Phil Urbina
www.phil4carlsbad.org
Facebook: @Phil4Carlsbad
Twitter: @Phil4Carlsbad
Instagram: @phil4carlsbad
Why are you running for office?
I want to protect the quality of life in Carlsbad. Carlsbad has always been a place where families and businesses thrive. We have great libraries, parks, roads and police and fire services because previous city councils have exercised long-term planning and responsible financial management. I’ve lived in Carlsbad for 40 years. I’ve been chairman of the board of the Carlsbad Chamber, and served as president of multiple non-profit organizations. I was named Citizen of the Year in 2015. I have the proven leadership abilities to serve the business community and residents of Carlsbad.
What does a strong local economy look like to you? How would you encourage it and promote it?
A strong Carlsbad economy is where local businesses are thriving, employing many people, and growing. It’s where business has access to capital and the skilled workers they need, and there is a mix of local housing options for their employees. It’s where businesses can operate with minimal regulatory and tax burdens, and the city is flexible to meet the changing needs of local business. That is the vision I will work for and support.
What are you going to do to encourage the creation of affordable workforce housing for businesses?
Carlsbad’s Growth Management Plan was approved by voters in 1986 and has served us well. It needs to be reviewed and updated to guide us through the next 30 years. We need to make sure we have a mix of affordable housing so our children can live here, as well as our police officers, teachers, and restaurant workers. We need to protect the character of our neighborhoods by concentrating high-density development near mass transit and along our industrial corridor. We can retrofit decaying strip malls with commercial units on lower floors and residential above. It is possible to accommodate state-mandated, high-density housing without sacrificing the beach community charm that makes Carlsbad such a great place to live.
Identify 3 unique problems that your district is facing now.
Emergency response is a bit slower in South Carlsbad and I will work to improve it. We need to increase parks in South Carlsbad. We need to determine if it’s feasible to build a park in the Ponto area. Carlsbad needs to work with Encinitas and San Marcos to synchronize traffic signals on El Camino Real and Rancho Santa Fe, so we keep traffic moving when traveling between cities, which also benefits the environment.
What are ways in which you will collaborate and work together with neighboring cities?
We must collaborate with other cities to solve regional issues for the benefit of all. We need to take politics out of these relationships and foster open communication. My background includes training as a facilitator to work with others to brainstorm and find the best solutions possible. The success of our newly formed Clean Energy Alliance depends on our ability to add additional cities. The current alliance of just Carlsbad, Del Mar, and Solan Beach won’t provide the economies of scale for rate savings. We need to work with North County cities to make sure SANDAG decisions don’t result in our residents paying enormous taxes for mass transit services that will never succeed in the North County. We need leaders other cities can trust. I will be one of those leaders.