Candidate for
Council Member; City of Costa Mesa

The Foley Action Plan for Costa Mesa's Future

Revitalize & Clean-up our Neighborhoods and Parks

Costa Mesa is a maturing city that needs extra care in some of its older neighborhoods and parks, especially in North Costa Mesa and on the Westside. To revitalize our neighborhoods, we must also consider innovative ideas such as commercial lot combinations, mixed-use developments, and incentives for home builders. We must also find solutions to the trash problem on our streets and in our parks. I support the Keep Costa Mesa Beautiful Committee's anti-litter projects on 19th Street which provides more trash receptacles to the area. I will work to expand the project to the Mesa Del Mar and Mesa North neighborhoods. My goal for completion: March 2003.

Accelerate Street Improvements

We must increase investments in infrastructure and street improvements on the Westside. I support an aggressive acceleration of street improvements, including utility undergrounding, installation of sidewalks, landscaping of medians and parkways, increased lighting, and strategically placed trash cans. Improving the streetscape is a giant step toward revitalizing a neighborhood as it encourages improvements by private property owners in the surrounding area. My goal for completion: November 2005.

Eliminate Blighted Housing

Improving the housing situation in Costa Mesa is a top priority. Initiatives for increased home ownership are needed. More than 60% of Costa Mesa's housing units are rentals. Many of those located in the proposed Redevelopment Action Area of the Westside and in parts of North Costa Mesa, are deteriorating on the outside as well as the interior, and violate numerous building, health and safety laws. Housing is the most basic need of every citizen and a major building block to individual and community economic security. As the Chair of the Planning Commission, I proposed a Rental Housing Improvement Program to get rid of blighted housing in the City and to help address the overcrowding in an effective way. The Planning Commission is scheduled to begin special study sessions and public hearing on the program in late August. Improvement of our rental housing benefits all Costa Mesa residents and businesses and I encourage everyone interested in this issue to get involved in the discussion. My goal for implementation: by January 2003.

Secure a Permanent Federal Cap on Flights to Prevent Expansion of John Wayne Airport

As your councilmember I will work aggressively to ensure that John Wayne is not expanded and that the current flight caps are maintained permanently.

Enhance Opportunities for Children

Our children are the future of Costa Mesa. By investing in and creating opportunities for our children, we invest in the future of Costa Mesa. We must ensure that our children receive the best education and opportunities to develop the skills they need to become confident, productive, responsible and self-sufficient adults. We must also ensure that our growing population of teens have safe, but fun recreational opportunities and places to gather and socialize. According to USA today, more Americans rode skateboards in 2000 than played baseball and in-line skaters doubled the number of soccer players. We should provide skateboard parks throughout the City just like we provide baseball and soccer fields. I vigorously promote partnerships among the Cities, County, schools, businesses and community organizations to enhance educational and recreational activities for all of our children. The process has begun, but we must push forward aggressively.

Make City Hall More Efficient and Accessible

An efficient, intelligent City Hall is one that is user-friendly, open to the public, fair, timely, and inexpensive for taxpayers. I have a record of encouraging full public participation and open government. I support use of technology to streamline the public hearing process and to provide greater involvement.

Advance Business and Residential Interests by Developing a Comprehensive Strategic Plan for the Future

In order to stay competitive in a world economy that changes quickly, Costa Mesa cannot settle for playing catch up with technological, environmental, urban planning and business innovations. We must lead and not follow. We need a comprehensive strategic plan that balances quality of life and economic opportunity. Without a strategic plan and designated long-term goals, our future is economically uncertain, our land use unstable, our resources at times misallocated, and our infrastructure often underinvested. Newport-Mesa Unified School District's strategic plan saved the Newport-Mesa schools during this year's budget crisis. The State of California developed a 20 year strategic plan for infrastructure in just 2 years--so can Costa Mesa! My goal for completion: November 2004.