Candidate Statement

By Dana Corso

Oceanside's current City Charter was written, not by Oceanside citizens or even our City Attorney, but by a LOBBYIST for the Building Industry Association. Increasingly, it has become apparent that it is the special interests of builders, developers and outside corporations that are being served by our current Council, NOT the interests of Oceanside residents. Affordable housing is no longer required (endangering our State funding), builders' fees eliminated, building height requirements increased. Incumbents tried to GIVE AWAY PUBLIC LAND at Goat Hill to a private developer, which requires a public vote. I've witnessed hundreds of voters speak out before the Council, only to have their concerns IGNORED.

In 2012, Mayor Jim Wood was re-elected by voters 2-1, yet the day he was sworn into office for his 3rd term, he was stripped of mayoral powers by incumbents who then transferred mayoral powers to themselves. This violates Democratic process! Oceanside VOTERS should decide WHO should have Mayoral powers of office, not 3 individuals. Incumbents DISSOLVED our public commissions, silencing our Senior Commission (even though over 40% of Oceanside's population are seniors over 50) and our Integrated Waste Commission (even though they were nearing a goal of ZERO waste). Public input in local government has been SILENCED. I will work to RESTORE the public's voice to our City government.

In my own neighborhood, I opposed the closure of Jeffries Ranch Road, leaving only one road in and out of a community of 5,000 residents. Jeffries Ranch includes an elementary school, a magnet school, a church, Home Depot, and is the only equestrian community in Oceanside. In the event of fire or other emergency, it would be impossible to evacuate that area using only one road! I've fought to oppose the building of a toxic dump at Gregory Canyon on the San Luis Rey River, Oceanside's main water source (a project supported by our current Council Majority, in spite of scientific evidence that it will eventually leak and pollute our water supply, leading to increased water rates for clean-up). I will continue to work to PROTECT our precious water resources and agricultural lands and work to keep our rates down.

When 15,484 Oceanside voters signed a referendum to STOP Proposition "E" in 2012, those VOTES were IGNORED and the Council Majority instead spent $1/4 million of your tax dollars to hold a special election, which they lost 2-1. As President of ACTION, I am proud of our efforts to successfully defeat Prop. "E," which endangered the homes of over 4,000 seniors, veterans and disabled persons in Oceanside's manufactured home communities. However, out-of-town mobile home park owners have currently donated tens of thousands of dollars to this election and still oppose rent protections for these seniors. Park owners only need 3 votes on the Council to END rent protections for thousands of seniors whose homes still hang in the balance. I will continue to work to PROTECT the homes of our seniors, veterans and disabled persons. I also worked to defeat Proposition "F," which would have led to multiple run-off elections, and cost taxpayers over $200,000 annually for a Council seat that pays less than $30,000 a year.

I continue to oppose the Melrose Freeway Extension, a project that would cost Oceanside taxpayers over $40 million. Our own City Engineers say that it would improve traffic only by only 3 seconds, benefiting only commuters from Temecula and Vista, not Oceanside residents! Our Planning Commission found this project to be "severely flawed" and determined that it would cause "significant impacts that could not be mitigated." Planning voted unanimously NOT to move forward with the Environmental Impact Report. This project would take 14 residential homes by eminent domain, and destroy a large portion of Guajome Park. The "benefits do not outweigh the detriments" this project would cause and would include installation of 10ft.-12ft. concrete sound barriers along the route taken by school children, making it unsafe and inviting crime. Over $2 million of your tax dollars have been spent to "study" this project, AFTER it was REJECTED by City Planning.

The current Council Majority also proposed replacing Oceanside Paramedics with Emergency Techs who cannot perform life-saving procedures. Additionally, they propose outsourcing Oceanside's ambulance service to a "for-profit" out-of-town company, which would result in a higher cost to patients for less service. Oceanside currently shares the same "standard of care" with surrounding cities like Carlsbad, Vista and Fallbrook. The proposed changes to our emergency services would PREVENT other cities from crossing borders to assist Oceanside in the event of an emergency! The Council even considered outsourcing Oceanside's Police Department to the County Sheriff's Department, which would result in longer response times and a return to higher crime rates. I will not compromise your family's safety by outsourcing Oceanside's emergency services. If elected, I will work to KEEP Oceanside JOBS in Oceanside, rather than outsourcing to other cities. Our residents need to be able to work where they live continue to raise their families here and contribute to our local economy.

As the parent of a growing family, I share YOUR concerns for our children, our schools, libraries, parks, pools and community programs. I will work to restore and protect community services by finding practical solutions without increasing taxes.

As the owner of a local business, I know how important it is to keep Oceanside jobs in Oceanside rather than outsourcing jobs to other cities, and what it takes to help local businesses grow and expand, creating new jobs and attracting new businesses to Oceanside. However, I will work to protect Oceanside residents from unscrupulous business practices, such as allowing businesses BANNED in other cities to set up shop in Oceanside or prey on unsuspecting consumers. I believe in RESPONSIBLE development for Oceanside's future. I will work to represent YOUR interests, not special interests.

I care about Oceanside's future and will work to grow our economy while preserving our quality of life for our beautiful beach community. I believe in balanced development, while preserving our local beach access, agricultural land and park land for local residents. If elected, I will work to STOP the wasteful spending of your tax dollars on "sweetheart deals" for developers, "golden parachute" retirement packages for cronies, and millions wasted on "studies" and outside "consulting reports." Those monies could be better spent on restoring library hours, parks, pools and building the new aquatics center proposed at El Corazon for our children's futures. The aquatics center would also benefit our Wounded Warriors rehabilitation if located across from the new V.A. Center.

I am your neighbor and I will do everything in my power to ensure a bright, prosperous future for ourselves and our families and will represent YOUR interests, not "special interests." This November, YOU have the power to CHANGE Oceanside's City Council and restore public input in local government. I am asking for YOUR VOTE to be YOUR VOICE on the Oceanside City Council. I am endorsed by Mayor Jim Wood. Please contact my campaign office for additional information at 3825 Mission Avenue, Suite D, call (760) 758-0330, or visit my website at corsoforcouncil.com.