Page 3 - The Friday Flyer ● SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018 THE FRIDAY FLYER A-3

Candidates explain their stance on Measure S

The four-year terms of council members Dawn the effects. I agree that the funds should continue to be
Haggerty and Vicki Warren end in November, leav- audited by an outside agency and budgeted at a public
ing two seats open on the Canyon Lake City Council. meeting.
Four residents have announced their candidacy: Kasey Two questions are, why into the general fund and
Castillo, incumbent Dawn Haggerty, incumbent Vicki why no sunset date? These are legitimate concerns.
Warren and Jeremy Smith. Understanding that roughly 75 percent of our budget
The Friday Flyer invited the four candidates to an- goes to public safety/life services may answer the first
swer a series of questions leading up to the Novem- question. I asked the second question of the City Man-
ber election. During this period, residents will have ager and was told to forecast for budget certainty and
a chance to hear from the candidates and learn more to lock in the percentage. If elected, I promise to care-
about them and what they hope to accomplish if elect- fully monitor this tax revenue for necessity.
ed to serve a four-year term on the City Council.
Last week, The Friday Flyer asked the candidates
how the city can improve its relationship with new and
current business owners. This week, The Friday Flyer
asked each candidate to answer the following question
in 350 words or less:
What is your stance on Measure S? PHOTO BY CITY OF CANYON LAKE
The candidates are listed as they appear on the bal-
lot.

Vicki Warren
ble way to fund these costs. Some cities are increasing
their sales tax. Others tack on a huge fee paid annually
by each homeowner.
PHOTO BY CITY OF CANYON LAKE provides them), will always have to be paid for. Keep-
The fact is, our essential life services (no matter who
ing the UUT in place allows Canyon Lake to work to
continue our quality of life and safety services while
working towards better solutions.
Opposition to the Measure will say this isn’t going
UUT or not, the success of the UUT cannot be denied. I
Dawn Haggerty to work but it already has. Whether you agree with the
supported the UUT four years ago and I will support it
Dawn Haggerty again. It worked to help open Station 60
and to keep it open. Measure S will do the same.
PHOTO BY JILL TORKELSON Measure S on the ballot for November to address the life services, is my primary concern and I believe pass-
The City Council unanimously determined to place
Maintaining our quality of life, which includes our
need to extend the UUT in order to allow for future
ing this Measure is vital to Canyon Lake.
planning for the city. We determined not to increase the
For or against, please be an informed voter. Read the
The city needs the contribution of the UUT to fund
formational meeting. Learn all you can about Measure
Kasey Castillo tax and keep it at the same rate. information posted on the city’s website. Attend an in-
fire and police protection for our citizens (and to keep
S. You’ll find that this is not a new tax, it is an exten-
Kasey Castillo our Fire Station 60 open). The city continues to look sion of the existing Utility Users Tax, to be continued
at options for providing these services at lower rates;
at the same percentage with no increase, and you’ll see
I discussed this topic on Sept. 10, 2018, on my Kas- however, even if/when this happens, the UUT will still that continues with the same transparency that has been
ey Castillo for Canyon Lake City Council Facebook be needed to provide life/safety services important to in place since it started.
page (@castillo4CLCC) because it is one of the most Canyon Lake’s way of life. Canyon Lake is among
important issues currently facing our city. The short many cities requiring additional revenue to preserve Jeremy Smith
answer is that I believe the passing of this Measure is essential fire/law enforcement services, as county ser- I am running for City Council because I believe we
necessary for Canyon Lake. I support the passing of vices continue to accelerate at an unsustainable rate.
I urge all voters to be informed about Measure S and live in one of the best communities in Southern Cali-
Measure S. to read the fact sheet on the city’s website and then to fornia and I want to keep it that way. Public safety is
No one likes taxes, but they are a fact of life. I be-
lieve our immediate response to a tax is to think of our vote. my top priority and we must recognize that legislation
I will also appreciate your vote. I am committed to passed by Sacramento politicians is threatening public
personal cost rather than the benefits to our commu- keeping this city solvent and providing the best safety safety across California. The brave men and women
nity. There’s nothing wrong with either perspective.
Generally, I agree with paying costs in exchange for services possible. I decided to run for a second term be- who keep us safe here in Canyon Lake are forced to
cause I know we can improve what we currently have deal with the burdens that these soft on crime policies
services. I think the labeling of it as a “tax” makes it
harder to swallow for most. and I have several ideas on how we can do that. place on municipalities.
My statements in The Friday Flyer in response to Vicki Warren As a business owner, I have learned the importance
other questions show that I am not in favor of increased of finding solutions to pay for priorities, like public
taxes or creating taxes. I’m in favor of supplementing As the current mayor, I joined a unanimous City safety, without going into debt. I do not support raising
revenue where we can, especially if it assists in avoid- Council to put Measure S on the ballot. As stated in our taxes, but Measure S is simply an extension of the
ing total reliance on measures like the UUT. From the the council’s unanimous resolution, the money gener- tax rate we currently pay to support our public safety
inception of my campaign, I have let it be known that ated by the UUT is essential to maintaining life safety personnel. If we do not renew this measure, we will be
I am in favor of strict oversight and control over tax and our quality of life. It was unanimous because we forced to make cuts to our public safety budget, which
revenue. need to know what funding we have coming up to plan could lead to a less safe community.
I attended the Measure S presentation put on by the accordingly and because keeping that funding in place We would also be forced to close our fire station,
Chamber and found the information from the city, as allows the city to continue to explore all possible solu- which will lead to longer response times – never a good
well as concerned residents, helpful to my determina- tions for getting the best services for our community at option with lives on the line. Measure S will allow us
tion. I appreciate that there is no increased percentage the least cost. to continue paying for the services we need to keep our
from what was approved in 2014. I like the fact that it Every small city in California, even the County of community safe, without raising taxes.
is usage-based. For example, the less you use gas or Riverside, is struggling with the rising costs of fire and As your next councilman, I will work diligently
electricity (maybe you have solar) the less you’ll feel police services and all of us are looking at every possi- uuCONTINUED PAGE A6

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