Council
Questions
1.Please introduce and give some background information and why you chose to run for office.
2.Over the last term, what projects, programs and procedures has the current city council done right and why?
3.What projects, programs and procedures do you disagree with and why?
4.Are you for or against the expansion plans for Gillespie Field and why?
Council
Questions
1.Please introduce and give some background information and why you chose to run for office.
2.Over the last term, what projects, programs and procedures has the current city council done right and why?
3.What projects, programs and procedures do you disagree with and why?
4.Are you for or against the expansion plans for Gillespie Field and why?
- Free Zone
John Minto
Santee councilmember
Did not participate.
Rob McNelis
Santee councilmember
Did not participate.
Keshav Damoor
SMHFPC Commissioner
City of Santee
Did not participate.
Maggie Acerra
UCSD Budget Specialist
“My family and I have lived in Santee for 25 years, my husband Jim is retired Navy, and we have one daughter, Megan. I have worked in the Accounting/Finance field for almost 30 years and currently I am a Budget Specialist with the University of California at San Diego (UCSD). I believe in responsible management of city resources and that our City Council should be accountable to the Santee citizens. The goal for any representative in our local government should be to protect Santee’s future. I want to negotiate city development activities that make sense for Santee’s progress, by creating SMART pro business growth, to ensure that it is in balance with the city’s current residents.”
“What Santee citizens can be happy with is that the events held by the city to promote Santee’s businesses such as the Santee Street Festival or the Bluegrass Festival, which fundraises for the Parks and Recreation department, also serves to bring the residents together as a community. The city’s support of rent control for the mobile home owners must continue and is supported by all five candidates for Santee City Council. However, Santee’s citizens have a growing awareness that our local city government has really gone done the wrong path in recent years and it continues down that same path today, with the lack of transparency by local city officials in regards to decisions that affect the quality of life for the current residents. Residents may remember the fiasco that was the Santee Power Plant, and that they were only alerted to the plan because of a small group of concerned citizens, as it was about to go into the final stages of implementation. Our local city council had jumped on board with this project without notification, support, or input from the citizens.”
“We have seen the same attitude by City Hall with the rezoning of the Pinnacle Peak restaurant property. This property is being rezoned for multi unit housing without regard for the two businesses located on the property, and again without notification of the area’s residents, which denied their input regarding congestive conditions that will affect their neighborhood and property values. Currently, we are contending with the rezoning of property that was considered “open space”, but only until a developer is found willing to pay the price. The development of Fanita Ranch by Home Fed, Inc., is a 180-degree reversal of the ballot initiative that the voters approved years ago, and again the citizens are being kept in the dark about these major changes in the development of 2,600 acres of Santee property. Instead of addressing these issues, long-term incumbents’ are painting a rosy picture of their previous accomplishments, but once re-elected, will continue implementing their own vision of a new normal for our community’s future.”
“The rezoning of 70 acres of Gillespie Field property for a development called Aerotropolis is causing problems in Santee. The Prospect Avenue project involves construction to widen Prospect Avenue and the city used imminent domain to take possession of properties that stood in the way of the project’s path. So, is this Aerotropolis development a good idea; probably not. The current mentality of local government is now about rezoning more and more property to squeeze in as business units and multi housing units they can for property and sales tax purposes. You may want to research the skill set and abilities of your local and county government representatives to see if they really are up to the task of negotiating all of these land development deals. Elected representatives that leave it all up to the City Manager, a city employee, to negotiate rezoning and land development deals is not leadership and is not responsible representation for the people. The 70 acres at Gillespie Field could have been a true investment for the future of Santee, El Cajon, and all of East County, if redeveloped as space for something such as the Biotech industry, that the city government reps say they hope to bring to Santee. It would have perfectly complimented the true original Fanita Ranch development, which the voters approved as a ballot initiative, consisting of high-end move up housing in Santee.:
“Santee’s future depends on our local government working together with the people and business owners in Santee for solutions to problems and issues that affect our quality of life. Any discussion of the city’s budget should include the hundreds of thousands of dollars in subsidized grants accepted by the City Council at an alarming rate, stating the grants are necessary for the numerous new bike paths painted on cracked and crumbling streets or the building of “pocket parks” in neighborhoods where they are not desired or needed.”
“My top priorities if elected to the City Council are:
Create video recordings of the City Council meetings and publish them to the City Hall website for the citizens to review, which will increase their awareness of issues affecting their city, and encourage active participation in their local government.”
“The decisions made by City Hall representatives, without the input or knowledge of the citizens, have altered Santee and its future. These serious changes such as land development issues, must be made public with advanced notice, and discussed thoroughly with the citizens and small business owners input until a decision is reached. Issues the citizens regard as seriously affecting their quality of life and future, that require more research and discussion beyond the normal confines of City Council meetings, should be ballot issues for Santee citizens to decide on with a citywide vote as what happened with the Fanita Ranch development plan. Term Limits: A three-term limit for City Council Members and Mayor.” www.electmaggieacerra.com
Ronn Hall
Small Business owner
“I am a San Diego native. I settled in Santee with my home and business. I have run a successful business for over 27 years. With my past management experience I have the qualifications needed in the City Council.
My wife, Virginia Hall, and I have been heavily involved in Santee charity and community events for the past decade. We sit on the board of directors for the Santee Chamber of Commerce for over 10 years , we are members of the Santee-Lakeside Rotary, and recently I was appointed to the Santee Lakes Foundation.
In 2011 I was the President of the Santee Chamber of Commerce. Over the last decade, I have helped organize the Santee Street Fair, Santee Car Show, Relay for Life events, Santee-Lakeside Rotary, and delivered food for Santee Santa’s, along with many other events. I have a passion for Santee and would be an asset to the Santee City Council.”
“I can make a difference in our community’s future. I’m running to keep Santee a safe and secure community. My common sense approach is developed from a business background. My management style asks the tough questions that get to the root of an issue—setting the stage for the right decisions to be made.”
“I’m endorsed by many community leaders, including Mayor Voepel, who has always put the City’s interests first. My ability to work with elected local officials will promote collaboration and vision-focused thinking that allows us to protect our family focused community values while embracing changes that keep our community moving forward.”
“Santee has benefited from the growth of new business in town center. The current council has made it possible to almost not leave the city with all the great businesses they have brought in. The proposed movie theatre and entertainment center will bring people from all over East County to enjoy Santee. The city did not raise the sales tax, making us the lowest tax rate of any East County City.”
“I disagree with the TOT tax forced upon Santee hotels and Santee Lakes. I dislike fee’s simply being raised as a moneymaker. I will work to keep our City fees low or eliminate them, when possible. Whether the fee is for building a wall or to setup the Santee Street Fair, it needs to be affordable.”
“I agree with a limited expansion to Gillespie Field. It is a small airport that would benefit the community by the expansion with jobs and new businesses.”
“As Santee continues to develop, our community is challenged with the task of avoiding future potential obstacles associated with congestion, over-crowding, energy regulations, crime, infrastructure support, balanced budgets and acclimating to technology demands.”
“We need to have the ability to find outlets for our traffic congestion and other means by which to address resource shortages such as renewable energy and increased access to recycled water to our homes that will assist residents in reducing energy and other infrastructure cost impacts on our family budgets. As your Council Member, I see a city that is prosperous, with local entertainment, fine dining, and businesses that all of East County can enjoy.”
For more information, current endorsements, please log onto RonnHallCityCouncil.com.
