Election Statement

Three major issues in this election

1. About the difficult budget choices that we must make – the economic and fiscal instability we’re facing, and what we must do about it . . .

2. About growth and managing our natural resources – we need to launch a long-overdue update of our general plan. Even as the current city council proceeds with a massive annexation of open space that would undermine the consensus such a plan requires . . .

3. About our historic role as the “center of the Central Coast” – the center for air transportation, for business, for retailing and for cultural events.

Any one of these issues would be huge in any one election cycle, but together they are momentous.

It will take experience, commitment, and most importantly an ability to listen in order to achieve what we all want: A strong economy with a vibrant downtown core; a compact city that is growing within acceptable limits, guided by an up-to-date general plan with broad community support; and a San Luis Obispo restored to its role as the shining model of the Central Coast. I have the experience, the commitment and the proven ability to listen – so necessary to move us forward at this historic turning point.

Economic and Budget Challenges

We’re facing a deteriorating budget situation that results from a number of factors:

• A stagnant national economy crippled by the worst housing finance crisis in our nation’s history . . .
  
• Property values and home sales continuing to fall . . .
• Retail sales that are flat, at best . . .
  
• A State Legislature that is unable to deliver their budget on time . . .

Our 2007-2009 budget is facing steep cuts, some of which will be painful.

Guiding Our Growth

This is also the time to reach for the future. The city needs to update the general plan, now 20 years out of date – but as we do let’s be sure to include the community in the process, especially the residents of this city. And let’s not prematurely annex open space land, compromising a new plan before it even gets off the ground.

Our new general plan must commit to sustainable development that incorporates mixed uses, infill housing, green buildings and landscapes and a variety of transportation modes.

Maintaining Our Regional Role

Sometimes we get too complacent here in San Luis Obispo — we congratulate ourselves each time we’re named one of the “top 10 dream towns.” There are danger signs out there: Recently, UCSB economists recommended that the regional airport be moved to Santa Maria or Paso Robles. The AMGEN Bicycle Tour is skipping San Luis Obispo in 2009 – it’s going to Paso Robles. San Luis Obispo is the natural regional leader for the county, and to lose that position would be a mistake.