District 1 supervisor’s race: 4 questions for the candidates

The two candidates running for the District 1 seat on the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors are familiar to many residents.

Steve Martin, a marketing and public relations consultant, is mayor of Paso Robles and previously served on the Paso Robles City Council. He also has volunteered with a number of community organizations.

John Peschong has long been involved in state and national Republican political affairs, starting with a stint in the Reagan White House and is a founding partner of a political consulting firm with offices in Sacramento and Templeton.

They are running to represent one of two North County districts on the Board of Supervisors; incumbent Frank Mecham did not run for re-election. The candidates responded to four questions from The Tribune:

Q: What would be your primary goal for the first six months of your term?

Martin: My priority will be to initiate action to address the areas of greatest concern to our citizens. These include: support for public safety, protection of quality of life, cost-effective water management, working countywide to improve economic development and create new jobs, support efforts to repair and maintain our transportation infrastructure, partner with local, regional and state agencies to address homelessness, and establish a relationship with my fellow board members to support an era of civil discourse.

Peschong: Public safety is my top priority for the next four years. We must do the following: (1) Expand the Sheriff’s Gang Task Force and Narcotics Unit; (2) Increase the sheriff’s patrol throughout the county; (3) Provide the tools and technology to end gang violence; (4) Ensure that our children are in the classroom, not on the streets; (5) Work to reform Sacramento’s failed prison realignment program and Prop. 47 so that dangerous criminals aren’t being put back on our streets.

Q: An urgency ordinance that prohibits the removal of oak trees in unincorporated inland areas (with some exemptions for diseased or dead trees; farmers and ranchers are allowed to take out 5 percent of their total oak canopy without a permit) expires in April 2017. Would you support a permanent ordinance? If not, why not? If so, should it be modified in any way from the urgency ordinance?

Martin: I support a permanent ordinance to protect oak trees. They are a critical component of our local environment and an iconic representation of our community. I have spoken twice before the supervisors on this issue, including the presentation of a resolution of support from the Paso Robles City Council. Any modifications must reflect the reasonable and responsible needs of our farmers and ranchers while protecting indigenous trees.

Peschong: People were justifiably concerned about the clear-cutting of thousands of oak trees at Justin Winery, which will lead to erosion problems. There should be protections in place to prevent a repeat of that. But I also am a strong supporter of property rights. Ranchers, farmers and property owners have a vested interest in preserving their land while also trying to earn a living from it. I believe a suitable compromise can be worked out between landowners and environmentalists.

Q: Do you support Measure J, the 9-year, half-cent sales tax increase on the Nov. 8 ballot that would fund local transportation projects and if so, why? If not, how should local transportation infrastructure projects be paid for?

Martin: I hate unnecessary taxation, but I support Measure J. Fuel-efficient cars mean less gas tax revenue, plus the state has drastically reduced road funding. Without Measure J, our ability to fix dangerous interchanges, on/off-ramps and travel lanes will be crippled. Measure J is a modest, short-term measure that leverages local and tourism tax dollars and delivers significant resources to accomplish projects designated by local citizens. Efforts must continue, however, to recover funds appropriated by the State of California.

Peschong: We pay some of the highest taxes in the nation and don’t need more. State government must make transportation a priority. The current budget spends $170.8 billion with just over 6 percent going to transportation. The Legislature also just neglected to pass a $7.5 billion transportation bill. Now projects like the widening of highways 46 and 227 remain on hold. We must elect legislators with the right priorities while ensuring county officials use resources in an efficient and effective manner.

Q: How seriously do you think the closure of Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in 2025 will impact the county? What should the Board of Supervisors do to address that impact?

Martin: The financial impacts created by the closure will be significant. For decades, this facility has provided employment, property taxes and community benefits countywide. The Board of Supervisors must work with the cities and other entities in planning for the transition away from these benefits. The focus must be on a smooth, orderly transition without precipitous changes. We’ve been working with the plant for decades. It will take a while to learn how to live without it.

Peschong: The impact will be extremely serious. We’ll lose several thousand good-paying direct jobs and tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue along with a source of electricity generation that produces no carbon emissions. Fortunately, PG&E has agreed to pay San Luis Obispo County nearly $50 million to offset declining property values through 2025.

This story was originally published October 1, 2016 at 9:05 PM with the headline "District 1 supervisor’s race: 4 questions for the candidates."