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Redding council hopefuls answer Question 1
We asked the eight Redding City Council candidates to answer one question a week for nine weeks until the Nov. 4 election. Here is Question 1 again, and the candidates’ answers, word for word, in the order in which they were received:
QUESTION 1
What is the single most important issue facing Redding in the next two to four years, and how will you educate yourself about it?
Ken Murray
The most important issue is managing the budget, especially during these tight economic times. We must be vigilant and proactive in protecting ourselves from a repeat of the state budget raids that have occurred in years past. We must live within our means. We must prioritize. We may need to downsize. We should examine opportunities for contracting out services. We should not ask for voters to approve a tax increase. We must secure the future for our children by being good stewards of what we have.
I have already been educated about budget and financing options, including the laws applicable to the City of Redding, through participation in the process for several years. Unlike my opponents I will not need a two year period to get “up to speed” on things such as the Ten Year Plan, Capital Improvement Plan, Prop. 215 limits on fee’s, Gann Debt Limits, Enterprise Fund Limits, cash management, electric debt restructuring, liability laws and the myriad other details of budget and cash flow issues applicable to the City of Redding.
Securing Our Future through sound fiscal policy must be at the core of any program, policy or initiative proposed by any candidate.
Dick Dickerson
The overriding issue for Redding, and indeed all of Shasta County, is how we deal with the inevitable growth in our area. Because of the current economic slowdown, housing starts, and other economic indicators are down, we will recover, and now is the time to educate ourselves and begin serious discussions on growth.
In the next few months and years we must all educate ourselves on this issue. State Legislative actions, such as SB375, will influence land use planning. We must understand the ramification of that bill. I have been involved in recent local efforts to gather information from citizens on their views and values relative to growth. That information will soon be available to the public. It is my hope that everyone who is concerned about our future will educate themselves and become involved in decision making on this issue, I know I will.
The time is here, when we as a community must decide if the local agencies having land use authority, (county and 3 cities) are going to work together or go it alone.
James McDilda
The City of Redding is facing some very difficult times with a long list of issues. The single most important issue? Where is the leadership going to come from? The leadership that is needed to deal with the tough budget problems and deciding what issues will have priority. We need leadership to work for the common good and not any special interests. The time has come to have a cohesive and transparent panel of individuals who have the same vision for our City.
There are many times in business when I am faced with questions and my decisions affect many lives over and above my own. I have made it my policy to seek out answers from well-informed people outside of my immediate resources. This would include experts, specialists and individuals involved with a working knowledge of an issue. Taking the time to gain sufficient knowledge far outweighs the risk of making a poor decision.
Gary Cadd
As an attendee of City Council meetings for the past 3 years, I have become increasingly concerned regarding the spending proposals, policies and benefit packages that have recently come before our Council that are not reflective of our community.
With one California city already in bankruptcy and others perilously close, we must demand our City government become more fiscally sound. Just with the $93 million unfunded retirement packages that have encumbered our City for years to come, I believe my concern is warranted. We “rob Peter to pay Paul” by shuffling funds from one City department to another without public clarity or transparency. Some departments are being used as a “cash cow” to underwrite deficiencies in other departments.
The suggestion of expanded fees and taxes to accommodate unrestrained spending practices is not the answer. A culture change is! We need to modify our spending practices so that we live within our means while making the permitting process for new jobs and industry less cumbersome so that development thrives and City coffers are replenished.
I am committed to leading these changes by using common sense, fiscal discipline and integrity for the benefit of the taxpayers of Redding.
Russell Hunt
My biggest concern is more jobs and better jobs. People can’t afford to purchase homes and the things they need for their families. They are heartstricken at their inability to get ahead. Many give up and move away. The City has pushed the tourism industry for the last forty years as the answer. But minimum wages jobs are not what we need.
I am proposing a whole new approach to the problem . The City of Redding will hire consultants to study industries that will be feasible in this area based on the natural resources available to us. The Economic Development Corporation with the help of local business leaders will organize the corporations that will manufacture such products. Possiblities include meat packing, speciality steels, recycling products, drywall, ethanol from wood, and furniture making to name a few. Business plans will be drawn up and stocks will be sold. The City’s role is to provide the seed money for these new corporation, but not to finance or manage these private businesses.
Waiting for industries to drop in is no longer an acceptable approach to economic improvement. We must do it ourselves and do it now.
