My Intentions as Mayor
The Agora Foundation and its Ojai Chautauqua project have given me many opportunities to read carefully, listen with patience and an open mind, and strive for civil discourse and information sharing. I promise to bring this experience, along with my service to other local organizations, into City Hall and for our entire valley.
Steps to Addressing a
Declining Middle Class:
1. Lead the initiative on Affordable Housing, rather than be forced into state deadlines, by supporting projects we would like to have here. Partner with organizations like
Help of Ojai to acquire and manage existing and new locations to provide increased permanent and temporary affordable options for our residents who need it. Grow affordable housing by collaborating with non-profit and for-profit partners in creating workforce housing (which also reduces traffic), low-income and market-rate mixture projects (allowing viability), and evaluating current vacant properties for housing and conservation project agreements (such as dedicating land to meadow preserves in exchange for zoning adjacent low-income / market-rate housing projects). Further, a standing City Housing / Climate Commission (more details coming soon) is called for to offer ongoing expertise.
2. Develop a true partnership with Ojai Unified School District to support affordable housing for teachers, dynamic learning collaborations with non-profits and businesses, and a future where people move to, and stay in, Ojai because the public school system is outstanding. A key metric will be an upturn in enrollment for OUSD.
We need a political reset in Ojai, encouraging civility and many points of view. I propose the following campaign commitments to my fellow candidates (as they emerge):
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We agree on a campaign spending limit and all other support goes to Ojai's non-profits.
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We agree to not litter Ojai Avenue with wasteful lawn signs.
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Most importantly... when our supporters attack a fellow candidate's personality or irrelevant history, we personally thank them for their support and explain, publicly, that this campaign is going to be focused only on the issues and what we intend to do about them. And that's it!
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We agree that whoever is elected into the position will consider the other candidates as advisors going forward.
3. Remove obstacles and Diversify our Economy so our over-dependence on tourism can be managed and our middle class can live and work here. For a long time tourism jobs have increased and professional and highly skilled positions have declined. Our city has made it very hard for a professional business, offering pay that allows people to live here, to want to relocate here, or to stay here. Many larger employers have left. We should also investigate the value of an Economic Development Committee for the city.
We have thousands of people commuting in and out of the Valley everyday... leaving for work outside of the valley and coming in for work from beyond. The strongest climate change mitigation we can enact is to reduce the number of commuters, in and out of the valley, as we can. Lower traffic, lower carbon emissions.
Our legal expenses have grown exponentially in the last five years. Every new legal expense over budget should be publicized, and every special interest lawsuit should be highlighted and fought. No more catering to the will of a few individuals who do not want to compromise through the normal forum of dialogue and cooperation.
1. Priorities
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A detailed plan to address the unhoused population at City Hall, including land acquisition (away from City Hall), non-profit partnership, and community investment
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An Ojai Cultural Contribution - 1/15 of TOT goes to Ojai's
non-profits
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Use a larger portion of tourism revenue for improved recreation for Ojai families
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Implement a semi-monthly collaboration with Emergency Services to be as prepared as possible for the next challenge
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Build financial incentives to encourage the switch to renewable energy, regenerative agriculture, and locally sourced food and fiber (perhaps the City financial surplus can be used for this)
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Involve the city to help support hyper-local initiatives, such ad the Community Famers Market and community gardens
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Support environmental policies that foster bio-diversity
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Enact a 25 MPH city-wide speed limit and adding flashing crosswalks in front of the arcade and OUSD, and a motorcycle officer dedicated to traffic enforcement
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Articulate and publish a concrete four-year city vision
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Revisit building codes to allow more flexible and timely innovations and explore adding local and sustainable building materials into the ministerial category
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Move from adversarial Pickleball options to collaborative ones
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Involve all of Ojai's public and private junior and high schools in city-collaborated community service projects
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Build more resources for young people in Ojai, such as an e-bike track
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Even with our recent rain, keep up the pace of our water conservation efforts
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Financially sponsor a regenerative agriculture demonstration project with a local farmer
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Work with the state and county to build broadband internet for the valley
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Repair the damaged portions of the bike path and explore an extension of the path to Soule Park
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Build truly collaborative relationships with partner agencies (OUSD, Sheriff's Department, CMWD, etc.)
