Andy Pease
San Luis Obispo City Council
| Website: | www.andyforslo.com |
| Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/AndyForSLO |
| Other: | Instagram: andyforslo |
| Why are you running for office?: | 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. |
| What makes you qualified for the job?: | I have served on city council since 2016, and our council has had many accomplishments in housing, fiscal responsibility, climate action, sustainable transportation and economic vitality, among others. In addition to my city responsibilities, I currently serve on the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLOCOG), the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) for the SLO Valley Groundwater Basin. I also serve on the County Water Resources Advisory Committee (WRAC), where I’ve been elected chair for the past three years. Outside of city council, I am a green building architect, business owner and environmental leader.  |
| What are your two main priorities if you win?: | 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 long-term 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. |
| How will you interact with other governments?: | As noted above, I serve on several regional organizations and work well with the County Supervisors and other municipal elected leaders. Particular areas of coordination include land-use planning to improve the regional job/housing balance; economic vitality; regional transportation including transit, rail and intercity bikeways; homeless services; water resiliency; and emergency services. We must also advocate at the state and federal level for legislation that impacts our community, including local control over land use; financial support for infrastructure, transportation and housing; humane immigration reform; universal health care; reasonable gun control; and criminal justice reform. |
| What are your plans to help overcome COVID-19?: | It’s critical to reopen safely and slowly enough that we can course-correct if needed. The County is charged with Public Health and we follow their lead and the state mandates, but we’ve also stepped out when needed, e.g., closing bars early and aggressively encouraging wearing of masks when their effectiveness became clear. We were able to quickly deploy parklets through OpenSLO, provided small business grants, and have funded our economic development department to directly support local business. Going forward, we’ll continue to prioritize public health and safety, while supporting economic recovery and resilience. |
| Which two issues are most important to you?: | Immediate issues are Economic Recovery and Housing, as described above. We must also address the climate crisis and social inequality. The issues are intertwined and can be addressed holistically through strategic economic recovery and investment. |
