There are four candidates running for Chula Vista mayor. This week The Star-News features answers from two of those four. The two candidates with the most votes in June move on to the November runoff election.
HOW WILL YOU STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMY?
Mary Casillas Salas: We are strengthening Chula Vista’s economy with the recent approval of the financial agreements for the hotel and convention center on our bayfront. This development will result in more than 2,000 construction jobs and almost 5,000 permanent jobs. It will also act as a catalyst for the development of the remaining 450 acres on the bayfront. The construction of RV parks, housing, additional hotels, retail and restaurant space on our bayfront will further enhance our economy and the spillover effect of these developments will spur the revitalization of the Broadway corridor, continue the renaissance of our Third Avenue Village, increase property values throughout western Chula Vista, and provide increased opportunities to our residents for the enjoyment of the bay.
We have been designated as a national test site for autonomous vehicles and as a test site for the developing drone industry. We are working very hard to promote construction of office space in Millenia to attract more high tech jobs into our community.
Higher educational opportunities in our University Innovation District will provide our students with a chance to obtain university degrees, and it will encourage the companies that depend on a university-trained labor force to locate their operations in our city.
HECTOR GASTELUM: Hector Gastelum will strengthen our economy by reducing the size of government. The philosophy is simple: Bigger citizen and smaller government, we don’t need our local government micro-managing our lives and businesses. That was the philosophy of our Founding Fathers, we need to get back to basics.
Chula Vista will become business-friendly by eliminating two existing regulations for every new regulation.
Hector Gastelum will make sure our Chula Vista bayfront is finally built.
Hector Gastelum will streamline the permit process to all Chula Vista residents; making sure the Chula Vista Bayfront is built on time and ensuring your home or business remodel plans get approved quickly and are less costly.
Hector Gastelum will go to bat on behalf of Chula Vistans and our Chula Vista malls by demanding the 125 is free to carpools initially, with the long-term goal of eliminating the toll completely. This will reduce the traffic congestion on the 5 and 805, it’ll also reduce carbon emissions and bring families from all over San Diego County to shop at our Chula Vista malls —where we see a revolving door of businesses going broke because of recycled politicians full of bad ideas.
WHAT DOES CHULA VISTA LOOK LIKE AT THE END OF YOUR FOUR-YEAR TERM?
GASTELUM: Our Chula Vista bayfront will be built.
We’ll have our budget under control. Most of our elected officials (both parties) are controlled by special interests. That’s the reason our city is broke!
Chula Vista will become business friendly by reducing the red-tape on folks who want to open/grow their business. Hector Gastelum will promote Chula Vista as a place to invest so every morning we are not escaping our beautiful city to go work to the business-friendly parts of San Diego County.
‘Volunteerism’ will be required for government assistance. JFK’s philosophy of “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country” will come back. No more handouts!
Hector Gastelum will repair our aging infrastructure. The revenue will come from prosperity generated by a growing local economy that comes with deregulation.
A booming economy can come to Chula Vista and California if we allow the right ideas to flourish in government just like it happened nationally. While some may not like President Trump the numbers don’t lie, GDP growth is almost twice what it was under Obama, hispanic and black unemployment are at historic lows. Don’t believe me? Google it!
CASILLAS SALAS: The addition of a new hotel/convention center on our Bayfront and the university in eastern Chula Vista, will provide jobs, shopping, dining and new entertainment options in our city.
Thanks to Measure P, we will also see a number of improvements throughout Chula Vista.
Two fire stations (5 & 7) will be completely re-built. We will build new fire stations at Millenia and on the Bayfront. This year, 300 residential streets totaling more than 30 miles will be re-built starting with the streets with the poorest pavement condition. All of our recreation and senior centers will see improvements.
There will be new Rapid Bus lines linking Otay Ranch with downtown and Imperial Beach. Linking these new bus lines, will be a network of autonomous electric vehicles that will take us from our home to the bus stop. We will ease traffic congestion on Palomar Street near the Trolley, by separating cars and the railroad tracks.
Broadway, Third Avenue Village and Otay Ranch Center will offer new entertainment and dining options.
Finally, we will continue to be one of the safest cities in the country.
HOW SHOULD CHULA VISTA ADDRESS THE HOMELESS ISSUE?
CASILLAS SALAS: Homelessness is one of the most difficult issues for cities across the nation. Civil rights and human decency make it illegal to simply round up or to arrest the homeless, simply for not having a home.
The lack of resources and available bed space for the mentally ill, also make it difficult to deal with those that are chronically homeless.
Chula Vista has dedicated two police officers, a park ranger and public works crews to the Homeless Outreach Team that cooperates with County mental health specialists, health care professionals and non-profit organizations to evaluate and help the homeless find shelter. The team makes weekly contact with the homeless in our parks and on our streets.
They have been successful in finding permanent shelter for dozens of people and families, but we must do more.
