BILL WINTER
                                                                        On The Issues 
                                                                        Vote for Bill For Mayor

 

PUBLIC SAFETY

What art your three top priorities?

1) Increasing Fire Department personnel, equipment, and the building of at least, at the minimum, two new fire stations.
2) Banning the use of Fireworks in Oxnard.

3) Support more community-based policing, bike patrols in the Downtown, the formation of a Police Commission.

TRAFFIC

What would you do to reduce our traffic congestion in Oxnard?

Traffic in Oxnard is a direct result of our City Council bowing to every developer who waltzes into Oxnard.  The planning commission has run rough-shod over every approved development and the Council has to date rubber-stamped every tract and apartment complex...all these people who move into the new housing own cars and many homes have more than one or two cars per family.

 

As Mayor, I would address the problem at the bud, by asking for careful and reduced approval of upcoming projects.  I would offer businesses incentives for staggering their work hours placing the majority of traffic flow at off-periods.  I would ask SCAT to procure smaller buses and increase routes to offer more effective bus service to the Oxnard Plain.  I would also back residents and commuters using hybrid/electric vehicles and accommodate them in similar fashions as is being done in Los Angeles County.

 

PARKING

What is your solution to our parking problem?

Parking – especially on-street parking is a big issue.  It is hard because we have some homes with more than one family living within the house, people living in garages or granny houses, and all these excess people have cars.  I believe that Oxnard is well over 200-thousand souls and the cars are here to prove it.  I would support permitted parking within neighborhoods that asked for it.  Permits would cut back on non-residential parking, cars for sale being left on the streets for weeks, along with motor homes, and abandoned vehicles.

 

SCHOOLS

Do you favor a school built near the Oxnard Airport – If so - Why!
I see the building of a school a mere few hundred yards from the runway of Oxnard Airport to be a contradiction.  We abandoned the old Oxnard High School for the primary reason being proximity to the airport and the approach path to the runway.

 

The new Airport Master Plan calls for more flights to approach from the Southwest (ocean-side) and this change in flight path produces more problems for the school if it's built at the corner of Patterson and Fifth Street.  The change of flight path doubles the opportunity for a flight mishap to affect the new school.

LNG

Are you in favor of allowing LNG pipelines to come ashore in Oxnard to connect with a state-line in Somis?

I am in favor of the LNG pipeline going ashore at Avilla Beach, near Pismo versus Ormond Beach - this proposal does not need to make a home in Oxnard.  I would support an immediate letter by the Council against the proposal.

 

How would you support your decision on LNG?

I would use the basis of my opposing decision on LNG by support of the Malibu City Council letter against LNG coming through Malibu and the decisions against LNG by Harpswell, Maine, and Vallejo, California.

 

Where do you stand on the potential BHP Billiton LNG project?

Of the two projects, BHP's has the most steam and backing.  I would support their looking elsewhere for their pipeline’s
landfall.

Where do you stand on the potential Crystal Energy LNG project?

I find Crystal to have a less viable proposal using the entire length of Gonzales Road for their pipeline's placement.

 

HOUSING

Will you approve all or most housing plans brought to city council?

I would carefully consider any new housing until we have our infrastructure in place to handle what is currently online and ready to build.  The present City Council and City Councils going back to my challenger's tenure have given us this mess of housing overload.  I would do all in my power to curb this unrestrained growth.

 

How would you address the pressing need for Low-Income housing in Oxnard?

I would sponsor city housing in the simplest form for farm workers and lower income and fixed income individuals and their  families.  I would promote the creation of a city RV park to handle the homeless families who use RVs and campers for their primary and mobile residence.  These renegade freelance tenants dump waste in unapproved areas, take up public parking space and create nuisances on city streets.  A city owned and maintained park would curtail a majority of our current problems with families living on the street.

 

Would you favor high end housing tracts in South Oxnard?

Yes, River Ridge Two is underway and the lifestyle of north Oxnard is already mostly affluent and high-end housing.  I would also favor some class developments in South Oxnard, using in-fill and reclamation lands.

 

Do housing developers pay the city enough in fees to cover for incurred city expenses such as schools and et cetera?

Developers Are Paying.  They cover much of the upfront costs, but the City needs to look at creative and longer running

fees which will carry the city longer than the immediate building and finishing of housing tracts.

 

CITY COUNCIL

Do you favor a cap on how much the City Council can spend without going to the voters?
This is an interesting proposal -- where would you draw the line?  I see the Council giving away more money to sweetheart deals, like giving away classic homes in Heritage Square for well below market cost, for giving away city owned "redevelopment" land and structures at below fair market value, and I see the city promising millions per year

to a good-old-boy developer who wants to plop a movie theater into the Downtown.  Capping money spent by  the Council unless the voters approve is a fair proposal, but watching and preventing the city from wasting small nickels instead of big dollars is a higher priority and more effective goal.

