Planning Commissioner George Oakes recently filed paperwork for the City Council election. (Courtesy photo)
2 incumbents, 3 newcomers in race
Planning Commissioner George Oakes filed papers in July to appear on the November ballot as a candidate for Benicia’s city council, the second planning commissioner to do so this year. Steve Young filed his intent to run just a few months earlier.
In an interview at the Herald on Friday, July 29, Oakes stated that his desire to run is based on his education, his experience, and his desire to use all he has to offer to add to the overall quality of life in Benicia.
“I have a strong desire to serve the public,” he told us. “The planning commission has been a huge education. I have a master’s degree in public administration, and I’d like to see if all that stuff they taught me in school can be put to use,” he quipped.
When asked which issues in this race he feels most qualified to address, Oakes said he feels he has a broad range of experience and skills to devote to any issue the city may face. “There are several things going on right now in Benicia. I have over 30 years’ experience in government, working for the federal government in the Bay Area, eight years for the city of Oakland and many more applying software programs to government entities including the Arizona Department of Transportation, Amtrak and the U.S. Postal Service.
“The city needs to explore better budget management,” he emphasized. “I feel strongly that there needs to be accountability on all sides.”
Regarding the current permit application for Valero Benicia Refinery’s crude by rail (CBR) project, Oakes explained that there is no single issue with regard to the decisions the city council must make. “I had three years on the council tied up with CBR. Valero is in the business to make money and they bring a lot of jobs to the city. At the same time, the world is changing rapidly, moving away from an oil-based economy. The social impacts are being examined across the world. We need to transition, to get away from fossil fuels.”
In the coming five to 10 years, Oakes sees some significant challenges for the city. “One is going to be reviewing our zoning ordinances, to be sure we’re open to businesses and making the best use of our assets. The city will be making a decision regarding the parcel along Lake Herman Road and East 2nd Street within that time.” He added that regarding that particular parcel, “I am not pro-residential at this time.”
Oakes is surprisingly modest about his qualifications as they compare with the competition. “I think each person running is qualified,” he said. He suggested that voters consider, for example, “who do you feel best represents your interests?
“We want to remain a full service city. That’s my target. We need to work hard to achieve that. Rate settings, budget management, attracting new businesses, developing that parcel. Do away with impediments.” Oakes cited the example of the Lake Herman Road property. “Right now an applicant must complete all infrastructure (for the entire parcel) before completing something that will generate income. Hundreds of millions of dollars to put up front.”
In closing, Oakes offered that quality of life is one of his major issues. “We chose to move here because of the quality of life. The city is family oriented. On First Street, at Community Park, there is always something happening for families. I love that.” In addition, he said, “the city’s sustainability plan is critical for the long term. I believe in science. It’s for real. That needs to continue to be in the forefront of all our major decisions.”
Five candidates have thrown their hats into the ring for the two available seats on the city council. In addition to Commissioners Oakes and Young, incumbents Tom Campbell and Christina Strawbridge seek re-election, and Economic Development Board Vice Chairman Lionel Largaespada filed his intent to run in May. Nonincumbent candidates have until 5 p.m., Aug 17 to file nomination papers. It is recommended that potential candidates call City Clerk Lisa Wolfe at 746-4200 to schedule an appointment to process paperwork which can take up to 45 minutes to complete.
In other races, Mayor Elizabeth Patterson will be running for re-election with a challenge from Vice Mayor Mark Hughes. Additionally, Wolfe and Ken Paulk will be running to retain their city clerk and city treasurer positions respectively. In the school board race, incumbent Stacy Holguin has declared a candidacy, but neither incumbents Andre Stewart nor Gary Wing had done so at press time. For more information, call 784-6675.
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“Think about this: Right now, every leaf on every tree on Earth is experiencing a level of CO2, that the planet has not experienced for millions of years.”
Book Source: Ten Billion. Vintage Books . 2013.
Looking for positives in Benicia’s 2016 election.
From the above post:
“I have a strong desire to serve the public,” Check.
“… the world is changing rapidly, moving away from an oil-based economy. The social impacts are being examined across the world. We need to transition, to get away from fossil fuels.” Check.
“We want to remain a full service city. That’s my target” Check.
“On First Street, at Community Park, there is always something happening for families. I love that” Check.
, “the city’s sustainability plan is critical for the long term. I believe in science. It’s for real. That needs to continue to be in the forefront of all our major decisions.” Well stated, Mr. Oakes. How refreshing a representative who believes in the integrity of science. Double check!
Mr. Oakes and Steve Young could be Benicia’s dynamic duo heading into our Fall classic. Stat tuned.
From the post(s) below: as our community considers( in this election season) its future; more valuable scientific information for candidate(s) Oakes, Largesepada and Young, city staff, our citizenry and our appointed and elected representatives to seriously consider…
“Earth Overshoot Day—the day on which people worldwide have officially used up more natural resources like air, food, and water than the planet can regenerate in a year—has come early.”
“The 2016 threshold was hit on Monday, making it the fastest pace yet, according to a new report by the Global Footprint Network, which measures the dubious milestone every year.”
“That’s five days earlier than last year, about five weeks earlier than in 2003, and months earlier than it was in 1987, when it fell on December 19. In 1961, the global population didn’t even use up 100 percent of the world’s natural resources, according to the network. But the next decade propelled the planet into an era of overconsumption, the group said.”
“Currently the carbon footprint makes up more than 60 percent of humanity’s ecological footprint. Our economy is built very heavily on fossil fuels, and that’s the challenge we face. We have agreed that moving over 2 degrees Celsius is an unacceptable target for humanity. That translates into very clear physical constraints,” he said.
“That means we cannot have more than 20 years at current emissions levels. That means, in a very short time frame, we will have to move out of fossil fuel use,” he explained
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/08/08/humanity-just-ate-through-planets-annual-resource-budget-faster-ever
https://robertscribbler.com/2016/08/05/carbon-sinks-in-crisis-it-looks-like-the-worlds-largest-rainforest-is-starting-to-bleed-greenhouse-gasses/
And;
Global Warming Causes Carbon Sinks to Switch Off, or Worse, Turn into Sources
In this tragic context of heat, drought, ocean acidification and deforestation, it appears that the grace period that the Earth’s carbon sinks have given us to get our act together on global warming is coming to an end.