OCEANSIDE — As of July 25, six potential candidates have set their sights on the two City Council seats that are up for election in November.
Incumbents Jerry Kern, Gary Felien and candidate Robert Tran were introduced in The Coast News July 25 edition.
Candidates Dana Corso, Ray Ream and Charles “Chuck” Lowery have also pulled papers to run.
Corso, 49, has served as president of Alliance of Citizens To Improve Oceanside Neighborhoods, or ACTION, for four years.
“The group was formed because so many different neighborhoods were not being heard by the council majority,” Corso said. “To put neighborhoods first is the most important thing.”
Corso ran for City Council in 2012, and was active in helping defeat Proposition E that proposed to eliminate rent control for Oceanside mobile home park residents that year.
She said 500 people spoke against Proposition E at the City Council meeting in which the council majority of Councilmen Kern, Felien and Jack Feller voted to put the proposition on the ballet.
She also disagreed with the council majority’s later actions to strip the mayor of his power to appoint the deputy mayor, and vote the mayor off as city representative on the San Diego Association of Governments regional planning agency and North County Transit District regional board.
“The mayor was re-elected 2 to 1, to transfer the power to themselves violated voter rights,” Corso said.
Corso said she is running for City Council to be the voice of the people, and to support small businesses.
“I’d like to see small businesses excel,” Corso said.
Corso has been an Oceanside homeowner since 1997.
She has been self-employed for 20 years as a residential and commercial property owner and manager and pet groomer.
Ray Ream, 33, was born and raised in Oceanside. He attended South Oceanside and Libby Elementary School. Then moved with his family to Vista, and within a few years returned to Oceanside where he continues to live.
Ream is a small business owner of a contracting company that helps manufacturers and municipalities monitor flow water and flood control. He has owned and operated the company for 12 years.
He also volunteers for the Poseiden Foundation, which helps underprivileged children build social support networks through skateboarding, surfing and environmental efforts.
Ream said he would like to bring more jobs and small businesses to Oceanside, and keep water rates affordable. He added he sees safety as a top priority.
“I want to help businesses, residents and preserve the character of the community,” Ream said.
He also wants to ensure residents have a strong say in government.
“A really big majority of the population feels disconnected with the council majority (Kern, Felien, Feller),” Ream said. “We have a big city and a very diverse population. All of our citizens who want be involved in the (political) processes, should be involved in the process.”
Ream added the city is at a crossroad, and development coming into the city needs to bring something to the table.
Former City Councilman and current candidate Lowery, 63, served as councilman from June to November 2010.
Lowery also ran for office in November 2010 and 2008.
He previously served on the city Arts Commission, and currently volunteers as a board member for the Oceanside Charitable Foundation that awards grants to nonprofits, the Tariq Khamisa Foundation that works to prevent youth violence through mentoring and community service, and the TERI arts advisory board that works with disabled individuals.
Lowery worked as a small business owner and manager for 45 years. His most recent business was the Pacific Bakery wholesale company that he ran for 22 years.
He was born and raised in Oceanside, and has lived in the city most of his life.
Lowery is a strong proponent of giving residents a voice.
“I think everyone who lives in Oceanside should be heard when they have a concern,” Lowery said. “As a council member I want to represent everyone who lives in Oceanside, not just certain people, like not just developers.”
Potential candidates have until Aug. 8 to return paperwork that will be verified by the Registrar of Voters.
Additional candidates have the opportunity to pull and complete papers through the August deadline.
A final list of candidates is expected to be confirmed by Aug.12.
1 comment
Kern & Felien are NOT the “fiscal conservatives” they claim to be, spending 100’s of 1,000’s of YOUR tax dollars on outside “consulting fees” rather than relying on City staff, over $1 million on a consulting report for the Melrose Extension alone AFTER our Planning Dept. had already rejected it; ignoring 15,484 VOTERS who signed a referendum to STOP Prop. E and instead spending $250,000 of YOUR tax dollars to hold a special election for the interests of their campaign contributors: out-of-town builders, developers and mobile home park owners. Eliminating in-lieu fees for builders & developers, giving Oceanside jobs to construction workers from Arizona; ignoring the VOTERS’ choice for Mayor and instead transferring those powers to themselves! DUMP KERN & FELIEN in 2014! VOTE FOR DANA CORSO & CHUCK LOWERY!
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