John Wood
The most important issue is giving the voters — the public — more of a say-so in how city government is run. You educate yourself every day in how to do that. The City Council could have town hall meetings every week or so before issues have discussions, and not let some of this stuff going by the wayside go by the wayside. The public has not enough say-so and not enough information. It’s an open government of, for and by the people. We’ve gotten away from it too far, and I’d like to see it pulled back. We must have more participation, and the public has to be less complacent and ask more questions.
Missy McArthur
I believe fiscal integrity, which has many facets, is the biggest issue facing Redding: from the solid waste fiasco, to shuffling funds from one department to another, to balancing income/expenses (like every household must do), to planning for the future. It all boils down to doing business in a transparent manner with appropriate checks and balances in place to be sure we can meet essential services, like police and fire, and still have some funding for parks/trails and building projects. Restoring accountability to city government and sound financial planning will be critical to the future economic and physical growth of our community.
Using the family as a “miniature Redding” role model, the family must be able to pay for housing and food to survive, but hopefully the family will have some funds to go out for an evening. At the same time, the children are being raised to do the right thing: that it is wrong to steal or be dishonest.
Redding is at a crossroads. We need a cool head, consensus, and common sense in order to move forward in a positive direction: I am that person.
Terry Oxley - no answer.
1,394 views
Thank you, THANK YOU. This is a terrific public service. Am forwarding it to my addressee list.
Luise
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OK, I see how it is. Once again the voice of the Imaginary Peoples Party (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Nat’l Surrealist Light People’s Party) candidate goes unheeded by the media moguls at Food for Thought: A News Café. Did anyone bother to ask me what I thought? Sure, it’s only a write-in campaign (I was too tired to go to City Hall and get the papers), but it’s a campaign nonetheless. I have a website. I have bumper stickers. Heck, I even have endorsements! But, do I get any love from the Redding media? Guess not.
If I can’t even get on a rinky-dink website like this one, what does that say about America? I’ll tell you what it says, it says, “The inconsequential among you can go sit in the corner and play with your crayons and try to adjust the reception on your tinfoil hats, because all of us Consequential People in Redding aren’t taking you seriously,” that’s what it says. Well, take notice Consequential People, we the Inconsequential People have something to say; We’re Here, We’re Unclear, Get Used To Us!
Since when did you have to know what you were doing to be on the city council? Let me ask you voters this simple question; Time and time again you’ve elected “Officially Sanctioned Candidates” and what has it gotten you? I readily admit that I don’t know which end of a bazooka to blow on but I’m willing to bet I couldn’t do any worse than the Smart Guys you’ve elected so far. Shoot, I promise if I’m elected I won’t even show up for council meetings! Do the math, if I’m not there we’ve effectively reduced the “doing something stupid to Redding” factor by 1/5. Where else can you get a deal like that? Are you going to argue with MATHEMATICAL FACT!?!?
Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Well, I’m no Einstein, but I’m NOT INSANE, either. So, go ahead, keep voting in the same old clowns. Or, you can take your crayon (or Waxy Weapon Of Democracy as we like to call ‘em) and exercise your writes by writing-in a NEW clown! There is only one transparent candidate not on the ballot and that’s me, Philbert D. Cartoonist. I’m UnKnown, UnQualified and UnWilling…I’m also UnPregnant for that matter. The choice is unclear, so vote for me.
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you should ask jim mcdilda about his real estate venture being forclosed on to the tune of 3 million dollars.
great financial managemet
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Philbert’s clarity in pursuing a write in campaign for council is unquestionable. When he shouts a MATHMATICAL FACT he is stating a principle clearly. How can he assert that he is UnKnown, UnQualified and UnWilling while utilizing capital letters? It seems to be a cry for substance recognition, which is at odds with his alleged affiliation with the Imaginary Peoples Party. True IPP adherents would never demand an investigative report by the very professional medial moguls he has so caustically chastised not would they ever use capital letters. Further, his cry “We’re Here, We’re Unclear” is out of touch with mainstream party principles. One cannot be here and unclear at the same time. True lack of clarity can, by definition, never grasp the concept of here. It is obvious Philbert is just another “poser”, albeit a lazy one, rather than a fully disfunctional member of the Nat’l Surrealist Light Peoples Party. Surrealists at all ends of the political spectrum unanimously agree that claims of reality violate basic party principles. Throw the poser out!
