The Issues

I'm not a politician. I believe in straight talk and getting things done. Here's where I stand on the big issues in Paso Robles:

Roads
I believe one of the most important jobs of any government is to build and maintain a quality network of roads. Unfortunately, our city government is currently failing at this basic task.
My top priority in office will be fixing our broken roads and removing traffic bottlenecks. This won't be easy and it won't be cheap, but it has to be done.

Spending
Government spending is out of control, even here in Paso Robles. I will push to eliminate frivolous spending and implement wide ranging spending cuts in order to properly fund our most important city functions.

Water
I believe our Public Works Director when he says we have sufficient water supplies. What I don't understand is why our water and sewer service is so expensive. When people can't afford to water a small lawn, there's a problem. I will investigate our water and sewer programs and look for ways to lower rates for normal people. I will also try to expand city programs that help residents install drought-tolerant landscaping.

Tourism
Tourist dollars are great, but so are quiet neighborhoods, affordable restaurants, and plentiful parking. I recognize the importance of tourism to our local economy, but I also understand the concerns residents have about increasing tourism. I will try to find a balance between catering to tourists and protecting the Paso Robles charm our residents love.

Short-Term Rentals
In order to protect our neighborhoods, I believe restrictions are needed on short-term rentals. I will push for the city to implement density limits on short-term rentals, with owner-occupied rentals exempt. We must also implement strict enforcement of that limit and crack down on any unlicensed rentals.

Affordability
The cost of living in Paso Robles has been increasing at an alarming rate. There are a number of causes, many of which are well beyond the power of the City Council to control, so I won't promise a miracle cure, however I do have a couple ideas that could help. As mentioned above, adjusting our water and sewer rates to lower costs for normal residents would be a good first step. The harder problem to solve is soaring housing prices. Unfortunately, it will be very hard to bring prices down, but we might be able to slow down the increase. A couple ways we might do that are limiting short-term rentals and encouraging the construction of reasonably priced housing.

Parking
We all know parking is in short supply downtown. I don't think parking meters are the solution, and I will oppose them. I do think time limits on parking could help and should be explored. The only real solution is adding more parking spaces. In the near term, I will look to utilizing empty lots in the area for parking. Long term, I think we need a parking structure, and I'll look for somewhere to put it and a way to pay for it. I'm very disappointed the parking structure was removed from the "Pine Street Promenade" project, and I will push for any similar developments in the future to include plenty of parking.

Quality of Life
I want to make sure Paso Robles continues to be a great place to live, so I will prioritize little things that impact residents on a day-to-day basis. I want to make sure our sidewalks are clear, our streets are swept, and our public areas are tidy. I will also push for the installation of a "splash pad" where kids can cool off any time for free.

Taxes
I don't like paying taxes, and I doubt you do either. I believe taxes should be kept as low as possible. I will work to avoid any tax increases for residents and fight to keep more of our tax dollars here in our city.

Development
I'm not strictly for or against new developments here in Paso. If a development makes sense, I'm for it, and if it doesn't make sense, I'm against it. I promise to review every proposed development with a critical eye and only allow those that will be beneficial to our city. I will also make sure our infrastructure can support it. If it can't, I will push for the developer to make the necessary improvements.