Community, Roads, Safety, Environment
3. Revenue Proposals to Evaluate
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Complete budget and priority review in January 2025, with assessment of pensions commitment, etc.
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Explore a 1% sales tax increase on ballot
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Explore a 1-5% TOT increase on ballot, and options
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Additional staff evaluation for enforcement / revenue potential
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Research a high-dollar property sale tax for the ballot
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Review of disincentive to leaving properties vacant, repairing corridor blight
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Review a Short-Term Rental administrative fee and further increase of graduated lack-of-compliance fees
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Create an Economic Development Council to attract businesses to Ojai and to help new businesses establish themselves
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Have any increase in revenue explicitly attached to specific projects.
A balance for the entire community
4. Expense Proposals to Evaluate
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Revise road paving timeline (faster) and budget (larger), and research alternative materials to reduce carbon emissions
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Review budget for legal fees, and ensure every spend over budget is publicly highlighted
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Review VC Sheriff contract
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Libbey Bowl Investment (such as adding a permanent sound system)
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Continue the Active Transportation Project
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Commissioners to be offered a small stipend
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Ongoing evaluation of ordinances for actual, real world consequences
Support and Accountability
2. Improve Council Procedures
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Immediately move to ranked, at-large voting (instead of districts) in next election cycle (Measure M)
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Make the stronger case to the voters to have the mayor again become appointed from within the council, with all council members serving four-year terms
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Move to have the Mayor refrain from unilaterally placing items on the Council agenda
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Hold council meetings every Tuesday evening, and keep them shorter
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Publish agendas at least 7 days in advance
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Use a separate workshop model on detailed issues
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Use time-certain agendas and meeting extensions
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Record all closed sessions
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Have video playback on demand of prior City Council sessions, to avoid redundancy
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Initiate an Ethic Advisory Committee beginning in January 2025, as well as Governance training
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Have a review of City Attorney and legal expenses
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Have a rolling 12-month ordinance review, with items placed on every agenda
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Report of running priority list on every agenda posting
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Have a Valley-Wide Advisory Council, with a representative from Casitas Springs, Oak View, Mira Monte, Meiners Oaks, the Canyon, East End, and Upper Ojai, giving non-binding advice on pending discussion
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Have a Youth Council, with members aged 16-26, giving non-binding advice on pending discussion
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Immediately re-institute a Council Budget Committee.
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Get rid of the ropes separating the council from the public
We need more trust and collaboration
5. Improve Communication
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Every Tuesday morning, 9:00-11:00AM, and many Monday evenings, 5:30-7:00PM, I'm available for conversations in Libbey Park, at the fountain
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Website article publishing, and possible column in Ojai Valley News
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Valley-wide priority survey to every home in February 2025
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Monthly email from City with progress toward goals and budget
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Working with Ojai's realtors, create and distribute a welcome basket to all new residents, inviting them to become active, contributing citizens to our city
Everyone who wants to should know exactly what is going on... with data and plain language
I deeply believe that municipalities, without any binding authority and expressly beyond their scope, should not pass ordinances and declarations addressing national and international matters... especially when there are issues in this city and valley that are not yet solved.
Our Commissions have not been given proper priority, with the Parks and Rec Commission not meeting since June 2023, not having a quorum but having applicants. Further, this Council has continued to fight, for hours, about appointment procedures and applicants. This will need to be addressed immediately, as needed oversight is critically lacking.
Tuesday, September 10 interview with theOjai Valley News
I’m happy with the STR ordinances as they have emerged since 2016, and am in agreement with the increased enforcement the city is providing. I have not said, nor do I believe, that STR ordinances should be reversed. The only downside is that some of the hoped-for benefits from the STR changes, such as keeping housing costs low, have not resulted.