Candidate for
Mayor; City of Simi Valley

Platform 2002 Goals & Issues: David strong republican. He is extremely confident that his plans will meet the high expectations for the residents City of Simi Valley, Unions, Laborers, Contractors, and SOAR/II. Measure 'B' he strongly opposes because it turns over the control of agricultural and rural areas to Ventura County. It does not give the residents of Simi Valley control of these important areas. 1)Upgrade Simi High School to Equal the Football and Tract Stadium at Royal High School. 2)Rebuild Simi Valley Unitfied School District Building. 3)Build a drama center that could hold Broadway-style shows, much like to Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. 4)Build a gun and rifle range in Simi Valley 5)Do not exspand City Hall. 6)Improve Simi Valley Parks to be as grand as our City. 7)Build a "WORLD CLASS" shopping mall with fine restaurants to capitalize on the people that visit the Reagan Library. 8)Leave Leeds Street people Alone, Do not attempt to build near this last rural area! 9)Revamp the City Planning Process

-Meeting the minimun required planning codes are not acceptable

-Include the Cities High Expectations for New Development at the Planning Stage.

-Eliminate waste for planners, developers, and the City Council 10)Level the Field for the Honest Contractors and Union Labors

-Increase Planning Code Inforcement

-Ensure that corect laborers are being used

-Leeve Incremental Fines for Developers, Contractors, and Homeonwers that do not Comply

-Implement (2) types of Procedures for Competitive Bidding that are favorable towards Local City and County Labor and Business Onwers

FAQ's of the Candidate:

1) What three or four issues do you consider to be the most important facing the city?

Answer- SOAR, Measure B, Affordable Housing, and Low Cost Housing for senior citizens.

2) How do you suggest the city handle any major funding reductions from Sacramento?

Answer- Eliminate waste within the city processes. Also, I have a plan for revitalization that will benefit all that live, work and invest in the City of Simi Valley.I will post this plan very soon.

3) How do you think the city should best handle the issue of "work force housing"--making homes affordable for the young people who work there: firemen, police, nurses and school teachers?

Answer- I do not support affordable housing. I do support Low Cost Housing for senior citizens

4) What role should the council play to lure more jobs to the city to reduce the number of residents who leave town to work?

Answer- Attract outside investors to aid in the building of a "world class" shopping mall with keeping the small town feel and safety the city of Simi Valley provides. I believe the city is lacking in atmosphere with current developments. This mall could be beneficial if done correctly or be the city's worst nightmare if the lack of planning continues with the current city leadership.

5) Could you please recap your position on Measure B that appears on the November ballot.

Answer- I strongly oppose Measure B because it turns over the control of agricultural and rural areas to Ventura County. It does not give the residents of Simi Valley control of these important areas!

6) The city is one of the safest in America, with great schools, rising home prices, reasonable traffic and an enviable quality of life. How do you persuade voters that things will get even better if they vote for you?

Answer- The city is one of the safest in America because of the people that live here. They are intelligent people with values and are tried of the way things are being handled at city hall. And I identify with them!

7) How would describe yourself politically? (Conservative, progressive, slow-growth, no-growth, responsible growth, pro-business)

Answer- Responsible growth.

8) Where do think the current council has failed residents?

Answer- Lack of planning at the beginning of the process for new developments.

9) What do you offer residents that the incumbent mayor does not?

Answer- Change of leadership. The vigor and patience to with stand the pressures of new growth. Shield Simi Valley from developers that want to over build.

10) Where would you say is your primary political base? (Your major supporters?)

Answer- Family, friends, and local honest contractors.

11) Specifically, how will you run your campaign (professional campaign manager, financing limits, refuse to engage in "negative" campaigning?)

Answer- Refuse to engage in "negative" campaigning and shall not accept endorsements or monies.

12) How will you get your message out (signs, mailers, door-to-door canvassing, debates, candidate forums, media interview)?

Answer- Signs, debates, candidate forums, and media interviews as time and the health of candidate's permits.

13) What is it about you do you think the voters least understand about you and your candidacy?

