Assemblyman Brian Jones to host ice cream social

Former Santee City Councilman and current State Assemblyman Brian Jones will host an ice cream social to celebrate the grand opening of his new District Office at 10152 Mission Gorge Rd. The event takes place on Thursday, August 18, and runs from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. You can expect a large gathering of local business owners and politicians, as Jones has been an active participant in Santee’s growth over the past several years. To RSVP for the celebration, contact Gail Ramer at 619-441-2322.

Santee City Council Candidate Rudy Reyes

After several days offline due to a hard drive crash, we continue with an e-interview with Santee City Council candidate Rudy Reyes. Also because of the hard drive crash, there is no photo currently available.

Scouting Santee: What is your current position?

Rudy Reyes: I work as a consultant Archaeologist

Scouting Santee: Why did you decide to run for Santee City Council?

Rudy Reyes: As a method of repaying the community (firefighters, police, doctors, other people) for its support of me through my dire times. (2003 Cedar Fire)

Scouting Santee: What is it about your background that prepares you to be a member
of the city council?

Rudy Reyes: I ran for County supervisor in 2008, Santee council in 2008, both doing very well. I received two degrees in Archaeology, survey and excavation. I have written Environmental Impact Reports, which are used to make most decisions in politics. Recognised as “hero” of the 2003 cedar fires, public safety is foremost on my agenda. I am a ordained Reverend; no need to lead public astray. I was a A.V.I.D.(college prep.) math teacher/specialist for over a decade working with under privileged children.

Scouting Santee: What have you done to further prepare yourself for being a councilmember?

Rudy Reyes: I have educated myself in both the public aspect as well as taken classes on Resource management, as to run an eco-conservative city, I am trilingual, English, Spanish, French, some local Indian. Have 10 years of being a middle school teacher and three at a college level.

Scouting Santee: What is it that distinguishes you from the other candidates?

Rudy Reyes: Lots. Local “hero”. Recipient of Santee/Lakeside Rotary Scholarship, loved by community. Archaeology degrees, well traveled. Very well educated.

Scouting Santee: What do you consider the top three challenges facing Santee over
the next four years?

 Rudy Reyes:

1. Fire prevention and public safety
2. Community service; hospital in Santee, Community Garden
3. Returning Santee Eco-green self sufficient community; solar panel grid created

Scouting Santee: What do you consider the top successes in Santee over the past few
years?

Rudy Reyes: I consider the Santee lakes water reclamation to be one of the most successful endeavors we have taken. The Santee trolley center was also a great success, allowing commerce to expand.

Scouting Santee: If you are elected, what are your top three goals?

Rudy Reyes:

1. Fire prevention and public safety
2. Community service; hospital in Santee, Community Garden
3. Returning Santee Eco-green self sufficient community; solar panel grid created reducing electric rate in city.

Scouting Santee: What else would you like people to know about you?

Rudy Reyes: As a disabled person and worst injured in the 2003 cedar fires, I want to repay the community for my continued existence. The best way is community service, ensuring proper fire safety and public services to my community.  Please allow me to represent the “Voiceless” of Santee. For more info go to website www.reyesrudy.com

Santee City Council Candidate Ben Kalasho

 

Ben Kalasho - Candidate for Santee City Council

Today’s interview is with Santee City Council Candidate Ben Kalasho

 

Scouting Santee: What is your current position?

Ben Kalasho: Local Business Owner & C.E.O

Scouting Santee: Why did you decide to run for Santee City Council?

Ben Kalasho: I attended the University of California, San Diego, where I excelled in economics and finance. I want to bring to the table my experience as a business owner and C.E.O. in these challenging economic times.

Scouting Santee: What is it about your background that prepares you to be a member of the city council?

Ben Kalasho: I own and operate two successful businesses, I employ more than 60 local residents, I meet a pay roll and work within a budget, everyday. I attended the University of California San Diego where I excelled in economics and finance. I want to bring to the table my experience as a business owner and C.E.O. in these challenging economic times.

Scouting Santee: What have you done to further prepare yourself for being a councilmember?

