Mariann Ettore, HB council candidate

Note to readers: The Orange County Tribune is posting the results of questionnaires sent to candidates for city office in Garden Grove, Huntington Beach and Westminster as a public service. These are not paid political ads and do not imply endorsement. They are being posted in the order in which they are received.

Name – Mariann N. Ettorre

Office being sought – Huntington Beach City Council

City of residence – Huntington Beach

Age – 60

Occupation:  Consultant/Businesswoman

Family: Daughter

Education: B.S., Accounting, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA

Two years of the M.S. Taxation program at Widener University, Chester, PA

CPA license PA 1988, member PICPA, AICPA (current)

Other public service – Former board member and Treasurer for MADD, currently an 11 year board member, Secretary (Executive Committee) and Finance Committee member of a 501(c) 3 member of Advisory Panel – AICPA Journal and Tax Journal, served on the Huntington Beach 4^th of July Parade board for two years

Why do you want to run for this office – I want change.  I am dissatisfied with what I believe is a non-supportive attitude of the residents’ needs and there needs to be more information, more options, more answers, accountability, responsibility and transparency.

Major issues –

• HDD and low-income housing – I am against HDD and I believe HB needs to come into compliance with the laws on low-income housing.  We are leaving money on the table in state funding and possibly federal by our non-compliance.  Further studies on traffic, low-income housing, effects on neighborhoods and environmental impact need to be brought current but we are hurting ourselves and limiting our ability to resolve other issues impacted by our lack of compliance.  We need to be pro-active and balance the needs of the community.  HB needs to take a role in working with other cities to learn about their success and how we may be able to implement similar programs, researching financial assistance available (including state and federal funding), low-income housing units, soliciting help from local landlords, possible temporary housing, looking into other resources; there is so much to be done here but we need to begin to take the steps to resolve issues we face because inaction is going to breed more and bigger problems at additional costs.

• Poseidon – I believe this has too great an impact on our environment, the surrounding neighborhoods, we don’t know what the health risks are to our children and the cost-benefit is too high.  More studies need to be done.  I also believe that technology changes too rapidly to be locked in to a 50-year contract. I also need to see evidence we are not bearing an unfair burden on costs of the plant, unnecessary water rate hikes and taxes whether current or additional (to pay for the plant) and subsidies going to a private corporation on the backs of the HB residents.  What I do support is answers to improve and sustain our water supply.  There’s too much information that’s unknown to list it all here but we need to weigh the pros and cons, and there are many, and come together to make a final decision whether the costs of desalination are worth the financial or other benefit.  I believe we have options but we need more information.

• We need to take a close look at where we are spending our money and where our money is being wasted.  We are not only spending too much money on projects, we are wasting money on projects that are irrelevant and offer little or no value whatsoever.  We are not being smart about our money in many instances.  As a result, we end up diverting money that could be put towards the highest priority projects that will have the most immediate positive impact.

• Homelessness – We need to be pro-active in assistance to the homeless and balance the needs of the community.  HB needs to take a role in working with other cities on available beds, researching financial assistance available (including state and federal funding), low-income housing units, soliciting help from local landlords, possible temporary housing, looking into resources for free or low-cost health services, there is so much to be done here but we need to begin to take the steps to resolve issues we face because inaction is going to breed more and bigger problems at additional costs.

• Downtown, infrastructure and attracting new business – It is important to work with business leaders and identify opportunities for new business and create incentives to draw new business and new revenues to the city.  We need to create incentives for the current businesses that are loyal to HB and for those we wish to attract.  We need to take a hard look at the negative effects of too much regulation, high cost of doing business, not investing in fixing or improving the infrastructure.  By hurting our merchants and business owners, we are hurting ourselves.

Anything else you’d like to add – I am diligent.  I will gather information, listen to the community and support them.  I will think independently and listen to the voice of the community.  I come from a small town full of charm and community where the residents feel safe and I moved to HB, a town full of charm and a place with a sense of community.  I care about and support protecting our beaches, environment and open spaces.  I have received the endorsement of the Democratic Foundation of Orange County.