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By Janis Russell
July 16, 2015 (El Cajon)- The San Diego East County Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce hosted its first Meet Your Candidates event at Nicky Rotten’s Bar and Burger Joint in Rancho San Diego Tuesday evening. The speakers were County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who is running for re-election to the 2nd Supervisorial district seat and 71st State Assembly district candidate Mike Harrison, who has served as a staffer for Congressmen Duncan L Hunter and Duncan D Hunter.
County Supervisor Jacob spoke first. “It’s an honor to be here...We’ve done a lot over the years,” Jacob began. Then, she shared her background. She is a third generation San Diegan who has spent most of her life in East County. She has a teaching credential and has taught elementary school. Her husband was a pilot in the Navy. They decided to raise their kids in East County and chose Deerhorn Valley in Jamul. She mentioned how she always wanted to be a cowgirl and live on a ranch.
She was successful in the 10-year fight for Honey Springs ranch, where developers were trying to put urban housing in rural areas, and the community won at Supreme Court.
She recalled how she first became active in politics coming to speak before a public board on a community issue. When her name was called, she recalled, “The heel fell off my shoe. I just kept walking.” Jacob later served on the Jamul-Dulzura School District board, seeking to improve the curriculum. “I rode in like Joan of Arc,” she said, adding that she had to wait until the next election to gain a majority to win reforms..
She was then encouraged to run for the County Board. “I saw changes that needed to be made at the county.” Jacob points with pride to the county’s balanced budget and positive credit rating. On the board of Supervisors, Jacob has supported investing in libraries, parks and recreation centers and she has led efforts to establish the Alzheimer’s Project. She has also been a leader in working to improve regional fire protection and creation of a County Fire Authority.
She has also been a strong voice for rural voices and creating new opportunities for agri-tourism through establishment of a tiered winery ordinance and now similar legislation to make it easier to engage in beekeeping, cheese-making, farm stays and more. She has also been a vocal advocate for constituents opposed to major development and energy projects such as Sunrise Powerlink and has opposed a casino at the Jamul Indian Village.
Questions were then asked of Jacob.
Joel Scalzetti of Helix Water District wanted to know about her future goals. Jacob said she has been very passionate about the Alzheimer’s Project. She hopes that they can find a cure. “That’s going to take some time. We have a growing need for assisted living facilities,” she noted. “Another passion of mine are kids, expanding recreational activities for kids.” She also wants to build two more libraries, one in Casa De Oro and one in Lakeside, as well as expand libraries already built.
Jacob added, “Land use issues we have dealt with are very controversial,” noting that our backcountry was never zoned for industrial-scale wind turbines. She is also invested in continuing to improve fire protection.She voiced enthusiasm about serving another four years (a final term, due to term limits), but said the challenge for the future will be changes on the board.
Bonnie Price of the East County Democratic Club asked about food stamps, and Jacob said she hasn’t heard any complaints.
ECM’s editor Miriam Raftery wanted to know how concerned Jacob is about the influence of special interests. Jacob expressed her concern about big money interest influencing campaigns, noting that she voted for a measure that restricts spending in supervisorial races. “I represent the people,” Jacob stated.
State Senator Joel Anderson is reportedly planning to run against Jacob and has amassed a large war chest of contributions that include many special interests she has stood up against, such as SDG&E and developers pushing for industrial wind and solar projects in rural areas.
Michael Emerson of Grossmont Healthcare District wanted to get an update on the wineries in East County. Jacob was pleased to announce that “the wine industry is booming in San Diego County.” She recalled how in the past, there was one winery in Ramona and they couldn’t even have wine tastings or have retail sales on site. A tiered ordinance has been developed that has now allowed wineries to have tastings and retail sales on site. The ordinance is tied to the amount of wine produced and the size of the operation. Now there are 30 wineries in Ramona. “This allows them to promote agriculture.” There is also an equestrian ordinance that promotes agriculture and agritourism in the region.
Jacob then gave an introduction about Harrison. “I’ve known Michael Harrison for quite a long time… Michael is one of the best staffers I’ve ever dealt with,” she stated, adding that he has been responsive to inquiries from her office on behalf of constituents. “He has my full support.”
Harrison is vying for the 71st Assembly District being vacated by Brian Jones due to term limits. Santee Mayor Randy Voepel and Tony Teoro, all Republicans, have also announced plans to run.
Harrison called Jacob “an icon in our community, and a leader” who has earned his respect.
