Welcome to my campaign blog!
Thank you for droping by my blog and for your help in this campaign.
Together we can make a difference!
Larry D. Halstead
Welcome to my campaign blog! 
1 comment:
Hi Larry,
I believe you have done a good job in putting forth your five-point platform. Your ideas about the environment and the river, and economic development, are especially excellent.
As we have been in Barstow and California only four years, I must confess I am ignorant about certain aspects of municipal government and I would appreciate it if you could answer some of them:
It appears this is an al-large election and the top two candidates win. Is that correct? Elsewhere that we lived previously councils, school boards, etc., were often elected via districts or a place system (Candidates file for "city Council, Place 1" for example and so forth). Is it possible under California's municipal coes for Barstow to change to such a system? the advantage of districts is each section of the city gets representation. As minority residences in Barstow appear to be quite dispersed throughout the city it does not appear a district system would be required under the Voting Rights Act. However, we defintely need more diversity.
Are council members paid a salary?
What about annexation? It appears according to published maps much of the Barstow area is not in city limits. Can the council pass ordinances to annex, or is there further items in the process? It appears to me if many areas are not in city limits some are not paying city taxes and yet partaking of city services. Would you support annexation?
As you are certainly aware, much of Barstow's population is economically disadvantaged. The community has good provisions of social services, but the bulk of these are federal, state, nonprofit, and county. Some things that would help our most disadvantaged neighbors include of course economic development, but also improvements to the Fort Irwin bus system which would give those lacking personal vehicles access to jobs at the post at night and on weekends. Could the city help in this area? Also many are at the mercy of slumlords. One of your opponents has personal ties to a landlord who is demonstrably slow in making repairs to his rental properties. Would you support an ordinance, if such is possible, to require landlords to make needed repairs to their rental units within reasonable time periods or be required to waive rent for the periods when services are not received?
No doubt there are many other areas which as a council candidate you may have ideas, but these come to mind right now. Good luck with the campaign.
George Shuler
Post a Comment