Hi fellow Kossacks.
I've written here before about my race for City Council in Huntington Beach, California.
It's exciting! My campaign manager is Laura Riechelt, who masterminded Marcy Winograd's campaign against Jane Harmon.
Everywhere I go, there is a buzz and energy about my campaign.
And now the race may be determined by two local issues that progressives here are rallying around.
1. Mobile Home Park Resident Rights: our city council passed an ordinance two years ago that gave displaced mobile home park residents more rights than state law allowed. Consequently, the Mobile Home Park Owners sued the city, and our Republican City Attorney and Council are not presenting a vigorous defense of this ordinance.
The current ordinance requires limited compensation for the market value of the mobile home if relocation in the area is
not feasible. If the city doesn't defend its ordinance, and the ordinance is overturned, then mobile home owners will only receive relocation costs: the cost of moving their mobile home to another location.
Here's the problem: There are few vacancies in the area, and virtually all mobile home parks will not accept older mobile homes. Most of these residents, many of whom are seniors and less affluent than our other residents will be reduced to homelessness and poverty.
I support defending the ordinance with all our power.
2. Our Council's decision to approve the Poseidon Desalination Plant's plans. This plant, the largest such project in North America, would be next to the largest sewage treatment plant in Orange County, where are beaches are often closed because of pollution.
If the Poseidon plant is constructed, the water intake process would suck 100 million gallons of seawater into the plant each day destroying a vast amount of marine life. In addition, the desalinated water will not be used in Huntington Beach, it would be used to build new developments in inland Orange County. Poseidon's only other plant, built in Tampa Bay, Florida, cost taxpayers hundred of millions of dollars and is barely operational.
I believe our council voted against the best interests of our residents by approving the plant and we need better decision makers on Council.
So I'm here asking my fellow Kossacks' support. Please visit my website, look around and if you like what you see, help me by either volunterring or making a donation.
I want to be the Kossack on the Council on November 8. Thanks for your support and help.