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San Diego County, CA November 5, 2002 Election
Smart Voter

Let's Get It Straight About El Corazon

By Rocky Chavez

Candidate for Council Member; City of Oceanside

This information is provided by the candidate
There has been a lot of confusion about where I stand on El Corazon, the initiative to preserve the property known as El Corazon as a public park. Some think I support this initiative; others think I backed the now defunct City Council plan to let Manchester develop El Corazon. In fact, I was not for either of these extreme positions. My plan would have provided adequate parkland, but would also have permitted private development of a resort hotel and a golf course.

And it's not too late for my plan. The City Council has already seen the error of its extreme position and abandoned it. Now only the initiative remains on the November ballot. I am voting no, and I implore you to do the same. To vote yes is to fall for one of the extreme political positions on this controversy. There is no need to take either side. I have always felt there is a middle ground which recognizes the importance of the position of both groups. The use for El Corazon should be a win-win for everybody.

Although I strongly believe that there should be designated parkland in this important area of our City, I also recognize the deep economic need to allow commercial enterprise to develop some of the property. Oceanside needs economic development to bring it into the 21st Century. If planned responsibly, the charm and character of our City will not be lost. El Corazon can be a wonderful place for families to play, and at the same time bring us the needed revenue to pay for services and infrastructure that our residents deserve.

I believe that El Corazon has become a symbol of selfishness and greed. There has always been room to get everything from this property, and voting no on the El Corazon Initiative and yes for Rocky Chavez will activate our City Council abandoning politics and looking at the situation with an open mind. This will result in the creation of a world class park and the economic development that will generate revenues for Oceanside.

I hope you are clear on where I stand, and will join me in ignoring the two opposing political agendas that kept our city from the rich rewards it deserves. Let's start over with a compromise--a viable plan for El Corazon which offers fabulous parkland and economic development worthy of all of our great citizens. Let's compromise on El Corazon

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ca/sd Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 8, 2002 13:49
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