Ben Kalasho: I was raised in Santee and I know Santee’s concerns first hand. I have “Santee Family Values” and I am a member of The Knights of Columbus. I am knowledgeable and experienced and will be responsive to citizen concerns. I received an award from the “East County Small Business Association” for creating more than 40 new jobs in Santee. I have been a local community leader for over 12 years. I Ben Kalasho will be a councilman concerned about the issues, not politics. I am supported by local elected officials from both the  Republican and Democratic parties, but more importantly I am supported by hundreds of local residents. I am walking door to door and working hard to earn your vote.

Scouting Santee: What is it that distinguishes you from the other candidates?

Ben Kalasho: I’m the only candidate who has met a payroll. I’m the only candidate who owns and operates two successful companies where I supervise more than 60 employees. I’m the only candidate who has won an award for job creation in these tough economic times.

Scouting Santee: What do you consider the top three challenges facing Santee over the next four years?

Ben Kalasho: 1) Reduce traffic gridlock and improve traffic flow, 2) Defend Santee from outside agencies using our city as a dumping ground such as the expansion of Las Colinas and 3) Protect Santee from the State raiding our local revenues.

Scouting Santee: What do you consider the top successes in Santee over the past few years?

Ben Kalasho: The development of our commercial and retail sector. The expansion of public Parks and recreation, the improvements on Mast Park. Improvements in public transportation, and improvements in our sales tax base.

Scouting Santee: If you are elected, what are your top three goals?

Ben Kalasho: 1) I would like to see Fiscal responsibility. 2) Improve traffic flow on Mission Gorge. 3) I will work hard to bring a movie theatre in Santee.

Scouting Santee: What else would you like people to know about you?

Ben Kalasho: I would like them to know that Ben Kalasho is a person who has ethics. That Ben Kalasho built his businesses on hard work and integrity; that I’m a leader, and I’m easily reached, and I promote a more transparent form of government. I’d like to see Santee continue to be a great place to raise a family. I will be a councilman concerned about the issues not politics. That I Ben Kalasho will make every decision as a councilman with a full understanding that the Santee residents come first.

To learn more about Ben Kalasho, visit his campaign website.

Santee City Council Candidate – Shari Groce

 

Shari L Groce - Candidate for Santee City Council

 

This is the email interview with city council candidate Shari Groce.

Scouting Santee: What is your current position?

Shari Groce: I am currently employed as an Aerospace Engineer for a major defense company.  I am a lead with twelve (12) engineers working for me.

Scouting Santee: Why did you decide to run for Santee City Council?

Shari Groce: With 2 open seats on the Santee City Council I want to ensure that Santee continues in the current fiscally responsible direction.

Scouting Santee: What is it about your background that prepares you to be a member of the city council?

Shari Groce: I have worked for over 20 years in the defense industry with increasing responsibility that has included managing multi-million dollar contracts and budgets, overseeing subcontractors, leading groups of engineers to complete projects.  All of the projects that I have managed have come in under budget and on time.

Scouting Santee: What have you done to further prepare yourself for being a councilmember?

Shari Groce: I have been active with youth sports, Boy Scouts, Santee’s COMPOC committee and various other community activities, so I have experienced first hand and have listened to what the residents of Santee want and need in our community

Scouting Santee: What is it that distinguishes you from the other candidates?

Shari Groce: I am the average person in Santee and will bring the perspective of a long time resident, 22 years, who has worked at a regular full time job and raised my family in Santee.

Scouting Santee: What do you consider the top three challenges facing Santee over the next four years?

Shari Groce: The budget problems in Sacramento are putting our local communities at risk by diverting local money back to Sacramento.  Sacramento has caused some of our neighboring communities to vote in sales tax increases to balance their budgets.  With my vote, I will help to manage Santee’s budget to preclude a sales tax increase for our city.  Our small businesses have enough difficulties operating with the federal and state taxes and regulations that a local sales tax increase could cause some of them to close their doors and we cannot afford to lose those jobs.

Scouting Santee: What do you consider the top successes in Santee over the past few years?

