Special Election
e d i u G g n i Vot
San Clemente’s special election to fill the fifth and vacant city council seat is less than a month away, and voters are now expected to receive their mail-in ballots from the city. This Nov. 5, the city’s voters will be asked to select one of five candidates running in the election, which was prompted after the unexpected death of Mayor Steve Swartz in May. We’ve put together this brief guide to highlight candidates’ statements. We’ve also asked the candidates two questions regarding local topics. The candidates are listed in alphabetical order. The last day to register to vote in the upcoming election is Oct. 21. For more information on how to register to vote, head to OCVote.com, contact the city at 949.361.8200 or visit San-Clemente.org.
CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
DEE COLEMAN
JACKSON HINKLE
GENE JAMES
MICKEY MCLANE
CHRISTINA SELTER
San Clemente’s homelessness is my primary platform. My goal is to ensure the highest quality of life for San Clemente residents, businesses and visitors. Once in office, I will act quickly/effectively to develop a uniform plan with state and neighboring cities to address the issues that threaten all cities nationwide. I want to work with law enforcement on a comprehensive plan to address the homeless, crime and fears that our residents have. I can create action/funding solutions that produce results to benefit residents and voters of San Clemente. I also see other areas of government in San Clemente that I can address where residents will see better results (i.e., traffic flows, wasteful government spending, toll road, etc.). As CEO of a real estate company and Classic Auto Sales at south San Clemente, I have been identifying/creating/ executing winning plans for success in business, real estate developments and endeavors with proven results. My 30 years “Out of The Box” experience with multimilliondollar budgets, legal experience, working with different governments around the country at many levels, oversight of many employees/vendors/contractors etc., and my excellent organizational skills make Dee Coleman the highly qualified candidate for you to get the job done.
As a candidate who was born and raised in San Clemente, I have a deep understanding of what it takes to preserve and protect our Spanish Village by the Sea. I know that residents do not want overdevelopment in our beautiful beach town, and I will fight to ensure that outside interests never have a voice on council. My valuable experience serving as a public advocate makes me the best candidate to represent San Clemente in the fight against the TCA and their disastrous toll road plans, the removal of nuclear waste and in demanding the county fund a regional solution to the homelessness crisis they created. As San Clemente’s local advocate, I have represented our town on a national level, briefing the United States Congress on the removal of nuclear waste from San Onofre. I served as a lead organizer in the 2017 No Toll Road protest, led an initiative that saved our local school district millions of taxpayer dollars, and cofounded a coalition aimed at lowering energy rates locally. As your councilman, I will bring our community together to preserve and protect San Clemente, and ensure that residents always have a voice on city council. Vote Jackson Hinkle—JacksonHinkle.org.
I am running to be your next city councilmember with an emphasis on public safety, fiscal prudence and quality of life. Public Safety—We need to look at adding deputies to Police Services to improve the safety and security of our children, families and the elderly. The ever-growing number of chronically addicted and the untreated mentally ill not only pose a public safety crisis, but they pose a potential public health crisis if left unchecked. Fiscal Prudence—Our city budget continues to grow, and the madness must stop! We are projecting budget deficits going into the future. Quality of Life—Strikes at the heart of those of us in San Clemente. From the ever-growing numbers of unsheltered to the quality of ocean water to the ticking time bomb of nuclear waste to stopping the toll road, we must face all these challenges with competence and commitment. I am a veteran of the United States Army. I possess a master’s degree in Public Administration and a BA Degree in Criminal Justice. Call me at 949.637.8286. Email me at GWalkerJames@gmail.com. GeneWalkerJames.com. I want to earn your vote. Warm Regards, Gene James. No toll road!
Greetings. I started life on a dead-end dirt road in the South. My solid family was not well-off, yet ethics, and personal standards, were typical dinner-table conversations. Based on those principles and others, I was admitted to the good schools. I might not have been in the top of my class in high school, but by college I was. At age 23, I was a Shakespearean actor at the best theatre in Virginia. During that six-year stint, I helped organize Shakespeare In The Schools. Much of my life has been in service to my community. Volunteering is a McLane Family tradition. My frequent volunteering in schools included five years as the only male “Room Mother” in the Norfolk School System (my daughter’s grades one through five); the Poetry Guy during Culture Week; Assistant Basketball Coach; most recently, lectured 12th-grade students on how literature mirrors society. Professional: I started my first business at age 12, my second at 19, my third at 40, my fourth at 50; I served as a uniformed police officer and adult probation and parole officer totaling over sixteen years. I respectfully encourage your vote for the new guy, Michael (Mickey) McLane.
San Clemente is a unique place—an award-winning community—where residents enjoy a special quality of life. To ensure San Clemente remains a great place to live, we need dedicated, proven and experienced leaders to serve on our city council. When elected, my primary goals are to enhance our city’s financial security and our special quality of life. I’ll ensure you’re always protected by the finest police and firefighting forces. I’ll support policies promoting safe neighborhoods, reduced traffic, conservative fiscal policies, strong families, vibrant local businesses, and transparent, efficient government. I’m a proven, effective, resultsoriented leader—I believe our city is strong and its future bright. I’m well-qualified to serve: Small business owner/entrepreneur. Owner of occupant safety firm. Licensed manufacturer of Clean Electric Vehicles. Licensed realtor (First Team Real Estate). Board Member, Orange County Office on Aging. Senior Resource Ministry Volunteer Leader. For years, I’ve been an active member/participant in community organizations, including: Clean Up the Beach, Voter Registration and Breast Cancer Awareness Drive. My husband and I have been married for 14 years, we have one daughter, and for more than 10 years our family has been proud to call San Clemente home. I respectfully ask for your vote. Christina2019.com.