 

Do you favor Council Districts – if so – how many 5-7-9-more?

Yes, I favor seven districts not nine.  I would favor the Mayor being elected at-large, but would have no heartburn if the Mayor is selected from the Council to serve for two years.

 

Would you promise to conduct all meetings, not covered by Brown Act exemptions, in the open?

Yes - and I would re-open city re-consideration of the Downtown Theatre and offer to settle the City's costly suit brought on by citizen-watch dog Martin Jones. 

 

REDEVELOPMENT

Would you support an exhaustive, professional, independent audit of CDC and EDC?

Yes - these agencies, as recently reported have run afoul of full financial disclosure and since they represent City policy and employ City assets and personnel, an audit and regulatory controls are fitting to keep these agencies viable.  I would have no problem seeing them disbanded and reformulated with more open disclosure - especially in property holdings and current and proposed transactions.

 

CITY STAFF
Would you support a requirement that senior city staff and all public safety personnel actually reside in the City of Oxnard?

I understand City Attorney Gary Gillig says this ordinance is not enforceable and against the law - actually, it is well within the Council's purview to initiate such a requirement would not be out of line.  I strongly support senior city staff residing within Oxnard, but I would not place this requirement upon Public Safety personnel.

 

Would you favor the City Manager be an elected position?

No, I see the Council's responsibility is to allow the City Manager to serve at the Council's pleasure.  City Manager is too crucial an office and the Council should have the say on contracts and employment parameters.  By voting for the City Manager, the only course of action for change would be controlled by the calendar, the vote, and not by the Council.

 

Would you favor the City Attorney to be an elected position?

City Attorney could be a position which the electorate has a say.  A local Attorney with the best at heart for the City could prove to be a valuable asset to the City and the Council.

 

DOWNTOWN

What is your master plan for Downtown?

I would ensure the PBID (Downtown Partnership) does not expand and that this taxing authority sunset into the Pacific.  I would support financial incentives to new businesses coming into the Downtown Zone and also into areas confirmed as Blight and included in the City's HERO program.   I would support apartment housing and small businesses to come in to re-vitalize the Downtown.  I would ask SCAT or VISTA to run a direct bus line from CSUCI to Oxnard and make the Downtown a place for young college students to live and enjoy life.  I would look at expanding the width of Oxnard Blvd. to include parking and decorative medians along the route.  I would also sponsor the planting of large trees along the Eastern side of Oxnard Blvd.  Trees would beautify the Boulevard.

 

OXNARD BEACH RESOURCES
What do you think and what will you do about Ormond Beach Wetlands?
I would seek to have private environmental groups continue their purchasing of wetlands in order to preserve the aboriginal beauty and eco-system of the wetlands.  I would ask the State Coastal Commission to permit a permanent fence/barrier at Point Mugu down to the Power Plant and protect this sandy shore for Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover nesting and breeding.

What would you do about the paragliders at Ormond Beach and other city areas?
I would follow suit with Ventura and ban these low-level flyers from encroaching on the beach and shoreline area.

What do you think and what will you do about Hollywood Beach?

Hollywood-by-the Sea and Hollywood Beach are popular areas and offer an interesting walk or drive to any who find this area.  I would first seek to get a Neighborhood Council established here.

What will Oxnard do for water when the Big One hits and there's no water coming in from the aqueducts?

A Desalinization Plant is at the top of my priorities.  I would also look at emergency storage water tanks to be placed around the City. 

¿ GANG INJUNCTION ?

I must admit that since the injunction has been in place, there has been a noticeable decline in reported crime.  As for civil rights and alleged harassment of common citizens in respect to the injunction, I would suggest that if the injunction be approved, it be broadened to include the entire corporate limits of Oxnard, and that ALL gangs and ALL gang activity be subject to the injunction.  If that were not possible, I would ask the DA and Judge, to suspend the Injunction and ask the District Attorney to do a better job supporting the Oxnard Police Department, when criminals are brought to the County for further action.  Time after time, I have heard from victims and the Police, that criminals are turned over the county and within a very short time, the County releases them.

 

LIVING WAGE

Do you think it's fair that some employers -- including the City of Oxnard and our school districts -- pay such low wages that the taxpayers as a group must support those wage earners via public services?

I fully support a Living Wage Ordinance in Oxnard to be one or two dollars higher than the state minimum wage.

 

You can do your part to support Winter for Mayor by sending a check for ANY amount to the Campaign> Bill is fighting a large and well-polished political machine and he needs everyone's help.  After November 2nd -- if you don't help NOW - you will have no one to blame but yourself and you face 20 years of my opponent controlling your future -- does that sound pleasant????????