We asked each candidate to answer a few questions so that you can know a little more about their priorities. See responses from other candidates: Geoff Auslen
We have yet to receive a response from John Whitworth.
Rank the issues in order of importance for the County of San Luis Obispo:
If elected, what will you do to address the issue you identified above as most significant?
I’ve already been leading the effort to improve the spectrum of homeless services, spearheading a safe parking program at Kansas Ave., providing services for clients that get them on a path to permanent housing. We are pending installation of a pallet shelter facility for those unsheltered and without vehicles, with other sites under consideration. Using increased federal ($6M local ARPA) and state funding ($14B proposed statewide), we need to execute supportive, transitional and permanently affordable housing projects with enhanced mental health and substance abuse services. Regional coordination and workforce development of service provider staff will be key.
Which theme in the Chamber’s economic vision, Imagine SLO, do you think deserves the most focus in the next four years and why?
The interrelated themes of Creating Connection/We Before Me are key to addressing the most pressing problems we face countywide: Successful approaches to homelessness, housing, mental health care, post-COVID economic recovery, and resource management will all require broad community support and political will – that will drive coordinated action among jurisdictions and supporting organizations. Political leadership in these challenging times will require the courage to advocate and articulate that “we’re all better off when we’re all better off.” That seemingly obvious thought speaks powerfully to the importance of equity and inclusion: the struggles of those least fortunate negatively affect us all.
What is the biggest opportunity for the County as a whole in the next four years?
We can deploy unprecedented funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and an historically strong state budget to make significant progress on our pressing issues. With vision and leadership, we can 1) target federal funding to accelerate recovery from the pandemic and strengthen crucial services like childcare, and 2) leverage the increased state commitment to reduce homelessness and increase mental health care to improve the lives of our most vulnerable residents. Taking full advantage of these funding opportunities will require strong community engagement and the financial discipline to make wise investments in our community’s future.
Do you think our business environment is healthy? If not, what would you do to change that?
Our business community is certainly challenged with the locally high cost of living – and the complex regulatory environment is certainly frustrating. The public and private sectors should work together to eliminate “unnecessary, overlapping and contradictory government regulations” (per the Chamber’s vision). That said, the business community in SLO County is strong, as evidenced by its adaptive innovation during the pandemic and the variety of new startups seeking to operate here. The Chamber’s efforts to promote family friendly workplaces, in partnership with the County, holds great promise for strengthening our economy and business opportunities.