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San Diego County, CA November 4, 2008 Election
Smart Voter

Community Development Projects & Our Exixting Neighborhoods

By Bill Goulet

Candidate for Council Member; City of National City

This information is provided by the candidate
My views regarding the City's direction on redevelopment
I have listened to all the Council meeting the last 2 years and I have formed some opinions and made some observations that I would like to share with you.

The West Side Plan

I have listened to that community voice their conerns over the businesses in that area. They polute their environment and take all their parking spaces. The City has been slow to act and they seem to side with the businesses over the poor population which inhabits the area. They had enacted an amotization ordinace 2 years ago targeting polluting businesses. They failed to enforce it until just recently. The businesses have welcomed inspections lately due to the neighborhood's immense pressure to get a plan that would eliminate them from the area. A bussiness coalition was recently formed to protect their interests. Some influential developers such as Mitch Beachamp(a big supporter of the Mayor)helped form this coalition. i would like to see the City apply a little more pressure for business to move from the area. I would try to enact strict parking ordinaces on the businesses along with strong code enfoecement. Let's get that neighborhood cleaned up.

The Downtown Specific Plan

The Plan is being enacted with the help of Eminent Domain. The Community Development Commission (The City) gave the Constellation group a 2.6 million dollar loan to keep one of the projects going. The Red Lion Condo Project is in distress due to the Housing Crisis. They can't sell them. Things will move slowly and former plans are being downscaled and delayed until the economic picture improves. Some existing businesses fear they will be forced to move or close should the plan ever come to fruition. It calls for a denser populated area spotted with residential friendly businesses. I would try to keep density to a minimum and I would help existing businesses survive as the plan is enacted in the distant future.

Existing Neighborhoods

I would like to see existing neighborhoods revitalized by enacting tough ordinaces on property owners who neglect their properties. I want our code enforcement officers to have more visibility in our communities to enfoce those ordinaces.

The Community Development Commission

I believe the Community Development Commission needs to be downsized during this tight housing market. They are by far the richest department in the City. They have spent money on things like a new city flag and logo. They have to reduce in size and return tax dollars to the general fund where it is really needed.

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ca/sd Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 2, 2008 20:26
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