COUNCIL CANDIDATES DISCUSS THE ISSUES.Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer Job creation, providing medical services and law enforcement are among the issues mentioned by 13 candidates in a race for two City Council seats. Running for the two seats are Allen Baumann, Al Beattie, Kevin Carney car·ney n. Informal Variant of carny. , Dawn Charlton, Sandy Corrales Corrales can refer to: People
American painter of primitive works, notably The Peaceable Kingdom, of which nearly 100 versions exist. , Bill Holmes Bill Holmes (born March 9, 1899 in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba) is a former ice hockey centre. He played in the NHL for the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Americans. External links Bill Holmes's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database , Dan Kumaus, Alan Lee Jr., Bernie Longjohn and Michael Scott Michael Scott or Mike Scott may be: Novelists:
Councilmen Joe Davies and David Myers decided not to run for re-election. ALLEN BAUMANN Baumann, 60, is a retired Army officer. To create jobs, Baumann believes the city needs to organize a coalition of civic leaders, representatives from Antelope Valley College Antelope Valley College is a comprehensive community college located in Lancaster, California, USA. It is operated by the Antelope Valley Community College District, with a primary service area of 1,945 square miles covering portions of Los Angeles and Kern counties. , Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 301,000 acres (121,805 hectares), S Calif., NE of Lancaster; est. 1933. It is one of the largest air force bases in the United States and has the world's longest runway. and neighboring neigh·bor n. 1. One who lives near or next to another. 2. A person, place, or thing adjacent to or located near another. 3. A fellow human. 4. Used as a form of familiar address. v. Lancaster to recruit businesses to the region. Baumann refers to the coalition as a ``one face, one voice'' contact for businesses. The coalition also would be responsible for pushing for improvements to the Palmdale Regional Airport. The city should provide infrastructure - roads, utilities and so forth - to help attract businesses, Baumann said. Baumann said he would like to see the city create mentoring programs, for economic and educational purposes. One such mentoring group would be comprised of business people who could help others through the process of starting a business. Another mentoring group would be older citizens to reach out and help children in grades one through three. On law enforcement, Baumann said he would like to see a cost analysis between continuing to contract for service from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department This article is about the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department, not to be confused with the smaller Los Angeles County Police The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) is a local law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. vs. the city starting its own police department. AL BEATTIE Beattie, 55, is the owner of an auto muffler muffler, in automobiles, device designed to reduce the noise from the exhaust of an internal-combustion engine. When the exhaust gases from an internal-combustion engine are released directly into the atmosphere, they create a loud noise, caused by the passage of the shop. To create jobs, Beattie said the city needs to aggressively recruit businesses and promote the creation of buildings for new industries to rent - called ``spec,'' for speculation, building. Beattie said the city should look to create incentives to encourage the use of vacant commercial buildings. Beattie said Palmdale must press the city of Los Angeles
Palmdale needs to review the housing element of its General Plan, Beattie said. ``We should not become the answer for every Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County community's low-income housing needs,'' Beattie said. On law enforcement, Beattie said the city needs to provide a sheriff's dispatch A dispatch or dispatches can refer to:
Beattie also wants to see a review of statistics on how many parolees there are in the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley and press the state to provide funding to monitor them. KEVIN CARNEY Carney, 48, is a sheriff's sergeant. To create jobs, Carney said the city needs to encourage private investors to build large spec buildings, 100,000 square feet or greater, to attract larger manufacturing companies. Carney said the city should not be providing incentives to bring retail businesses. On law enforcement, Carney said he would increase the number of deputies on the street and try to bring more target-oriented policing programs, particularly those aimed at gang members. ``I believe the budget can be massaged to garner more deputies on the street,'' Carney said. Carney said he would work to bring a hospital to Palmdale. That could be done through the combined efforts of the city, the Antelope Valley Hospital district, the county and private physicians. Palmdale should revisit re·vis·it tr.v. re·vis·it·ed, re·vis·it·ing, re·vis·its To visit again. n. A second or repeated visit. re its General Plan to try to reduce the number of low-income apartments that could come be built. If possible, Carney would like to see a light rail or trolley trolley: see streetcar. system linking the eastside to the westside. DAWN CHARLTON Charlton, 48, is a real estate broker. On