Eight political candidates or their representatives spoke on issues, offices, and propositions up for election on Nov. 5 at a Pacific Beach Town Council-sponsored candidate forum on Sept. 26 at Mission Bay Yacht Club.
The candidates included Terra Lawson-Remer, District 3 county supervisor (opposed by former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer); Heather Ferbert, city attorney; Jason Bercovitch, Scott Peters representative, Congress; James Fontaine, Prop. 36; Larry Turner, San Diego Independent mayoral candidate (opposing incumbent Democrat Mayor Todd Gloria); Haney Hong, SD Taxpayers Association opposing City Tax Measure E; Michael Zucchet of San Diego Municipal Employees Association favoring City Tax Measure E; and Republican James Browne (opposing incumbent Democrat Tasha Boerner representing State Assembly District 77).
The candidate forum involved a hybrid approach in which candidates gave short opening speeches before visiting tables comprised of community reps from Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, and La Jolla. There they answered group questions for 10 minutes. Afterward, the various community groups returned “scorecards” giving their take on the strong/weak points of each candidate.
“This is our first time hosting a forum of this format, which is going to be really fun and very productive,” said PBTC president Charlie Nieto adding, “We’ve got some fantastic speakers running for some local races.”
First up was Terra Lawson-Remer, District 3 county supervisor incumbent representing beach areas stretching from Carlsbad to Coronado. “I’ve worked as an economist and an attorney and was a senior adviser in the Obama administration who worked with the World Bank on climate and carbon finance,” Lawson-Remer said adding, “I’m trying to keep our water, air, and streets clean and keep this a beautiful place to raise a family.”
“Nobody knew about me six months ago and it’s been a really good ride learning about politics,” said mayoral candidate Larry Turner, a police officer and retired Marine, noting he’s running because he saw a “leadership void in city hall. It (mayoral election) is all about the basic things, the core functions that all of us agree on infrastructure, (public) safety, and homelessness,” he concluded.
Chief city deputy attorney Heather Ferbert is running to replace termed-out city attorney Mara Elliott. In group discussions, she characterized herself as a “problem solver. I’ve spent my entire legal career serving the citizens here in San Diego. I joined a firm representing the San Diego Housing Commission protecting, preserving, and building affordable housing. We need a city attorney who is a practicing attorney, has experience doing the job, and understands the role as not to be a politician, but to give legal advice.”
District 77 Assembly candidate James Browne is a novice politician who described himself as an “ordinary person with an extraordinary desire to do something great for my community, and wants to bring new leadership to Sacramento.” From a poor background, Browne is working in banking and finance and is a licensed loan officer and real estate agent now working his way through law school.
James Fontaine, a criminal prosecutor for two decades working for San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan, spoke on Prop. 36, which would increase penalties for theft and drug trafficking. “You have to have (drug) prevention messaging,” he said. “We have to talk to our youth and work on developing curriculums with our county schools so they can have drug prevention education that will protect them into the future.”
Haney Hong, president/CEO of San Diego Taxpayers Association, spoke against City Tax Measure E, which would raise the City’s sales tax by 1 cent from 7.75% to 8.75% to pay City public services. “We check past performance and whether management is going to deliver on the promises they’re making, and ensure there are protections,” Haney said of evaluating ballot measures adding, “Measure E fails to meet those marks. We want to put money where it’s going to be managed well. We needed to put a sunset clause in this measure.”
Michael Zucchet, general manager of a union, San Diego Municipal Employees Association, representing half of all City workers, supported Tax Measure E. “San Diego’s City sales tax is the lowest sales tax rate of any City in the County of San Diego,” Zucchet said. “Measure E suggests raising that (sales tax) by one penny, and all of that penny stays right here in San Diego to be spent on roads, streetlights, sidewalks, public safety, parks, libraries.”
Jason Bercovitch representing U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (D-50) in California said: “Scott has been proud to represent this area for the past decade, which now covers the whole coast of San Diego as well as Downtown. He has largely centered himself on helping our military and veterans, protecting the environment, and also trying to work across the (political) aisle to get things done.”
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
Here is some feedback from community group members following the candidate forum:
TERRA LAWSON-REMER FOR COUNTY SUPERVISOR
Good points: More rent subsidies for renters, favors funding for mental health, needs to shift County focus towards programs that are working and reduce waste spending with those that aren’t,
Strengths: Sincere, yet also had a lot of rehearsed statements. Understands economics and the law. Worked with the Obama administration. Policy wonk.
Weaknesses: Needs shortened answers and intentional responses to answer more questions.
LARRY TURNER FOR MAYOR
Good points: Favors beds for the homeless and then they will not be allowed to remain on the street, notes police are currently too overburdened so some responsibilities ought to be shifted to other departments. Doesn’t favor too much density, more in favor of “building out.”
Strengths: Realistic about limitations, high energy, is against the politicians that have been around for decades, lots of experience with policing and police-community relations, fun to engage with, the independent candidate.
Weaknesses: Lack of experience in governance, may have trouble with coalition building if elected.
HEATHER FERBERT FOR CITY ATTORNEY
Good points: Supports more protections for taxpayers, made the case that we need to “protect housing.”
Strengths: Honest, fast thinker, balanced, has a good understanding of the role of the city attorney, good relationship with new chief of police.
Weaknesses: Needs less hedging, doesn’t always take accountability for some flaws of the present administration she is part of, doesn’t have a strong enough stance on short-term vacation rentals.
JAMES BROWNE FOR STATE ASSEMBLY
Good points: Republican who warns about the impacts of a super-majority, wants to bring a new perspective to the office and challenge the powers that be.
Strengths: Energetic, passionate, businessman working to become an attorney, clearly took a more restrictive position on homelessness, the gas tax, and taxes in general.
Weaknesses: Lack of experience or background relevant to the office.
HANEY HONG – AGAINST CITY TAX MEASURE E
Good points: Made a good case for why there needs to be a sunset clause of accountability with the tax measure, points out the city has an extremely poor track record when it comes to financial issues.
Strengths: Knowledgeable, honest, and sincere, passionate about protecting taxpayers and holding government accountable, happy to engage with voters
Weaknesses: None.
MICHAEL ZUCCHET – FOR CITY TAX MEASURE E
Good points: Thoroughly outlined the plan for funding allocation, outlines that the current system doesn’t properly allow for long-term planning, and makes a good case for why a 1 cent sales tax is a better option.
Strengths: Listened to opposing viewpoints, wants taxes to be used to improve roads and infrastructure, and had a tough job defending the tax measure.
Weaknesses: Used factually incorrect statements to support his arguments.
JAMES FONTAINE – FOR PROP. 36
Good points: Perfectly outlined the proposition’s impacts on jail time and retail theft.
Strengths: Well-informed on what the prop can and cannot do, inspires confidence, direct, articulate, and answers directly on point, criminal prosecutor
Weaknesses: None. all participants who gave feedback stated they were completely convinced to be in favor of Prop 36.
JASON BERCOVITCH REPRESENTING SCOTT PETERS FOR CONGRESS
Good points: Beautifully discussed the progress being made on the Tijuana sewage crisis, and stressed the need to streamline the environmental approval process and permitting.
Strengths: Informed and energetic conveyor of the party line, very transparent.
Weaknesses: Access to appropriate authorities, yet minimal actual results.
