Candidates Are All Business at Chamber-Hosted Forum

Powegian business leaders gathered Tuesday night to hear from City Council and mayoral candidates in a forum sponsored by Poway's Chamber of Commerce.

All six candidates were in attendance: City Council incumbents Carl Kruse and John Mullin, and challengers Pete Babich and Dave Grosch, and the two mayoral candidates, Nick Stavros and incumbent Don Higginson.

Paul Byrne, the chamber's chair-elect, and Luanne Hulsizer, president and CEO of the chamber, acted as moderators of the event and first asked the City Council candidates a series of questions related to business, economic development and finance.

Grosch, a retired finance manager, told attendees he wanted the city to focus more on improving the budget and on the allocation of available dollars.

"Budgeting is the biggest issue," he said. "We need to have more control over the budget than we do."

Grosch, who has publicly criticized the part-time City Council members for accepting benefits, said he would not take the benefits if he were elected.

Babich, a businessman and engineer, also said improvements were needed within the city.  He pointed out that small-business owners were closing shop and that more city involvement was needed.

"I don't know how much of those small stores can be supported, but we are the cheerleaders of this process [of retaining businesses]," he said.

Though businesses have closed in Poway, Mullin said the city is the most "business-friendly" in the county and certain restrictions that were once forced upon owners are no longer applied.

Mullin, who was elected in June to fill the seat of recalled Councilwoman Betty Rexford, also said the city's role when dealing with the sustainability of private businesses should be limited.

"What government can do for business is to stay out of business," he said. "That's my philosophical approach."

Mullin's colleague Kruse, who previously served on the City Council before his current term, said he wanted to work on attracting business that would generate a larger source of sales tax revenue, particularly for a city that saw a 1 percent drop in sales tax in the second quarter of 2010.

Other issues discussed by the four candidates included creating a "business incubator program," pitched by Babich; having more "family-friendly places," a concern of Grosch; streamlining a process in dealing with the state government, spoke of by Mullin; and addressing the amount of open space on Poway Road, an issue addressed by Kruse.

The mayoral candidate forum consisted of similar questions with a focus on the business and finance community of Poway.

Stavros told attendees he wanted the city to focus less on "chasing sales tax" and implement an entrepreneurial attitude with the government.

"We need to bring high-paying jobs here because people move for high-paying jobs," he said. "It's the economy; it's not about chasing sales tax."

Higginson pointed out the positives of the business community, stating that measures have been implemented to make Poway the business-friendly community it is.

"We do an unbelievable amount that most of you don't know about," he said.

Higginson also said that the city has a policy to approach local business owners on public contracts before outsourcing to non-Poway businesses.

One question, which didn't focus on business, was asked of the mayoral candidates: What do you foresee as your contribution to the city of Poway?

Higginson noted his past accomplishments with the city as a longtime City Councilman and said he would want to continue his work. While Stavros said his focus was ethics, transparency, finances and engagement of citizens.

Three questions by the chamber and one question from the audience of about 50—most related to business and finance—were posed to each candidate in the two-hour event.

Traditionally, Poway offers two candidates' forums, but this election year only the chamber played host.

The focus on business was a concern for one attendee. Wendy Rios, who is the president of the Friends of Poway Library Bookstore, said she submitted a question regarding the future of the library, but it was not answered.

"It's a San Diego County Library but the city of Poway is our landlord," the 14-year Poway resident said.

She said the city once contributed financially to the library but no longer does because of budget cuts. Fundraisers made up the shortfall last fiscal year, but the future of the library is still in question, she said.

"You just can't put books in the library and expect that to be it. .... you have to maintain it," she said. "I was disappointed my question wasn't answered."

Another attendee, Dona Hayes, was pleased with the direction of the forum. A 20-year Poway resident and a local real estate agent, Hayes said many of concerns were addressed.

The focus on the economy was the purpose of the forum as "stability and the economy" were key factors to electing leaders, said Hulsizer.

"It's important whoever you elect, that they will listen," Hulsizer said.