This Election is Not a Referendum on SB9

My opponent seems to have a strange obsession with California Senate Bill 9 (SB9), passed in 2021. I have written extensively about this bill and my plan to help our city develop effective policies to address our state-allocated housing requirements (feel free to read my position on SB9, or why my opponent’s uproar over SB9 is kind of silly). My opponent's attempts to paint me as some kind of crazed developer hell-bent on destroying the city perhaps speaks to my opponent’s lack of a record to run on.

This election is about the vision for Solana Beach that I share with you and so many others. I am a forward-thinker who recognizes that some change is coming to our city, whether we like it or not. Some changes have been imposed on us by the state to address the crippling shortage of housing in California. We shouldn't stick our heads in the sand and pretend this isn't happening. I am committed to dealing directly with the state’s mandates. I will also focus on numerous other issues, including:

• Bringing greater transparency and accountability to our city government

• Improving our Climate Action Plan to include an Implementation Plan and address climate equity

• Making short-term improvements to bike/walk safety as we work toward longer major infrastructure improvements

• Supporting local small businesses and encouraging better economic development of our shopping areas to build vibrant communities

• Developing meaningful and reasonable housing policies to address our state-allocated housing requirements

• Finally getting our Local Coastal Program certified by the Coastal Commission so we can regain local control over coastal development

• Restoring Solana Beach’s position as an environmental leader

• Engaging our residents by providing better communications and holding more meaningful public conversations

I am inspired by San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera comment at last week’s Nexus Climate Conference sponsored by the Climate Action Campaign:

“The future I want is one where everyone has the opportunity to fulfill their potential. It’s a vibrant community where folks of different backgrounds can live and work together and see successes bound together. If we win, I think we fundamentally shift the way the government thinks about its role, away from the status quo, which tries to avoid responsibility and accountability, to one that tries to make life better for people.”

I share this vision of the future, and ask for your vote if you too believe that Solana Beach has not yet met its full potential, but with hard work and honest communication, we can get there together.