Shari Groce: It is difficult to list all of Santee’s successes over the past few years; however, the top success has been the ability of the city council to live within its means by keeping the budget balanced without raising taxes.  The new parks and expansions at the existing parks, Town Center, maintenance of our streets and street lights, these are all successes that every Santee resident can be proud of.

Scouting Santee: If you are elected, what are your top three goals?

Shari Groce:

1. Ensure that Santee’s budget stays within the revenues that are currently generated.

2. Keep taxes and fees low – not initiating any new taxes or fees will help our small businesses grow.

3. Keep regulations on businesses at a minimum – the federal and state governments already over burden our small businesses. We as local elected officials need to get out of the way so they can grow and provide jobs

Scouting Santee: What else would you like people to know about you?

Shari Groce: My husband, Jim, and I have been married for 29 years.  We have two grown and married sons.  Our oldest son and his wife live in Santee while our youngest son joined the USAF.  He and his family reside at Mountain Home AFB; however, he is currently deployed to Iraq so his wife and son are back in East County until his return next spring.

For more information about Shari Groce, you can visit her website.

Santee City Council Candidate – Rocky Qualin

Rocky Qualin - Candidate for Santee City Council

This is the first in a series of email interviews with candidates for Santee City Council. Candidates were emailed a questionnaire to fill out. That questionnaire and the candidate’s answers are presented below. Rocky Qualin is one of eight candidates for three council seats.

Scouting Santee: What is your current position?

Rocky Qualin: Senior Vice President at KPS Insurance Services

Scouting Santee: Why did you decide to run for Santee City Council?

Rocky Qualin: I want Santee to continue to strive for: Accountability, Transparency and Good Governance.  To balance budgets, keep costs down and insure long term financial stability

Scouting Santee: What is it about your background that prepares you to be a member of the city council?

Rocky Qualin: In my career as a Banker, and now at KPS Insurance Services, I have analyzed and budgeted financial statements for companies well above 100 Million dollars. I know with that background I can help the city cut costs, maintain budgets, forecast financial growth and make the tough decisions needed to sustain financial prosperity.

Scouting Santee: What have you done to further prepare yourself for being a councilmember?

Rocky Qualin: I have been on the board of several Associations (Camp Jack, Engineering and General Contractors Association and the Associated General Contractors of America, to name a few) and have helped to provide essential products and services to the people and business of San Diego

Scouting Santee: What is it that distinguishes you from the other candidates?

Rocky Qualin: I am a Santana High School graduate, a San Diego State Graduate, a Santee resident, a homeowner and tax payer.  I live here with my wife and raise my two children here.  I have friends and family in Santee and I care what happens in this town. With my education and professional experiences, I know I am qualified to be a councilperson.

Scouting Santee: What do you consider the top three challenges facing Santee over the next four years?

Rocky Qualin:

• Balancing budgets and keeping costs down
• Development
• The Las Colinas expansion

Scouting Santee: What do you consider the top successes in Santee over the past few years?

Rocky Qualin: The Development of Trolley Center.  It allows the citizens of Santee to work, shop, play and eat in their own town. It provides a destination place for the community to gather and enjoy

Scouting Santee: If you are elected, what are your top three goals?

Rocky Qualin:

Santee’s Fiscal/Economic Vitality- Jobs and our Quality of Life: During this period in our economy we need to manage limited financial resources while keeping our citizens informed. Increase prosperity and the resulting tax base by: streamlining regulation, holding the line on taxes and attracting quality companies.  We need to encourage business investment, making sure the public services, streets, sidewalks, parks, reflect a lively community where people want to live, work, shop and play

Accountability, Transparency and Good Governance: Full disclosure in all its transactions, programs and projects is one way of inviting the citizen to engage their local government officials to a more meaningful partnership towards better governance.  Full disclosure will pave the way for local residents to share their efforts in bringing about desirable development outcomes for their localities. After all, development is a shared responsibility

Public Safety Services and Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness: Our Public Safety relies upon professionals and citizens working together to continue to make Santee safer. Start and/or continue a neighborhood Watch Program. Neighbors looking out for each other.  Visit the Santee City website and see how you can contribute as a citizen.

Scouting Santee: What else would you like people to know about you?

