SLO LIFE Oct/Nov 2020

| CANDIDATE FORUM
CITY COUNCIL
ANDREA (ANDY) PEASE
It has been my honor to serve on the SLO City Council these past four
years and I’m excited to be running for re-election. Despite the challenges
of our time, I am confident in a bright future for our community. I have
a vision for San Luis Obispo that is sustainable, inclusive and thriving. I
have a balanced approach and listen to all perspectives. And, as a council
member and a business owner, I have the experience to be effective. We
have accomplished a lot over the past four years, and going forward, I will
build on that foundation.
Economic recovery: The pandemic has been devastating to so many
businesses, and we must focus on recovery. Starting in 2017, we gradually
tightened our city budget by almost $9 million and planned for longterm
fiscal health, putting us in a stronger position now. After COVID
restrictions were put in place, we launched OpenSLO with parklets,
streamlined permitting and small grants. I will continue this work to
retain local businesses, while supporting head-of-household jobs, helping
address child care for working families and maintaining essential services
for all our residents.
Housing: Our council embedded new projects with requirements for
affordability and giving priority to locals, so more people who work here
can afford to live here. Access to local housing supports business, reduces
carbon emissions and is a keystone of social equity, and I will continue to
promote housing options, walkable neighborhoods and great access for
transit and biking.
CITY COUNCIL
JEFFERY SPECHT
As a councilman, I will work to end the culture of waste, corruption
and bloated government oozing out of City Hall, as well as put a halt
to the division pulling apart our community at its seams. San Luis
Obispo needs council members who are accountable to the people,
not to buddies in big business and extremist street activism.
Our City Council ignores the public while bowing to city staff and
supporting large developers and a marijuana mogul. These special
interests build atrocities that block our scenic views and grease the
wheels to get projects approved. The council also backs a bike riding
coalition determined to force people out of cars and onto bicycles.
I plan to build a coalition on the council that will fire the city
manager and city attorney, slash city employee salaries and place
major pension reform on the ballot. We’ll also address the veterans
left to rot on the streets and make police hand over body-cam
footage when the public requests it.
I am running for city council because I care about our community,
our residents and justice. As a councilman, I promise to serve the will
of the people.
Homelessness: We strengthened partnerships with the county, non-profit
agencies and the community to the establish and maintain the 40 Prado
homeless services center, and we added social services in the field. We
must do more, and I support developing transitional housing, deploying
social workers to those in crisis and advocating for mental health services
for all who need it.
Climate action: We established the ambitious target of carbon neutral
by 2035. We led our region in adopting community choice energy, so
we are now receiving carbon-free electricity, supporting an equitable
green economy and saving our residents money. I’ll continue the
work of climate action through open space, urban forestry, sustainable
transportation and energy efficiency.
Diversity, equity and inclusion: Underpinning all this work is my
commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We must ensure all of our
residents have a voice and access to opportunity.
I ask for your vote this November. Thank you so much!
74 | SLO LIFE MAGAZINE | OCT/NOV 2020