League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
Los Angeles County, CA April 10, 2012 Election
	Owen Newcomer Answers Questions Candidate for Member, City Council; City of Whittier

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Whittier and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. Revenue from the newly approved Whittier Oil Field will not flow into city coffers for several years even if the City prevails in lawsuits designed to overturn the decision. What sources of local revenue can the City pursue in order to maintain and restore services to residents?

Whittier's future is bright. Our sales tax revenue was up last year and is on track to be up again this year. Our property tax revenue is also trending higher. These sources of growing revenue, along with Whittier's history of prudent budgeting, means that Whittier will be able to provide quality services to residents while continuing to balance our budgets.

2. The State has formally shut down Redevelopment agencies as of February 1, 2012. What resources should the City develop to encourage and promote revitalizing abandoned business properties and building housing for low and moderate income families?

Whittier has a proven track record of promoting businesses and housing.

Personally, my wife owned her own business for many years in Whittier--a hair salon on Whittier Boulevard. I know the need to help businesses by avoiding unnecessary red tape, while maintaining standards.

For each of the past three years, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation has named Whittier as one of the five most business friendly cities in our size category. This recognition is a result of our helping businesses improve their facades, fighting graffiti, providing city staff services to the Uptown business special events, having a full time Business Development city employee, and many more targeted programs to help businesses. We must continue and expand these programs and this level of employee attention to the needs of our local businesses.

The Gables housing development is currently underway on Whittier Boulevard near 1st Avenue, and we are actively promoting housing and commercial development at the now-abandoned Nelles Correctional Facility on Whittier Boulevard at Philadelphia Street. Although changes in redevelopment funding have made it more difficult, Whittier must continue to actively pursue such development. This will require the skills of our dedicated staff with their many years of experience to work with builders to find new methods to achieving our goals.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' answers are presented as submitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: April 9, 2012 07:21
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