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Is Stillwater really that important? There are no guarantees that companys will pay more than minimum wage. Also, I don’t think many companys are willing to move at this time. The other thing is: did we get a vote? This is our tax money you are spending. Let’s not spend on some non guaranteed project. We definitely need more work on roads (but not all at once, why did that happen?). Don’t you think the people of this community should have more of a say so?
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OK, Philbert. I’ll bite. How would YOU, a write-in candidate, answer this first question?:
What is the single most important issue facing Redding in the next two to four years, and how will you educate yourself about it?
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That’s a good question, Doni. A question that good deserves a well thought out response, but instead, let me answer it.
Hmmm… usually, the most important issue of any year is Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue, so I’ll go with that.
To educate myself fully on the young, nubile female form I’ll need a copy of today’s front page with the Daisy Duke Dancers struttin’ their stuff on a shiny new bar. I heard they were photographed while working… I guess they had bar towels wrapped around their Go-Go boots and they were “cleanin’ up” as it’s known in the trade. It’s nice to see working girls pictured in the local news racks. Disspells the whole unemployment thing, don’t it? Speaking of racks, is one of them an elk hunter from Alaska?
Also, I would like to warn my esteemed and pressed opponent, Mr. Murray, that the whole “funny thing” should be left to those with no discernable skills, like cartoonists. If not careful a “funny candidate” could end up like me…unemployed and with no real prospects. I may have to resort to dancing in my cut-offs to make a buck, and nobody wants that to happen.
So, Doni, are you sorry you asked yet?
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I think Ken Murray may have just earned my vote on his response to Philbert. Heh heh… *He said ‘Poser’* heh heh….
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To Ken Murray:
Do you still stand behind your rejection of Gail Rich’s nomination to the planning commision?
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I’m not running for office, but I think the most important issue for all the cities/townships in Shasta Co. is for the governing bodies to give the property/home owners as much of a break as possible. This recession, which is bordering on a Depression, will continue to depress the economy in so many ways for several years to come. Property owners/realtors are going to have to re-circle the wagons and give renters a break. It would be more practical to have a renter or business remain in there location then be vacant. A negotiated reduced amount is better then nothing. Otherwise, we will see increased homeless persons filling our sidewalks/parks. This related phenomenon, homeless Americans in our midst, is a serious part of Shasta Co. Did you ever think you would see this in our north state ? It’s here and has to be dealt with. It seems, at times, that with all of the social service agencies, virtually nothing is helping to reduce the street people dilemma. They aren’t going away. Is there too much criteria when filling out those forms, causing folks to fall thru the cracks ? What is the method of getting this solved and in a reasonable time frame ? These questions and more should be on the minds of groups/churches meeting all over the county to solve this serious problem.
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For Russell Hunt. That is not how I want my tax money spent on more outside consultants and studys. There is far too much of that!!! pjp
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Russell - you say that “The City’s role is to provide the seed money for these new corporation, but not to finance or manage these private businesses.” Isn’t that a bit of a contradiction? Providing seed money is not financing? Are you suggesting the City engage in Venture Capital Funding? It sounds like you are taking a Field of Dreams position. If we build it (meat packing, furniture building, steel manufacturing,) they (consumers) will come. Really? Many a good business plan has failed because the market didin’t respond. Gambling with taxpayers’ money on start-up companies as you appear to be suggesting doesn’t seem like a smart idea.
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I have to agree with Mr. Hunt that, although his methods may not be well thought out, the Redding area absolutely needs to attract larger businesses to provide jobs. I’ve only lived here a couple years, but one of my earliest impressions was, “Wow, there’s a lot of empty space around Redding. Why haven’t some of the larger western corporations established HQ’s or warehouses here? I mean, it’s got I-5, the Sacramento River, relatively inexpensive land,(at least for California), and a huge amount of people who need jobs. Our family spent years driving through Redding and seeing it as nothing more than a glorified truck stop. We’d grab an In-And-Out burger and fill up the gas tank and get back on the road. (That’s another thing: Redding is well known as the home of the first In & Out you come to when driving from Portland.) However after living here a short time we began to see what a beautiful place it really is, and SO MUCH POTENTIAL! The last thing I want is to watch it turn into some Stockton-like industrial armpit, but there have to be some clean industries that can make a home here and employ those who have lived too long on public assistance. That would help so many people get off the government nipple and re-establish their sense of personal worth. Again, coming from “the outside” I was struck with the hopelessness and poverty that seems to opress the people here and the general mindset that it’s not going to improve.
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