Working with the county of San Diego, we must provide additional treatment shelters for the mentally ill, and rehabilitation opportunities for those that want to kick their addiction to drugs.
For those homeless that have the ability and desire to work, we must provide storage space, job training, and a place for their laundry and personal hygiene.
Of course, any that are caught breaking the law should be arrested.
GASTELUM: Hector Gastelum will take this problem away from the taxpayer and delegate it to the non-profits, charities and VA. They will give homeless people the hope, opportunity and treatment to get rid of the substance abuse, PTSD and other issues that led them to their current situation.
We need to stop thinking that government is the solution to everything, when in many cases government is the problem. There’s rarely accountability when the easy money comes from government. In order for government to give, it must first take it first from we the taxpayer.
Personal responsibility needs to come back to the picture.
Begging for money is already illegal under the Vagrancy Act of 1824. Vagrancy laws will be applied to the homeless by taking them to jail with non-violent offenders. If you coddle the problem it’ll grow, just like we see in Downtown San Diego.
We can be compassionate and fair at the same time by working with the non-profits, charities and VA on these issues. At the same time, we need to be mindful of the citizen taxpayer. Hector Gastelum will not throw away your hard-earned money at this problem.
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON MEASURE A?
GASTELUM: Absolutely no!
Let’s call it what it really is: A pension tax!
We need to start electing folks whose primary allegiance is to the Chula Vista Citizen Taxpayer, not the self-serving unions who elect the puppets (on both parties) that’ll grant them the lavish benefits and pensions that are not available to we the people in the real world.
As soon as she got elected, the current mayor has been working on raising our taxes. In 2016, she supported every tax Increase (1/2 cent sales tax increase, property tax increase and the fraudulent SANDAG tax).
Chula Vista is already looking at a $2.2 million deficit for next year. The city’s estimates show that at the current pace, Chula Vista’s budget deficit will grow to $26.6 million by 2023 (that’s just 5 years away!) and $43.4 million by 2028.
Hector Gastelum will lead the effort to do pension reform one way or another. Hector Gastelum will try negotiation first, and a ballot initiative if negotiation goes nowhere. If both fail Chula Vista will be so bankrupt, pensions will be cut by force in bankruptcy court like we’ve seen in other municipalities.
CASILLAS SALAS: I support Measure A. We are one of the safest cities in the country and public safety must remain our top priority. Two-thirds of the city’s general fund budget is spent on police and fire services, yet we have the fewest police and firefighters per capita in the state.
The national average for firefighters is 0.88 per thousand in population. Chula Vista has 0.44 firefighters per thousand. For police, the national standard is two officers per thousand. Chula Vista has 0.87 officers per thousand. While our officers and firefighters do a great job, they are stretched thin.
The reason for this under-staffing is that the total of all revenues generated in the city equal $553 for every man, woman and child. National City generates $844 per capita, San Diego generates $953, Coronado $2,057 and Del Mar $2,597. The development of our bayfront, the new hotels in eastern Chula Vista, the University Innovation District, and the office space in Millenia will help increase and diversify revenues to the city and are a long-term solution. But that is going to take time, and our officers and firefighters need help now.
Measure A will allow us to hire 43 police personnel and 36 firefighters and help keep our families safe.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF CHULA VISTA IN ENFORCING IMMIGRATION LAWS?
CASILLAS SALAS: Chula Vista has a solemn duty and responsibility to keep its residents safe. All of our residents must be treated with dignity and must feel comfortable in approaching law enforcement to report crimes, whether they are victims or witnesses.
That is generally the experience of everyone in Chula Vista, regardless of immigration status. That is why we are one of the safest cities in the country. There is an excellent relationship between the community and our police officers—one built on trust and respect.
We have a long-standing policy to not ask about immigration status during interactions between our police and community residents. This policy works—for all of us. It keeps us safe and it inspires confidence in our police department.
According to the U.S. Constitution and all legal precedents, it is solely the responsibility of the federal government to make and enforce immigration laws.
GASTELUM: Hector Gastelum will get rid of the Sanctuary City aka Welcoming City on day one! Chula Vista will no longer be a sanctuary for illegals.
According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), illegal immigration costs American Taxpayers between $100-$200 billion dollars annually.
Hector Gastelum will ensure our local law enforcement will fully cooperate with Border Patrol, ICE, DEA, FBI and every department of Homeland Security.
America is the best country in the world by far because we have respect for our Constitution and our laws. A country that doesn’t enforce its laws or borders stops being a country.
Hector Gastelum—like many of our taxpayers— is sick and tired of our corrupt politicians (both parties) advocating for open borders.
On one hand, Democrats benefit by converting illegals into voters when the California DMV gives them a driver’s license application together with the application to register to vote.
Republicans benefit ‘Big Business’ by providing them with cheap labor, leaving legal Americans with reduced wages by competing with aspiring immigrants who’ll work for less, by abusing the H-1B visa system.
Hector Gastelum will make sure we put #AmericaFirst by putting Chula Vista First!
