SEIU Local City of Ventura Candidate Questionnaire

Transcription

1 SEIU Local City of Ventura Candidate Questionnaire

2 INTRODUCTION Thank you for taking time to fill out this questionnaire. In order to better inform our membership about where the candidates we support stand on the issues, SEIU Local 721 requires all candidates seeking our endorsement to complete this questionnaire. SEIU Local 721 region-wide has more than 85,000 members. We are the largest union in local government. Unions like SEIU are the economic backbone of California s middle class. Our mission is to empower workers to provide economic security and economic opportunity for themselves and their families. SEIU fights for jobs with decent wages, health care, pensions and good working conditions, with opportunity for advancement. We also work with the consumers of the services our members provide to enhance economic opportunity and the quality of life in our state by advocating for and improving the services our members provide. CAMPAIGN PROFILE *Please provide pictures of the candidate for our use. By giving us the photos, you authorize us to use them. Also, attach your biography, a list of current endorsements and any campaign literature you have printed as of yet. Candidate Name: Ed Summers for City Council Campaign Address: 3875 A Telegraph Rd #107, Ventura, CA Campaign Phone: Fax: edsummers4council@gmail.com FPPC #: Occupation: Banker Party Affiliation: Democrat Employer: Pacific Western Bank Proposed Ballot Designation: Incumbent Elected offices currently/ previously held: Ventura City Council Other campaigns for elected office: as above 2003 and 2005 Appointed offices currently/ previously held: City Commissioner, Ventura NAME PHONE / FAX Campaign Consultant: Marie Lakin Anticipated Budget: $ 25,000 Funds Raised to Date:$ 5,000 (please attach campaign finance report) Current/Prior union membership: none Other organizations you belong to: see attached resume

3 SEIU Local CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE 1. It is important to me to have the endorsement, respect and support of the employees I work with at the City of Ventura. The role of a Council member is to create policy and direction for the benefit of the entire community. The employees who work daily to serve our community are an essential stakeholder group. I have served as a Council member for the past 4 years, working hard to minimize the impact of the current economic condition on employees. I have promoted an open dialogue with employees, and included employee input into my decision making process. Living in Ventura for 19 years, I have served as a community volunteer in numerous organizations. This has allowed me to work with and support City employees in making Ventura a great community. 2. I have supported the Employee Free Choice Act, sending letters of support to Senators Feinstein and Boxer. I have worked with the represented employee groups at the City for eh past 4 years. 3. We are working to secure alternative solutions including the tax measure to provide the City with the ability to supplement the County s budget in funding the libraries. The City has continued to work with the County Libraries through our designated Commission member to explore all alternatives. Unfortunately, while Wright Library has the largest circulation, the City is also working with the County on long term solutions based on the expiration of the Wright Library lease in 2013 and the notification that the Community College District will not renew that lease. The two goals are to secure funding through the tax measure to keep the library open and work with the community to identify a long term site to maintain library services in the general area for the community. 4.

4 The City needs to secure sustainable funding sources to maintain the level of service the community deserves. Measure A is a short term solution, we also need to increase efforts for economic activity and generation of income through retail activity and housing growth. I have strongly supported competitive compensation for all of the City employees. In the past few months our employees agreed to compensation reductions to help maintain City services and retain jobs. First, we need to recognize and thank our employees for making this contribution to our success. Yes, in recognizing the importance of our employees and remaining competitive is important. 5. This is a critical component to the importance of competitive compensation. The City of Ventura cannot make changes that negatively impact our employees or that makes us less completive in the employment market. What the current review process means for me is a vehicle to establish a standard definition of what and how to define and measure competitive compensation, create a public awareness of the current placement of our City s position in regard to pensions throughout the State and develop a dialogue on how we can work in the future to ensure the pension system is secure and sustainable to ensure employees can rely on retirement income being available. 6. My interpretation of this is moving current employees into new positions to keep our current workforce. I support this plan. 7. I am confident I have demonstrated this to the City s employees over the past 4 years. I was instrumental in slowing the budget process to ensure jobs were saved, as noted above, I have consistently supported competitive compensation for employees, and I have always maintained open communication built on respect, listening and the sharing of information and opinions. 8. I would maintain and strengthen the relationship I have. I have always welcomed SEIU in the budget and planning process, and sought input on community planning and services. I