Harrison discussed his work helping constituents in Congressman Hunter’s office, many of whom also live in Jacob’s district. He recalled how he first came to San Diego in 2007 after being in Washington DC for 13 years. The senior Congressman Hunter’s home was directly affected by the 2003 fires, but the difference between the 2003 and 2007 fires was the response to the fires.
He then shared his background. “I was born in San Diego when my Dad was in the Navy… I was raised in Imperial County.” Harrison interned for Congressman Duncan L. Hunter after college and was accepted for a job in the Congressman’s Washington D.C. office. He started answering mail and soon got promoted,. Later, he obtained a Master’s degree in government at Johns Hopkins University. He met his wife while in DC. They now have two kids--13 year old Seth and 11 year old Sidney. He moved back to the San Diego area to be near his family. Today, he works with Duncan L’s son, Duncan D. Hunter. Between the two of them, he was work as a Congressional aide for 21 years.
“I work on issues that are important to constituents…. I was not itching to run for office. I was very content,” he says, but adds that he believes the 71st Assembly district needs someone who understands our local issues.
The next Assemblymember could serve up to 12 years, Harrison observes, adding, “The person elected should know the issues.”
Coming from a fiscally and socially conservative Republican point of view, he believes the environment in Sacramento is “hostile” due to Democratic control of both houses of the Legislature. The he talked about his goals for moving forward.
“Always stand on your principles and be vocal from day one. Silence implies consent,”he says. One of his top priorities will be protecting jobs and improving the business environment. “Businesses are leaving California. That means jobs and families are leaving too. “The environment is not conducive to good jobs [and] good businesses… The business model should be invest and grow.”
Second, he wants to “take the small victories with the big victories.” He gave an example of how he and liberal Democratic Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez don’t agree on a lot of issues, but the hundredth issues could be one they agree on. For instance, he cited an Assembly member who won Gonzalez’ support for a fiscal measure backed by conservatives after agreeing to support her bill to eliminate sales taxes on diapers.
The votes in Sacramento and committee work there is important, but equally important is being an advocate at home, making a difference in lives, Harrison believes. “You’ve got to have ideas, policy issues that you’re willing to move forward.”
He then help up a pledge he signed promising not to raise taxes. He mentioned the owners of a new art supply store on Main Street in El Cajon, adding they are the kinds of people he is trying to protect.
Next came questions from the audience.
Jon Hedberg, whose wife, Kathleen Coates-Hedberg, serves on Helix Water District, had a question about the drought. He noticed how Northern California is heavily impacted, and now wants help from Southern California. He wanted to know if Northern California had any willingness to help our region with their water supply before the drought comes near to an end.
Harrison answered, “I do not know, but I do know history acts as a guide. It has been antagonistic. San Diego County has been aggressive in diversifying their water portfolio… Lack of water supply down here is heavily manmade. They dump millions of gallons of water to protect six fish. We take perfectly treated water from Point Loma and dump it… Now that’s changing,” he said, citing water cuts ordered by Governor Jerry Brown. “We need legislators to make arguments with the water agencies and say they’re invested, and what’s going on is poor management.” He brought up how three years of data is being required for a water treatment plant in Santee before it goes online, despite evidence that the technology works and is safe. “Water is not sexy to talk about,” he said, but adds that it’s important.
Emerson wanted to know about Medi-Cal and if Harrison would support solving a $1.1 million deficit issue. Harrison responded, “What we’ve done is simply unsustainable,” acknowledging that problems need to be addressed. He hopes to partner with federal legislators he has a relationship with to get more knowledge about this issue. “I’m not ashamed to say I don’t know something… Politics is chess, not checkers,” he concluded. “You have to think strategically.”
Raftery brought up the state’s renewable energy mandate, and a complaint she has heard is that only utility-scale renewable (such as industrial wind or desert solar) count toward meeting that mandate. She wanted to know if there should be a change to allow rooftop solar, for example, to be counted.
Harrison responded, “We need to be smart and effective in our portfolio… There’s nothing wrong with solar or wind, or nuclear or geothermal etc.. as long as you put it in the right place.” The location shouldn’t be harming people who live there and it should be effective, he made clear. “Everything needs to be done with a balance,”Harrison concluded. “The only way to take back bureaucracy is to be smart about it.”
The next Meet Your Candidates hosted by the Chaldean American Chamber will meet Wednesday August 5.
For more information about Jacob, visit: http://diannejacobforsupervisor.com/#sthash.ZbgXsL5b.dpbs.
For more information about Harrison, go to: http://www.mikeharrison.com/.
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