CARLSBAD — Eight of 10 candidates vying for a seat on the Carlsbad City Council participated in a Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce’s candidate forum on Sept. 26 at The Windmill.
The forum constituted several questions from emcee J.R. Phillips, the former chair of the chamber’s board of directors. The discussion covered the budget, traffic safety, San Diego Association of Government’s Regional Transportation Plan 2021 and homelessness.
The candidates appearing were Councilmember Keith Blackburn, who currently represents District 2, and Mike Curtin, District 3 candidates Councilmember Priya Bhat-Patel and Ray Pearson and four of six D1 candidates — Melanie Burkholder, Sam Ward, DeeDee Tejo-Rowlett and Allen Manzano. Anthony Bona did not attend due to a medical procedure but sent a statement. Cory Geigert did not appear.
The evening saw Bhat-Patel and Pearson sparring as the incumbent council member slammed Pearson for not backing a gun safety initiative as a Carlsbad Unified School District board member.
At the same time, Pearson hit Bhat-Patel with concerns over campaign donations from the city’s new trash collector and being reactive instead of proactive to traffic safety concerns after two bicycle-vehicle deaths rocked the city over the summer.
Budget…According to city staff, all candidates expressed concerns over the state of the budget, which is estimated to have a $2.8 million deficit by 2026. However, Mayor Matt Hall and some city staffers worry it could be as high as $10 million by 2025.
Several challengers blamed the current majority’s alleged penchant for hiring sprees, chasing minor issues and other decisions that have crippled the city’s ability to address other more pressing concerns.
Homelessness…Mayoral candidates currently on the council and challengers addressed homelessness, with Blackburn saying more state resources are needed. Blackburn noted the city must identify the root causes of homelessness — mental illness, substance abuse, economic struggles and lifestyle choice.
Curtin said no city budget could handle the growing homelessness problem without the state’s support. Curtin advocated for a more proactive addition to current city programs, saying residents have a right not to have people disrupt and damage their homes and businesses.
SANDAG…The D1 candidates were split among their support for the “5 Big Moves,” or Regional Transportation Plan 2021, but every candidate across races said they do not support the now-removed road user charge, a per-mile fee to drive.
Burkholder said transit options are already scarce, and the plan has no transportation benefits for the city. Burkholder noted that people still rely on their cars for various reasons, such as shuttling kids to and from school and extracurricular activities.
Ward said the city currently fails at providing reliable public transit, and residents must have abundant multi-modal options as SANDAG addresses emissions targets.
Housing…Trejo-Rowlett, also running in D1, said her most significant concern with more state housing mandates is the increased density levels. As a Barrio native, Trejo-Rowlett said residents’ ability to have a voice in housing decisions is essential to ensure the city’s infrastructure isn’t overwhelmed by denser projects. Manzano added District 1, consisting mainly of infill development, is already the densest in the city.
Bona, who did not attend, sent a written statement saying he is an ordinary man running to hold politicians accountable. Bona said he is “community first” and only responsible to the voters.
