Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide
Name: James F. Penman
Current job title: Attorney
Incumbent: No
Other political positions held: San Bernardino City Attorney
City where you reside: San Bernardino
Campaign website or social media: None
How can the city best meet the demand and mandates for more housing, including at lower prices, while also preserving the quality of life for existing neighborhoods and residents?
The city looks rundown with many buildings unoccupied and trash everywhere. To most people, nothing seems to be happening in San Bernardino. In order to attract development/housing, we must clean up the city. Most investors do not spend their money building in dirty cities. That means remove the homeless from the parks, sidewalks, etc., now. We must enforce city building codes and hold irresponsible landlords accountable.
How should the city balance paying off debts, such as pension liabilities, and building reserves all while meeting residents’ needs? Should a solution involve finding new revenue, trimming the budget, or something else entirely?
San Bernardino must strengthen its economic foundation to attract new businesses and new revenue sources that will provide the higher level of community services our residents deserve. The homeless must be addressed first if we want businesses to locate here. Stop wasting money on expensive consultants who have failed to deliver on their San Bernardino city contracts. Expanding the San Bernardino airport is one step that will help to inject new revenues into our city’s budget. I believe we can address the city’s revenue needs without shortchanging retired city workers who have tirelessly served our community. I’m proud to have earned the endorsement of the San Bernardino City Retirees Association.
In your opinion, what is the biggest need your city faces, and how would you address it?
Reducing homelessness is the top concern of our residents. We must relocate them and we must do so now! We had no homeless encampments in San Bernardino when I was city attorney, 11 years ago. I know how we kept them from gaining a foothold then, and I know how to legally remove them now. I will work to implement a humane, but tough approach that expands job training and transitional resources to help the temporarily homeless while also stopping illegal homeless camping and requiring treatment to get mentally ill and drug-addicted homeless individuals out of our parks and off of our streets. Recent court rulings give our city the power to act. It’s time for action, not more conversations.
Why would you make a good leader, and how would you represent the diverse communities of your city?
As a resident of San Bernardino for most of my life, I am disgusted with what has happened to the quality of life in my hometown. I will bring experience and maturity to the City Council, as well as a detailed knowledge of city government as a former San Bernardino Police Commission member, elected city attorney, Civil Service Commission member, and Human Relations Commission member. I worked as a dishwasher in high school and worked my way through college as a firefighter; I served six years in the U.S. Army as a non-commissioned officer. I’ve worked from the bottom up. That experience will enable me to serve as both an effective representative for the residents of Ward 7 on the City Council and a strong public safety leader who will take action to address our city’s serious homelessness and crime problems.
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