5 would like to explore ways of including City members in other capacities. I see the City s commission process and as means to expand the participation of citizens in the community and perceive our employees as already providing a vital role in our community. WI have supported SEIU and other labor leaders t serve on Commissions and committees. 9. I support Measure A Opponents ask "why can't the City live within its means?" We do! We have and have maintained a balanced budget. The issue is that we do not have resources to support all the needs that our citizens view as important and there is a broad base of different opinions on which program or services are the most important beyond public safety and water/waste water services. It is important for the voters to decide what kind of a community we want to have. I helped developed and support the Council spending priorities for the increased revenues. Basically, we need stable revenues with local control to be the community a majority of our citizens want us to be. 10. I am opposed to Measure B I am confident that the priority of this issue was established in the General Plan and that the City Council recognizes and supports the concept. The momentum for the initiative started with a conceptual design presented at the 2004/5 Midtown Charrette. It was a theory and never adopted by the City. The City's understanding of the importance of view protection was continued through actual design of projects in 2005 and 2006 and a clear acceptance of three mistakes prior to Further evidence is the Mid-town Corridor Codes that included setback for views and solar access, height limitations in designated area to two stories and overall limitations. In 2007 I co-sponsored the Policy Consideration to create the Public View Protection Task Force to review what had already been established and recommend further actions in relation to the implementation of the Generation Plan. The Task Force has brought additional recommendations back to Council and staff has been directed to include the recommendation in the development of codes. I have reviewed the City Attorney's opinion of the legal issues and agree with his findings. It is the job of leaders to take the concerns and priorities of our community and mold policy. Balance the desires of those who do not what to build anything anywhere, the build anything anywhere opinions and the majority who want thoughtful and controlled growth. Density is the offset to avoiding sprawl, it is further enforced through compliance to SB 375

6 and accessibility to transportation, and the need to comply with State mandated housing requirements through the Housing Element. I know we can achieve to meet the primary needs of our majority, it just takes balance and consideration of overlapping concerns. 11. I am undecided on Measure C. My conviction is that we cannot use land use ordinances to create social policy; it is the biggest concern I have. Anti discrimination applies universally in relation to land use. I do not like Wal-Mart, do not shop there and have serious concerns over the labor practices and impact to social services that have been identified. I do see more appropriate avenues to resolve these problems. I would gladly join community members in taking labor concerns to the State where laws and policies related to employment are created and enforced. I will help to work with the County where the delivery of social services is centered to help prevent abuse. I need to understand the Measure more in relation to the fact it would not stop a Wal-Mart under 90,000 square feet but, will make existing Targets legal non-conforming. I support the concept that land use is the vehicle (no pun intended) that is used to control congestion and neighborhood character. It was not appropriate to have a Superstore or any big box on Victoria. We have been working to create economic activity in out areas such as extending Olivas Park Drive. I need to work through this in relation to the Target question or why stores without grocery sales are excluded. I am staying undecided because, while I have the concerns as outlined above, this is such an important issue to so many people I respect and consider friends, I want to remain open to discussion and debate. 12. I have a strong record of supporting our City's employees. My themes are: "A positive voice for Ventura" and "Investing in our Future," and I am very confident to run on my track record. You can review my website at: I plan to raise the maximum limit of $27,000. Thank you for the opportunity to be considered again for SEIU's endorsement. I look forward to speaking with you in person. 13.

7 Partial list: Tri-County AFL-CIO, Local IBEW, VPOA, VFFA, Ventura Citizens for Hillside Preservation, Hannah Beth Jackson, Pedro Nava, Das Williams, Susan Jordan, Kathy Long, Susan and Ed Lacey, David Atkins, Debbie Golden, Rob Corley