases) but I think leadership in this area would stress independence rather than a simple cost analysis. Independence is worth something intangible (like a business' "good will") and could be sold to the citizens that way, too.
Animal Control
A new topic that has reared its ugly head in the last few days is the situation with the (former) North County Animal Shelter and animal control services. We had a contract with the animal shelter that they wold provide animal control services but they have decided they don't want to renew the contract and so now we're rtying to find out if we can boot them from the building they are in due to lease term violations (providing animal control was part of the lease in 1963, apparently there is a feverish effort to analyze the leases since then to see if that term still applies). So everyone was in favor of booting them if we can.
Campaign Spending
Oceanside needs to do something about its campaign spending laws; there is no legal requirement for a candidate to reveal who is giving him/her money until after the campaign is over. That's both stupid and crazy and quite frankly every candidate should support a transparent process where every donation is posted to a public site where anyone can see it as soon as it is accepted by the candidate. Because you guys have nothing to hide, right? You're perfectly OK with the money you are receiving from your donors and can defend every transaction.
Felien was in favor of this and was the only guy to mention it.
The other discussion was about contribution limits which digressed to a discussion about special interests running campaigns instead of candidates running them, but with a full transparency law - which would not violate free speech rights the way limiting campaign contributions might - is the one single way Oceanside citizens, voters and public servants can be equally behind and support.
Trailer park rent control
Felien and Kern are against it, Lowery and Martin support it.
Those pretty much were the topics discussed. The candidates also discussed their opinions on Prop 23 but I don't think that's relevant here.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
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