Stuart Kasdin
| Candidate Name: | Stuart Kasdin |
| Position Sought: | Goleta City Council – District 4 |
| Website / Social Media: | www.stuartkasdin.com Facebook: Stuart Kasdin for Goleta City Council |
| Why are you running for office? |
| My background gives me the ability to make a difference. I previously worked in the White House budget office, the Office of Management and Budget, for 3 Presidents, where I gained experience as a staff person in program evaluation, budgeting, drafting and reviewing legislation and regulations. I also taught public budgeting and program administration at George Washington University and American politics and policy analysis at Santa Barbara City College. I serve on the editorial board of the American Review of Public Administration. Being on the city council allows to use what I have learned to contribute to the city. When I was younger, I was in the Peace Corps, and before then, an Eagle Scout. By being on the city council, I get to give back to the community. |
| What makes you qualified for this position? |
| Apart from being an incumbent, and having 8 years of experience, my work for the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) was somewhat similar to being on council. At OMB, we received agency budget submissions, which we evaluated and responded to, accepting some proposed new programs or spending while passing on others. We also worked with the agencies to design new programs and legislation. This is similar to being on council, in which we aim to set policy and steer the staff. It also engrained in me how to live within a budget -- that is, to figure out your priorities and target resources to achieve those goals. Finally, to be qualified means you have the ability to listen to what your constituents care about and to make those concerns your priorities. |
| What are the two hardest issues facing the candidate who wins the office you are running for? |
| Historically. Like most cities, for funding road maintenance and repair costs, Goleta’s budgets have relied on fees, rather than general fund revenues. However, when new construction is down and impact fees fall, investment in pavement spending also has fallen. Of course, the city also has had to pay about $7 million annually to the county because of the Revenue Neutrality Agreement. Coincidentally, this is close to how much additional revenue we need for the pavement program. As such, the budgets have not kept pace with the pavement repair needs. We need to fix this. We will create a new plan to serve as a roadmap for addressing our road maintenance needs. Another challenge is in addressing homelessness because it is a balancing act of helping the homeless, reducing impacts to the neighborhoods, while doing so in a fiscally responsible manner. Our ultimate goal is to end homelessness in Goleta. We start with outreach and assistance to the encampments and vehicular homeless. We have expanded opportunities for interim housing (Hedges House of Hope, Path) and permanent housing, such as incorporating 102 affordable units in the new Heritage Ridge site (particularly targeted for seniors). We also recognize the needs of the nearby residential community, such as excluding people from camping in high fire risk locations on the Ellwood Mesa and expanding the safe parking opportunities to shift people away from staying overnight in residential neighborhoods. |
| How do you plan to address the issue of inflation and its impacts on your constituents if elected? |
| We can help bring down costs. Childcare is one area where we can have an impact. There is a massive need for more childcare facilities for children age 0-2 and the city will be in a position to add capacity. When the state’s expands public education for children age 4 (or 3 ½ if special needs), it will have two impacts. First, some 20% of the childcare spaces now being used will no longer be used. Because 9 in 10 children aged 3-5 already have childcare, there’s an opportunity to expand coverage for children aged 0-2 yrs, where only 1 in 8 is being served. Second, when public schools offer the transitional age care, it will lure away current childcare teachers, so preschools may experience a major loss in personnel. How can the city help offset that? Another economic development strategy is in developing new childcare facilities. We provided new grant funding to support this initiative. The other area is housing costs. As we implement the state-approved housing element, if the new housing that is added largely satisfies the more luxury or expensive end of the market, it will have little impact on housing prices. As we review developer proposals, our burden will be how we can help make the new proposed housing drive down the workforce housing costs. |
| What major crime issues do you plan to address if elected and how? |
| As a contract city, Goleta does not have its own police force. Instead, the city contracts with the county sheriff for police services. Our staff meet regularly with the sheriff’s office to be aware of any emerging crime issues, and whether there is a need for some additional actions to address them. |
| How do you plan to address the issue of housing if elected? |
| We have rezoned sites sufficient to add over new 1,800 units, as well as having additional infill sites for housing that the state housing agency would not acknowledge. This action was required for the city to get state approval for our housing element. Likewise, the county has rezoned for thousands of potential new units adjacent to Goleta’s borders. Our goals are to work with developers to provide the maximum number of units affordable to our local workforce. As we incorporate these new units, we will ensure consistency with the General Plan, including controlling excessive traffic congestion in the neighborhoods. We also will be evaluating an enhanced local preference ordinance, which will do two things: first enable those already living in the area priority to receive affordable units, and second, a preference to those working nearby the new housing. In this way, there is greater potential for public safety-related personnel such as. police, fire, and emergency responders, as well as health personnel to receive affordable housing. Moreover, living close to one’s work increases the potential that alternative transportation will be used. |
| What do you hope to accomplish in your first year in office if elected? |
| In general, our work doesn’t conclude in a single year. We need to identify areas of concern and “work the problem,” knowing that success invariably takes time and usually there aren’t short-cuts. My priorities include reducing airport noise over residential Ellwood, preserving community character and maximizing the affordable, workforce housing as we implement the state-mandated housing, increasing the availability and affordability of childcare, reducing homelessness, restoring the Ellwood Mesa, moving Firehouse 10 to completion, and increasing funding for city’s roads and sidewalks. |
| What actions do you plan to take to reduce political divide? |
| In the allocation of goods and services, we decide which programs to fund, which recipients to receive grants and contracts, and who to serve on our boards and commissions, how we let people know about the availability of those opportunities, and where we place projects, both those perceived as less desirable (e.g., a drug treatment facility) and those more desirable (e.g., a new park). To reduce the political divide, the solutions often start with a transparent process with clear standards to avoid any concerns about favoritism or bias. Thus, we need clear goals and objective standards for evaluating who should receive grants and contracts. One forthcoming city effort is to create an index in which we will have an objective metric in which to compare capital improvement plan projects. Another action is based on good communication. The city established a Public Engagement Commission. One of its responsibilities with to look for ways to encourage a larger and more diverse set of individuals to participate in city government and run for office. Its topics have included whether regular City Council meeting should be scheduled after 5 p.m.; whether the directly elected mayor’s term should be 4 years; and the district mapping process in determining district lines for future district elections. Its goal is to increase resident participation in government. |
