MARCH TO OFFICE

On March 3 Chula Vista voters will be asked to vote for city council representatives in District 3 and District 4. In the weeks leading up to the election The Star-News will publish Q & a with various candidates.

Doug Wolf
DISTRICT 3 CANDIDATE

1. How will your professional experience help you serve the city of Chula Vista?

As a small business owner, I am constantly looking for ways to keep my costs down so that I can continue to offer my service at a price that is affordable to most people. This translates to serving the residents of Chula Vista so that policies considered and implemented must be done so with the public interest first. I am very aware that as a small business owner, if I am not responsive to me customers needs, they will go somewhere else. Government officials need to have that same mindset.

2. What is the most pressing issue in your district, and how will you address it?

Growth and the related issues that follow; more people means more traffic and congestion. We need wider roads, better traffic patterns with better access to school drop off zones. In district 3, there have been just two new elementary schools built in the past 7 years with another on the way. In eastern Chula Vista, there has not been a new middle school built in over 15 years or high school built since 2007. We need more schools to support the growth.

3. What should the city’s overall priorities be, and how will those priorities impact your district?

A city’s elected officials’ first priority is the welfare and safety of its residents. A large part of the growth in our city is occurring in district 3. There is still a lot of undeveloped land in the district, so that will continue to be the case for years to come. That will mean more people more traffic and more crowded schools. We need more schools and a larger police presence. I support a police sub-station in district 3.

4. In the last year Chula Vista became certified as a Welcoming City. It was ranked the second in the New American Economy’s list of cities across the nation that are most supportive of immigrants. How can Chula Vista continue to uphold these standards and be a welcoming place for immigrants?

Chula Vista has always been a welcoming city and will continue to be. Diversity is wonderful, everyone that I meet and speak with agrees with that. However, they also agree that immigration must be done legally. Many people living in Chula Vista have immigrated or have parents that did from other countries and did so legally. They tell me that illegal immigration it is a slap in the face to what they and their parents did. We all decide who we will allow into our own house, a nation has that right as well.

5. How will marijuana dispensaries impact your district? Do    you think maximizing the total number of allowable stores per district is a good move?

I am not a fan of legalized marijuana. I am not talking about medical marijuana that helps people going through cancer treatments or other legitimate medical treatments. I do not think that the short-term benefit of increased tax receipts offsets the long-term danger to children and young adults. However, if there is going to be dispensaries in the city, they should not be anywhere near schools, and not be allowed to advertise in anyway.

6. Do you think the current salary for a city council member is fair? Should it be a full-time job?

It is fair for the time being. However as our city grows, the time commitment on city council members will as well. So at some point, maybe 300,000 maybe 400,000 residents, the city council position will need to be a full time position.

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