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Monterey County, CA November 4, 2014 Election
Smart Voter

Eric Petersen for City Council

By Eric Petersen

Candidate for Member, City Council; City of Salinas; Council District 5

This information is provided by the candidate
A few things about me...
District Five needs to be represented on Salinas City Council. The residents of District Five have needs not being addressed by the City of Salinas.

Eric Petersen has a long record of support for Salinas police and fire. He has a long record of successes in many areas. He received the 2014 Transportation Agency for Monterey County Transportation Excellence Award. He will complete the full term.

  • Eric is working for a major expansion of the tiny El Gabilan Library, the municipal library which serves North Salinas. In North Salinas, we should have a library which really meets the needs of our families, youth, and seniors. We should have the best library in Monterey County, if not the region.

  • Eric supports our local businesses. He supports a business association to promote North Salinas businesses. He is the only candidate in District Five to have run businesses which had employees, where he had to deal with hiring, firing, and all the other issues of a business open to the public.

  • Eric will work to improve communication with City Hall. Eric will bring back a municipal newsletter. He will host open constituent meetings for District Five monthly, more often if necessary.

  • Eric has a long record of working with Salinas Police Department on many issues, including Operation Ceasefire and other programs. Eric has a plan to rebuild Salinas Police Department, starting with:

1. Doing all possible to minimize mandatory overtime, to decrease the risk of burned-out police officers;

2. Fencing the police parking lot, to prevent any more prisoner escapes from that area;

3. Establishment of a fund (from donations) to reimburse police officers when they have to spend their own money on an issue for the public. This will encourage them to do so when necessary;

4. Cameras on all police officers and all police vehicles.

  • Eric will work to expand and improve our parks. Eric supports dog parks.

  • Eric believes that we need more special events, and will work to make it easier to put on events. He has promoted over a dozen events in Salinas himself.

  • Eric is working for better maintenance and repairs for our streets.

  • Eric is working towards solutions to our homeless issues.

  • Eric is working to get the fireworks situation under control, and he supports a municipal fireworks display.

  • Eric supports the "general" sales tax proposal.

  • Eric has committed to completion of a full term.

  • Everything Eric says can be fact-checked.

A vote for Eric is a vote for better representation for District Five on Salinas City Council, and for a safer, improved Salinas.

Eric Petersen

Salinas Traffic and Transportation Commission (1998 to present, five terms as Chair)

Salinas Police-Community Advisory Committee (1996-2008 and 2009 to present)

Transportation Agency for Monterey County Pedestrian-Bicycle Facilities Advisory Committee (2002 to present, two terms as Chair)

Member, Salinas Pedestrian-Bicycle Advisory Committee (now defunct)

Transportation Agency for Monterey County Transportation Excellence Award (2014)

Service in United States Army (served in Germany) Army Commendation Medal -- Good Conduct Award

Graduate, Leadership Salinas Valley, Class XVIII

Education AA Degree in Journalism, Canada College, Redwood City, California BA in History, College of Notre Dame, Belmont, California Graduate Work in Mass Communications, San Jose State University Attendance at other colleges and universities, including Hartnell College, University of Maryland, and San Jose City College

Experience President, Pedali Alpini, Inc (a small non-profit) Member, Board of Directors, FORT Friends, Inc (local non-profit) Life Member, Friends of the Salinas Public Library Life Member, Veterans For Peace Life Member, Disabled American Veterans Life Member, Sierra Club Founding Member, Salinas Action League (now defunct) Retired Member, National Treasury Employees Union Former Assistant Scoutmaster, Boy Scouts of America Founder and Twenty-Year Board Member, Northern California Velodrome Association Contributed to a CalTrans committee which led to changes in California Vehicle Code Has managed three restaurants, including dealing with employee issues Contributed to the 2002 revision of the Salinas General Plan + Wrote three sections Has participated in many political campaigns to make Salinas a better place:

  • No on Measure "O"
  • Yes on Measures "A, B, C"
  • Yes on Measure "K"
  • Yes on Measure "V"
  • Yes on Measure "E"
  • Yes on Measure "G"
  • Many local candidates

Many Other Organizations, Past and Present

Next Page: Position Paper 2

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ca/mnt Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 19, 2014 18:29
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