job creation, Charlton said the city must work with the other communities of the Antelope Valley to present a united front when recruiting businesses. Incentives to attract businesses should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Charlton also wants to see an end to bidding wars between Palmdale and Lancaster over retail businesses and the sales tax sales tax, levy on the sale of goods or services, generally calculated as a percentage of the selling price, and sometimes called a purchase tax. It is usually collected in the form of an extra charge by the retailer, who remits the tax to the government. revenue they provide. ``What I would like to see put in place is an agreement between Palmdale and Lancaster, based on a mutual respect and a common goal, that would not allow retailers to play one against the other in a bidding war,'' Charlton said. Charlton also believes the city needs to have a person or a department track various grant programs that are available through the federal government, state and other sources so that Palmdale could compete for those funds. SANDY CORRALES Corrales, 34, is a graphic designer. To create jobs, Corrales said she would become actively involved in the recruitment of businesses, making sure they know Palmdale is friendly to business. Corrales said the city needs to hold quarterly meetings with members of the Palmdale Chamber of Commerce on issues affecting their businesses. ``I would also offer a 5 percent preference to local vendors when bidding for city contracts so that the workers in those companies can support their families,'' Corrales said. To attract industry, Corrales said the city should offer incentives such as fee waivers and land. The city should also enter into a partnership with a developer to build larger buildings on spec On Spec is a digest-sized, perfect-bound, Canadian quarterly magazine publishing stories and poetry in science fiction, fantasy, and allied genres. It started publishing in 1989, and is based in Edmonton, Alberta. so they would be available for companies looking to relocate re·lo·cate v. re·lo·cat·ed, re·lo·cat·ing, re·lo·cates v.tr. To move to or establish in a new place: relocated the business. v.intr. . Corrales said the city should offer incentives to retail businesses moving into the downtown area. JOHN CRAFT Craft, 65, is an accountant. Craft said he wants to overhaul the city's planning system See spreadsheet and financial planning system. to make it easier for companies to open a business. ``Business people are being beaten to death by the planning commission Noun 1. planning commission - a commission delegated to propose plans for future activities and developments commission, committee - a special group delegated to consider some matter; "a committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours" - Milton Berle ,'' Craft said. To help create jobs, Craft said the city should work to bring in a convention center. Once the center is in, the city needs to work to be known as the major place to hold a convention in California. Craft said the city needs to provide medical facilities but not necessarily a full-blown hospital. The city needs to have a place for emergencies where patients can come to be treated before being sent to a hospital. Craft said the city should work with private parties or universities, such as the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA comprises the College of Letters and Science (the primary undergraduate college), seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools. Since 2001, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students, and that number is steadily rising. , to create the medical facilities. MIKE DISPENZA Dispenza, 61, is an insurance agent. To attract industry, Palmdale needs to encourage developers to build large buildings, 75,000 square feet to 150,000 square feet. The city could provide incentives such helping with infrastructure and programs to reduce interest rates. Dispenza said he would not provide incentives to retail businesses. On law enforcement, Dispenza said he would add at least 10 more deputies to the streets, expand such programs as Partners Against Crime and Business Watch, and bring in new anti-gang programs. Dispenza said he would work to provide a larger senior center and locate it in a safer area than the existing center. To provide a hospital, Dispenza said he would work to create a team that would include the county, Antelope Valley Hospital and private parties. VINCENT HICKS Hicks is the minister of a Palmdale church. Hicks did not return phone calls for comments on his campaign. BILL HOLMES Holmes, 51, is an Internet Webmaster A person responsible for the implementation of a Web site. Webmasters must be proficient in HTML as well as one or more scripting and interface languages such as JavaScript and Perl. They may also have experience with more than one type of Web server. See Web administrator and Webmistress. . Holmes believes the city should be disincorporated. Palmdale engages in too many activities that should be left to private enterprise, Holmes said. Among the functions that should be privatized are libraries and parks and recreation, he said. Palmdale should have zero taxes and minimum regulation, he said. That would be incentive for businesses to relocate to the city. Holmes believes Air Force Plant 42 should be privatized. The private owner of the plant would be responsible for marketing the installation to attract shipping, manufacturing