Rocky Qualin: I grew up in Santee and graduated Santana High School.  I then graduated from SDSU with a degree in Finance and began my career as a corporate Banker for 11 years and I am now a Senior Vice President at KPS Insurance Services Inc.  Santee is where I raise my family and I want to ensure long term financial stability for our city.

Jack Welsh Jr. (Chairman and CEO of General Electric between 1981-2001) had a philosophy regarding his company.  Keep your customers happy, keep your employees happy and manage your cash flows. I believe that translates into managing a city.  Keep your constituents happy (by being honest and having transparency in finance and governance), Keep your city employees happy (by being fair and honest) and manage the city cash flow (maintain a balanced budget).

You can learn more about Rocky Qualin at his website. My thanks to Mr. Qualin for participating in this interview.

Santee City Council Candidates

With election day only weeks away Santee residents have  a number of choices to make that could greatly influence the directions the city takes over the next four years. Over the next few days I will be posting a series of email interviews with the candidates for city council. I am also planning to do the same with the candidates for Santee School District Board and Padre Dam Municipal Water District Board, but the city council comes first. Before I begin with the interviews, a quick overview of the candidates for the 3 seats on the council, in alphabetical order.

Janet Enright – Retired Administrative Officer

Shari L. Groce – Aerospace Engineer

Ben Kalasho – Business Owner/CEO

Rob McNelis – Santee Business Owner

John W. Minto – Incumbent

Rocky Qualin – Business Consultant

Rudy Reyes – Archaeologist/Scientist/Educator

John Ryan – Longshoreman.

Tomorrow our first interview, with Rocky Qualin.

Watching the Endorsement Process

Thursday night, September 9, I had the opportunity to attend a candidate forum hosted by the Greater Santee and East County California Republican Assembly groups. The event took place at the Ranch House Restaurant on Woodside Avenue, and included candidates in several East County races. Among those attending were candidates for Santee City Council, Santee School Board, Padre Dam Water District Board, and California State Assembly and Senate.

If you are interested in a report on who the delegates endorsed, you can check out the article on Santee Examiner. This article is actually more on my thoughts about the process involved. My original assumption was that the delegates would listen to the candidates’ opening words, ask some appropriate questions, listen to the answers, and then listen to the closing words. After that they would weigh the merits of the various candidates and decide whom they would endorse. However, from my point of view this was not the case.

First, the candidates had filled out what must have been some fairly long questionnaires that covered topics that sometimes seemed to have little or nothing to do with the offices they were running for. Second, there were frequently no questions asked, or the questions again were seemingly totally off topic. For example, what was the point of asking school board candidates how they would deal with illegal immigration? Finally in several instances the decision of whom to endorse seemed to rest more on how properly “conservative” the candidate was rather than on such qualifications as experience or vision. In one case the small contingent of delegates from one community simply left early rather than take a vote on the one candidate from their area – which, in itself, was apparently their vote.

I assume I am going to get some flack from this post, and some candidates might even feel I am disparaging them or showing a bias toward a different candidate. That is not my intention, although I am somewhat disparaging the process I watched last night. I still plan to write objective articles on the candidates based on questionnaires I plan to send out. These will focus on topics directly related to the offices involved, rather than being generic questions that might not always have a bearing on a position. I feel it is important that residents of Santee know as much as they can about what a candidate’s qualifications and vision are before voting. Please watch for upcoming articles here and on Santee Examiner.

Santee’s Successful Candidates

Tuesday, June 8, was a big day for two of Santee’s hard-working community members.  Probably the better known of the two is Brian Jones, Santee council member and Vice Mayor, who won the Republican nomination for 77th Assembly District to replace Joel Anderson who took the top spot for Republican candidate for 36th Senate District.  Another winner was Ronn Hall, local businessman (Ronn Hall Insurance – 2010 Small Business of the Year) and Chamber of Commerce Vice President, who took one of six spots on the 77th District Republican Central Committee.  Congratulations to both of Santee’s political victors.

