Q & A / VENTURA CITY COUNCIL : Candidates Explain Steps for Boosting Economy

QUESTION: What specific steps should the council take to boost the economy throughout the city and attract business downtown?

Keith Burns

Ventura--its City Council and its people--should start thinking of this city as one complete entity instead of six or seven distinct districts. Folks east of Mills Road hardly ever come downtown and no one ever goes up Ventura Avenue (unless it is on their way to Ojai). City Hall has poured millions into repaving downtown Ventura but it has not done much to change minds and attitudes of the merchants who tend shop there, or the residents and shoppers who visit downtown less often than they visit their local churches or temples. We need to change minds as well as trees and sidewalks.

Ray Di Guilio

I support the recently created Economic Development office to work with the business community to develop mutually beneficial recommendations for City Council consideration. The mall project is very important and must be successfully implemented. We must encourage selected retailers to consider locating in Ventura. The auto mall area needs revitalization with city cooperation. Downtown must develop into a unique shopping and service district not found anywhere else in this area. Incentive grants for downtown property owners to remodel and upgrade stores to attract new businesses. Tourism and cultural arts promoted for downtown. Make city government more “user friendly.”

Craig Huntington

The city needs to continue to work with business through tax credits, help in planning, etc. The council also needs to ask the local business community what they need to help their businesses grow. An example would be a sign to let visitors know where a business is, weekend festivals, etc. The city should also encourage business to employ young people to help them get on the right road to adulthood. We should do whatever we can to get a theater downtown, because it will help all the downtown business.

Christopher T. Staubach

The city must preserve downtown’s uniqueness and come into compliance with the Comprehensive Plan. We must find businesses that will reinvest in our city. And we must promote tourism. The city should provide insurance for the downtown for more street fairs, artwalks, concerts and other events. I will work closely with the county fairgrounds committee to have events that will benefit our city. I support the concept of a convention center along with having the Jacques Cousteau Museum and Aquatics Center located in the harbor. I support the concept of attracting Imax to come here, hopefully in the mid-town. But the key is in streamlining regulations for the small businesses and for recruiting specific businesses that will promote tourism in Ventura.

Charles E. (Buster) Davis

Put a university on Taylor Ranch. Work closer with the businesses that are in our downtown area as well as with the over 500 that are on the Avenue. Also, take a close look at all of our businesses in all of the city.

James Friedman

The city must streamline regulations and invest to improve the economy. Expansion of the Buenaventura Mall will encourage spending, create jobs and generate sales tax revenues. Housing units downtown should attract investment. Downtown needs a theater, more entertainment and restaurants. I favor turning a downtown street into an “arts street” with a renovated theater for performances, and a series of “artist in residence” galleries. Going east, the auto center will yield profits with city investment in roads. Centerplex could generate dollars if properly financed. The budget can be reorganized for dollars to be invested in any of these projects.

John S. Jones

One, immediately address the concerns of Ventura Avenue residents. Two, move forward with the multiscreen theater complex for downtown, but certainly not 18 screens. Perhaps eight screens and retail stores and restaurants. Three, develop a specific plan for Ventura Avenue--this is more of a long-term project but the first steps must be taken. Four, avoid tax give-backs to large companies with “grand” ideas that will only provide minimum-wage jobs. Instead, remove some of the red tape involved in setting up a small business. Work with local business to make Ventura more friendly. Five, move forward with plans for an aquarium center. Perhaps locating this at the harbor area would increase the “connection” between the downtown and that area.

Jack Tingstrom

This council has undertaken the project to improve our Buenaventura Mall. We have started negotiations to improve our auto mall. These two areas account for about 18% to 20% of our sales tax revenue. We have completed a downtown revitalization project that will enhance business downtown. In the last three years, I have recommended 900 housing allocations for downtown. We have extended the redevelopment area which will attract new businesses. We have approved the concept of the Neels-Kinkos project on the Avenue. We should make sure we have the theater project downtown, and we should make every effort to create a cultural arts center. We must continue to support projects that will make our city a tourism destination.

Donna De Paola-Peterson

The council must continue to realize the vision of the redevelopment of downtown. We are a beach town and we need the tourist dollar to help fund the General Fund. But, we must not focus on just the tourist dollar. We must also look to improving the economy throughout the whole city. This would include the expansion of the Buenaventura Mall and putting energy into mid-town Ventura. We must reopen negotiations on the theater complex downtown, including retail outlets and shops that would attract both the tourist dollar and the local dollar.

Stephen L. Hartmann

I share the view of many citizens who feel a city government’s responsibilities rest with providing the basic infrastructure (i.e.: quick-responding police and fire departments, well-maintained streets, clean drinking water, reasonable cable-trash-water-sewage rates, safe and litter-free beaches and parks, and modern libraries). I’m a former city employee, but I don’t feel city staff has the experience or the mandate to become involved in private development projects using taxpayers’ money. If we take care of the basics, business owners will want to stay and/or relocate here on their own.

Brian Lee Rencher

To boost our economy throughout the city, we must invest in industries that will attract capital into our city and not those that will cause our money to rapidly leave to other communities. Good examples of industries that can attract and/or maintain needed capital are agriculture, tourism, corporate headquarters, light manufacturing and local retailing. The more money we attract to our community, and the longer it stays and circulates within our city’s businesses before leaving, the more wealth we create locally, which increases the city’s tax base so that it can provide even more public services to its citizens.

Carroll Dean Williams

The present City Council should only meet once a month. At least then we would be protected the other three weeks! Protected, I say, because they have spent, lost, thrown away millions of taxpayer dollars. Since 1981, over 22 council members have been elected and un-elected. Just look at the ballot measures this year, and count former mayor! Let’s get out and vote and elect three new council members that have some “economy” and “attractiveness” for downtown City Hall.

Today, The Times concludes a series of City Council election stories addressing key issues facing Ventura voters. We have asked the 12 candidates seeking three seats on the Nov. 7 ballot to respond in writing to questions about these issues. In this installment, they discuss economic development and revitalizing downtown Ventura.