Hopefuls answer questions pertaining to experience, local development, and water, among other issues
Less than two weeks before the Nov. 5 election, two of the three Solvang mayoral candidates answered questions and stated their cases as to why they should be elected in a voters forum presented by the League of Women Voters.
Current Solvang Mayor Pro Tem David Brown, also the District 3 City Councilmember, and Jamie Baker, owner of the Space VR virtual reality lounge, attended the Oct. 23 meeting at Solvang’s City Council Chambers to answer questions voters had on local issues. Denise El Amin, the third mayoral candidate, declined to attend according to Alison Wales, vice president of the League of Women Voters of North Santa Barbara County, and one of the moderators of the forum.
The meeting, moderated by Wales and Santa Ynez Valley resident and former leadership consultant Ian Jacobsen, began with the candidates’ opening remarks and initial questions from the moderators. Then, after an intermission, Baker and Brown answered questions submitted by the audience and made their closing statements. The candidates were allowed one minute each for their opening and closing statements, and two minutes each to answer questions.
Baker began his opening statement by saying “I love this town” and explained he had that love for Solvang ever since he came to town in 1979. He pointed out that while not many people know of him, he does have ample experience in local government, nonprofits, and the arts, which he hopes to bring back to Solvang and “start a new renaissance.”
Brown began his statement by giving a “shoutout to my No. 1 fan,” his wife Karen Brown, and focused on his current status as 3rd District City Councilmember, resident for 30 years, and someone who’s been involved in charities and the community. “I’ve been here a long time, and hope to be here much, much longer,” he concluded.
The first two questions had to do with how the candidates’ experiences have prepared them for a possible mayoral term.
In his answers Baker pointed to his five years as an executive vice president for Los Angeles County’s largest child welfare mental health agency, as well as experience fundraising for various causes, managing staffs ranging in size from 3 to 20. He also pointed out his time working with arts organizations to help his goal to make Solvang more artistic. “This town is in need of more creativity, and I can help supply that,” he said.
Brown focused on his status as Solvang’s current mayor pro tem, where he had a hand in hiring a new city manager, and also pointed to his time as a volunteer umpire in youth baseball. “Whatever decision you make in that job, half the people love it and half of them hate it,” Brown said. “If that doesn’t prepare you for being mayor, I don’t know what does.”
Next, the two candidates were asked what the city’s most significant issues were.
Speaking first, Brown prefaced by saying the number of city issues is a long list, but first mentioned the city’s “growth pains” in dealing with the Housing Element, mentioning the controversial Wildwood development on Site C, on the corner of Alamo Pintado Road and Old Mission Road. He also mentioned the remodeling of the city’s wastewater plant, but reiterated the list of issues “goes on and on.”
Baker seemed to agree with Brown on the top two issues, but he believed the most important one was “water, water, water,” and the wastewater plant, and said the Housing Element was something that “we have to get right.” Another concern Baker had was with the budget. “I see our expenses going up and revenues staying flat. We need to find more sources of revenue.”
Another question posed to the candidates was how they would balance the city budget if there was a revenue shortfall.
To start, Brown jokingly said he’d probably be yelling at City Manager Randy Murphy about but then, in all seriousness, admitted the responsibility would lie with the council. In that situation, Brown said their would probably be some peril involved, i.e. layoffs, and possible sales of unneeded assets, but said raising residents’ taxes would not be a “proper procedure.”
Baker agreed that tax hikes would not be an option for him, and praised Brown, saying that if he became mayor, he would still have Brown on the council and would appreciated his financil acumen. Baker also pointed out that he sits on the Measure U committee, and that fund ended up being much more than originally thought, so potentially that could help in any shortfall, and that he would use new revenue streams to help out on that also.
After a short intermission, the candidates came back to answer questions submitted by audience members at the forum.
First, the candidates were asked if they supported Measure E, which would raise the Transit Occupany Tax from 12 percent to 14 percent. Baker was in favor said the city would have to “give tourists something back” for the higher fees, while Brown is generally against it, he felt it was important to put it on the ballot, especially with neighboring Buellton has the same increase on its ballot. “What I would suggest is building more hotels to bring more revenue, and that would make up for lack of an increase.”
The two were also asked about the proposed Site C apartment complex, Wildwood. Baker said that situation has gotten to the point where it’s in “the lawyer’s laps,” and the council is bound by what they can do. Brown pointed out that the project is still a long way from approval and that it could “crater onto itself like a souffle,” before it even had a chance to get started.
Other questions had to do with encouraging more affordable housing, traffic concerns in the Alamo Pintado corridor, and efforts to maintain the Danish style of downtown Solvang. Answers to those can be found on the YouTube broadcast of the forum at youtube.com/watch?v=_ulkljas8CY&t=1081s.
The candidates wrapped up the forum with their closing statements.
Baker again professed his love, and talked about how he ran for office in Solvang four years ago, but had to drop out for personal reasons. Now he said he’s ready.
“I’m a business owner in this town, my kids have gone to school in this town, I know what they love, and what they wish they had here,” he said. “I would like to improve the revenue streams here, and I feel it would be a lot easier to pick up the phone and say ‘Hi, this is the mayor’ to accomplish that.”
Brown said he wants to be mayor because Solvang is a wonderful town, and he thinks he has the experience to be a good mayor.
“I think it would be a simple transition,” he said. “Also, I think that as your mayor, I would be your No. 1 cheerleader. I have the enthusiasm, knowledge, and wherewithal to be your cheerleader and advocate.”
Feature image: Solvang mayoral candidate Dave Brown (right) playfully holds up the mayor’s gavel, saying “this fits my hand just right” as fellow mayoral candidate Jamie Baker looks on at the end of the Solvang voters forum on Oct. 23. Screenshot from YouTube.
