Candidate for
Council Member; City of San Juan Capistrano

I have been very supportive of making our city more business friendly for existing businesses and those who may want to locate here. I am a supporter of property rights.

San Juan Capistrano has a lot to offer businesses and we should, while welcoming new businesses, set the bar fairly high as to the type of business we want here. It should be a business that benefits the community and is compatible with our historic heritage.

There have been many changes in the past 5-10 years. Big box stores are being replaced with Internet shopping. Thus it behooves us to find the type of businesses that do not lend themselves to the Internet. Our public and private schools, while not generating property taxes, are a perfect example of the type of business that provides excellent employment opportunities. Car dealerships, automotive repair facilities, restaurants, wine bars, coffee shops, ice cream parlors, bakeries, hair salons and entertainment facilities such as the Regency theater and Zoomars are premium businesses. The Mission San Juan Capistrano brings many people to town and cannot be duplicated on the Internet. People in southern California desire outdoor venues. As we support bringing businesses into town, we must keep these changes in mind.

I do not believe that government is good at choosing the type of business coming into a city. It is only the property owner and investor in the business who does the analysis and determines if a business opportunity is viable. They are the ones making the investment. What the city can and should do is to make the process as efficient as possible while ensuring that the business is one that fits the image of San Juan Capistrano.

To that end, we have worked with the city staff to streamline the process. We have developed a "one stop shop" for all city services. When a person enters City Hall there is only one place to go instead of being bounced around from department to department.

Some growth is needed to continue to provide the services our residents deserve and to ensure a financially healthy local government. However, it should be growth that is compatible with our heritage.