and other businesses. On law enforcement, Holmes said the Sheriff's Department should be required to issue concealed weapon concealed weapon n. a weapon, particularly a handgun, which is kept hidden on one's person, or under one's control (in a glove compartment or under a car seat). carry permits to every non-felon who successfully completes a gun handling training course. Bringing a hospital to the city should be the job of the Palmdale Chamber of Commerce, he said. The chamber should contract with a marketing firm to determine the market for services. DAN KUMAUS Kumaus, 51, is a county deputy assessor. To attract jobs, Palmdale needs to market its biggest asset - cheap land for growth and development, Kumaus said. Palmdale's redevelopment agency could help attract businesses by providing infrastructure. Kumaus said he would not offer any incentives to attract businesses because cheap land and an educated work force are incentives enough. ``Marketed correctly, the Antelope Valley could become another Silicon Valley,'' Kumaus said. On law enforcement, Palmdale should examine the costs of starting its own police force. A Palmdale police force would be more directly responsible and understanding of city issues. To assist with the development of the Palmdale Regional Airport, the city should work to improve access, including lobbying for funds for the expansion of the Antelope Valley Freeway The Antelope Valley Freeway is a freeway in Los Angeles and Kern counties in southern California. It is signed as California State Highway 14 along its length. It connects Greater Los Angeles to the rapidly developing Antelope Valley. . ALAN LEE, Jr. Lee, 30, is a municipal utility supervisor. On attracting industry, Lee said the city should consider incentives on a case by case basis, with a critical eye on what kind of wages a company would offer its workers. ``I don't want to get into the mode of corporate welfare,'' Lee said. Incentives should not be offered to retail businesses, he said. On law enforcement, Lee said he wants to look at the budget to see if there are ways to put more deputies on the streets. Lee also wants to see more interaction between the deputies and the public. To enhance the Palmdale Regional Airport, Palmdale should look at ways of acquiring the airport from the city of Los Angeles. ``We lack the ability to be the master of our own fate,'' Lee said. To bring a hospital to Palmdale, Lee said he has the skills to bring the various entities - the county, the hospital district, Lancaster and medical professions - together to make it happen. BERNIE LONGJOHN Longjohn, 59, operates the Los Angeles County Raceway Los Angeles County Raceway (or "LACR") was a motorsport facility in Southern California. LACR's main feature was its 1/4 mile dragstrip, which was first opened in 1964. LACR held its final event on July 29th, 2007. . Longjohn believes the lack of a hospital is the biggest issue facing Palmdale. ``Residents may need a bond issue, or we may need to spend our tax dollars to subsidize sub·si·dize tr.v. sub·si·dized, sub·si·diz·ing, sub·si·diz·es 1. To assist or support with a subsidy. 2. To secure the assistance of by granting a subsidy. it, but residents of Palmdale need a hospital. We will not stand for 30-minute emergency travel to Lancaster hospitals,'' Longjohn said. To attact industry, Longjohn said the city needs to invest in infrastructure to entice companies to relocate. On enhancing the Palmdale Regional Airport, Longjohn said the city has not had any success in luring passenger service and should focus instead on cargo operations. Once cargo operations are established, passenger service will follow. Longjohn said the city needs to find a new home for its senior center. The location should be in a well-lighted area in which seniors feel safe. The city also needs to provide more programs for seniors, such as bus trips for shopping and excursions. MICHAEL SCOTT MILLER Miller, 47, is an environmental inspector. Miller also believes the lack of a hospital is the biggest issue facing the city. To bring in such a facility, the city needs to build up a base of local physicians and health professional willing to be involved in such a project. To attract businesses, Palmdale needs to promote the region's low cost of land compared to Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. and Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, . Marketing also should target the available work force eager to stop their daily commutes. Palmdale should be looking at shifting away from building warplanes to making computer components and software, he said. The city also needs to aggressively woo the entertainment industry, Miller said. On law enforcement, Miller said the city needs to increase spending to buy more night vision scopes and to provide remote video surveillance of high crime areas. The city also should allocate more funds to allow dedicated officers to monitor activites of registered sex offenders sex offender n. generic term for all persons convicted of crimes involving sex, including rape, molestation, sexual harassment and pornography production or distribution. . Palmdale should encourage the city of Los Angeles to upgrade the runways and passenger terminal at Palmdale Regional Airport. Miller said the city should impose a tax of 25 cents on any adult video, magazine or toy. The revenue from the tax would go to aid victims of domestic violence or child abuse. |
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