Answer- That I am a process oriented leader with commitment to get the job correctly done the first time. I also believe that voters are being misinformed about Measure B.

RECENT NEWS: Plunkett supports affordable housing with restrictions By Roberta Freeman, rfreeman@insidevc.com October 2, 2002

Lack of political experience aside, David Plunkett, 43, believes he has what it takes to do a good job as Simi Valley's mayor.

A resident of Simi since 1986, Plunkett does not mince words when expressing his beliefs about controversial topics, including affordable housing and development. While Plunkett supports affordable housing for seniors, he is against affordable work-force housing. The city does not need affordable housing, Plunkett said, and the residents he knows do not want affordable housing built next door to them.

"Sorry, you can't buy your white picket-fence housing right away. You need to start in a starter home or apartment somewhere -- you have to save your money," Plunkett said.

Plunkett said he is aware his comments might raise some eyebrows, but insists that honesty remains at the top of his agenda.

If elected, Plunkett's top priorities include revamping the city planning process, so that development expectations are clarified up front and projects approved before they come before the City Council. Plunkett also wants to provide an incentive program for contractors that would discourage the use of illegal, undocumented workers.

"I want to level the field for honest contractors," Plunkett said.

Plunkett opposes Measure B, because he said it turns over control of agricultural and rural areas to Ventura County.

"It does not give the residents of Simi Valley control of those issues," Plunkett said.

Attracting investors to aid in building a "world-class" shopping mall is another of Plunkett's goals, but he believes atmosphere is lacking in current projects.

"This mall could be beneficial if done correctly or be the city's worst nightmare if the lack of planning process continues with the current city leadership," Plunkett said.

Plunkett said the position of mayor in Simi Valley is underrated. "That is the person who is the leader," Plunkett said.

Plunkett, who lives in Simi Valley with his wife, Christina, and four children, said he will be unveiling a plan later in October that outlines a proposed course of action to achieve his goals.

More News 10/11/02: Simi mayor's race By Cecilia Chan Staff Writer Removed Sections; only to relate to David R.Plunkett

SIMI VALLEY -- David Plunkett the Nov. 5 vote; The bedroom community of about 111,351 has ranked as the safest city in the nation for three years running, according to FBI statistics. Political newcomer Plunkett said it's time now for a change in leadership.

Also, he wants to ensure that Simi Valley remains the safest city in the nation.

Plunkett said he wants to provide strong leadership as mayor to stand up to developers.

"It's not that I'm not for development," said Plunkett, 43. "I'm for responsible growth."

Political newcomer Plunkett, an engineer-facilitator with Northrop Grumman, said his priorities include shortening the city planning process, which can take up to three years for some projects to be approved.

"Right now, the council has a higher expectation for all development," he said.

Projects "go through the Planning Department and make all the minimal requirements, only to go up to the City Council to be shot down because of the higher expectations," he said. "The higher expectations should be at the planning level."

He also wants to even the playing field for contractors by ensuring that those in Simi Valley are given a slight break in the city's bidding process, and fines are levied on those who use undocumented workers.

By Gregory W. Griggs, Times Staff Writer 10/29/02; (Removed Sections; only to relate to David R.Plunkett) But challenger David R. Plunkett, 43, an aerospace engineer, said he strongly opposes lower-cost housing programs for anyone but senior citizens.

Instead, young professionals need to save their money, make personal sacrifices and accept that they may need to buy an older, starter home in need of some repair.

Plunkett, who made his own campaign brochures and doesn't plan to spend more than $1,000, wants to clarify development standards so builders don't have projects shot down by the council at the end of the review process.

He proposes reviving Simi Valley's economy by bringing in a regional mall and several fine restaurants while building a new drama center.

He said the city's existing cultural arts center -- a former church that reopened in 1995 after about $2 million in renovations -- is too small: He envisions a playhouse that could hold Broadway-style shows, much like the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

"Even if we don't make any money on it, long-term we would improve the quality in life in Simi Valley," Plunkett said.

A key component of his plan is to give preference to local contractors and merchants on city contracts, and to require outside bidders to either hire some local workers or agree to buy some materials from local companies.