Huntington council hopefuls debate pensions, housing, bans

Pension costs, housing density and the city’s plastic bag ban were among the topics discussed during a Huntington Beach City Council candidates forum Wednesday night.

Nine of the 11 candidates in the Nov. 4 election — Mayor Pro Tem Joe Shaw, tattoo artist Hector Valdez, lawyer Alexander Polsky, graphic designer Brendon Kenney, business owner William “Billy” O’Connell and Planning Commissioners Erik Peterson, Mark Bixby, Lyn Semeta and Michael Posey — participated in the 90-minute discussion presented by the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce at the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort.

Candidates Connie Boardman and Barbara Delgleize did not attend. Boardman, a council incumbent, was at work and Delgleize was out of town, officials said.

About 80 people showed up to hear the candidates field questions from Orange County journalist Ed Arnold.

The hopefuls had one minute to answer each question.

When asked to identify the three biggest issues facing Huntington Beach, most candidates agreed that rising pension costs and unfunded liabilities are a major concern.

Shaw said he is happy with the city’s plan to pay off its existing pension costs early by increasing payments each year and using surplus money to pay down the liability.

“This City Council has been committed to paying and doing that … in 26 years instead of 30,” Shaw said.

Posey said the city should be doing more to reduce pension costs in the future.

“The minimum objective that we ought to be striving for is at least paying out as much as we’re taking in,” he said. “That can be done by smart negotiations and smart economic development.”

The city paid about $27.1 million this fiscal year toward its California Public Employees’ Retirement System obligation. Contributions are expected to nearly double by the 2021-22 fiscal year.

Candidates also were concerned about public safety, housing density and improving the city’s infrastructure.

Arnold asked whether the Beach Boulevard/Edinger Avenue Corridor Specific Plan has been a success. It was passed in 2010 and one of its biggest projects includes the Bella Terra shopping center. Shaw and Bixby said the plan to develop the thoroughfares has been an accomplishment, while the rest of the candidates believe it has problems or has been a flop.

“People are not happy with the large-scale developments and the number that we’re seeing happening around the city,” Semeta said. “[Residents] are concerned about the infrastructure. … We need to listen to what the residents want.”

Valdez said the project was rushed and needed more preparation.

“It’s putting a tremendous strain on our infrastructure, services, traffic and things of that nature,” he said.

Posey agreed about the speed of the housing developments but said the city needs “some density” to bring in younger residents.

“Huntington Beach is aging,” Posey said. “We need a new generation of people to start businesses, work in the city and eventually buy a home here.”

With many residents upset about the city banning single-use plastic bags, Arnold asked the candidates for their ideas about banning.

Shaw and Bixby defended the bag ban, saying it will help reduce beach and ocean litter.

“We as a city derive the bulk of our economic activity through tourism,” Bixby said. “Having a clean ocean and clean beaches is critical to our tourism. So ultimately, it’s a business-friendly move on our part to reduce the junk in our environment.”

However, Polsky said the city should reward its residents, not deprive them of something.

“We need to ban the bans,” he said.

The forum will be shown on the Chamber of Commerce’s YouTube page and the city’s public-access television station HBTV-3.