Brian Jones, Republican Candidate for 77th Assembly, with 2010 Miss Santee and Miss Santee Teen

Ronn Hall, Republican Central Committee, 77th District

Candidate Rundowns for Santee

With the election tomorrow, this post is dedicated to short overviews of several candidates in the 36th State Senate race.  The information is from a candidate forum held last week at the Elks Lodge in El Cajon, sponsored by the San Diego East County Chambers of Commerce.  Attending the forum were Senate candidates Paul Clay (D), Greg Stephens (R), and Jeff Stone (R).  Senate candidate Joel Anderson (R) did send a representative, explaining that he was unable to attend due to his duties as Assembly Member, but the representative was not allowed to participate in the question-and-answer session because of objections by one of his opponents.  Assembly candidates Mark Hanson (D), Brian Jones (R), Christine Rubin (R), and Bill Wells (R) were also present, however I do not have time to include information on them.

During the forum there were a number of questions posed by those attending.  The first question was on how each candidate would deal with the current state budget crisis.  The second question dealt with the Sunrise Power Link and specifically the plan to run it through Alpine.  The third question was on AB32, the state’s Global Warming statute.  The fourth question covered candidate views on same-sex marriage.  Question five was about the Arizona immigration law and how they would deal with illegal immigration.  The sixth question was on improving public education in California.  Question seven was a combination of two audience questions and dealt with bringing new money and jobs to the state.  The eighth question was about the influence of public employee unions on the state.  The final question was on the idea of a part-time legislation.  Each of the candidate overviews will highlight some of the answers that were provided.

36th State Senate

Paul Clay (Democrat) is a teacher from Murietta and the only Democrat on the ballot.  Clay believes there is a need to reach common ground in politics and is concerned with school financing and school safety.  He opposes the idea of a part-time legislation and the idea of cutting legislature pay if a balanced budget is not passed, although he would consider cutting per-diem pay.  On Sunrise, he doesn’t think there is a need for a power line and that generators could be installed locally with little loss of efficiency.  Clay supports AB32 and considers it a job-creator, in contrast to the Republican candidates, and considers it similar to the call for catalytic converters on autos several decades ago.  On education he believes there is a great deal of waste in schools, and that the focus needs to be on smaller classrooms, Head Start, and making schools a safe, wholesome place for kids.

Greg Stephens (Republican) is a pastor from Poway in his first run for elected office.  He is a veteran of Desert Storm and was a first responder at the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City.  Stephens believes in the idea of a part-time legislature for both accountability and budget purposes, feeling that members currently spend too much time and money on their next election.  He also believes that the state has too many layers of regulations, which increases the size of the bureaucracy and stifles business growth, and feels that unions have helped to make the state less business-friendly.  Stephens opposes the Sunrise Power Link, feeling all of the testing needed has not been done, and also opposes AB32 because it will increase power rates.  As a pastor, and personally, he believes in the idea of marriage as “one man and one woman,” and would add “for a lifetime” if it were his choice.

Jeff Stone (Republican) is a county supervisor from Riverside County and a long-time pharmacist who got tired of watching the way government was run.  Stone is a strong supporter of the idea of penalizing the legislature for not passing a balanced budget on time, and supports a part-time legislature.  He also supports a strong move against illegal immigration, similar to Arizona’s law.  Stone would also like to see less government regulation and taxes, and less influence by the unions, in order to help return the state to a business-friendly status.  On education, he would like to take the state Education Code and “burn it,” as well as get rid of unfunded mandates that the state places on local districts.  He is proud of the fact that he has experience writing and passing legislation.

Santee Deputy City Manager Named Monty Award Honoree

Santee’s own Pedro Orso-Delgado, Deputy City Manager, has been named as one of the 12 Monty Award Honorees for 2010. The Monty Awards are presented each year by San Diego State University to graduates who have “made significant contributions to the university, the San Diego community or California, nationally or internationally.” Orso-Delgado has been chosen as the outstanding graduate from the College of Engineering, and is being honored for “significant contributions to the field of civil engineering.” Before coming to Santee, he was a district director for CALTRANS, where he instituted widely recognized innovations that brought international attention to his district. Orso-Delgado and the other 11 will be honored at a gala dinner and awards ceremony at the Hotel del Coronado on April 24.