While some political candidates count on huge donations from out-of-town special interest groups to fund slick campaign mailers, several candidates here in Irvine appear to be running grassroots, people-powered campaigns — meeting with residents one-on-one.
In the Mayoral race, Vice Mayor Larry Agran’s campaign has been walking door-to-door for several weeks now, handing out seed packets for native trees. It’s Agran’s way of introducing his citywide forestation program. He wants to plant 200,000 trees throughout Irvine to clean our air and cool our City. Delivering the seed packets has allowed Agran to engage one-on-one with Irvine residents to share his pro-resident vision for Irvine’s future.
Agran is not the only candidate meeting directly with residents. Irvine Planning Commissioner Michelle Johnson is running for City Council in District 1 (which includes the communities of Northpark, Orchard Hills, Eastwood, Stonegate, Northwood Pointe, and West Irvine). Johnson has hosted a number of popular family events where she has shared her District 1 priorities: implement a wildfire management & evacuation plan; build a District 1 Community Center; and stop trash trucks traveling to the Bowerman Landfill from driving through Irvine neighborhoods. (Johnson’s pumpkin patch event last weekend drew more than 600 residents.)
In District 2 — which covers the Great Park and the communities of Portola Springs, Cypress Village, and Woodbury — Jeff Starke has been meeting with his neighbors at a number of local events he’s hosted. Starke’s priorities include: expanding the City’s school bus service; sticking with Irvine’s Master Plan; protecting our Open Space; and advocating for green technologies.
In District 3 — which includes Northwood, Walnut Village, El Camino Real, and a portion of Westpark — Tom Chomyn has hosted an old-fashioned ice cream social and a taco event that drew a large number of his neighbors. Chomyn’s priorities include: refurbishing & expanding Heritage Park Library, reinvesting in the four big District 3 community parks; budgeting additional resources to keep our neighborhoods safe; and transforming the Walnut Trail (along the railroad tracks) from an eyesore into an attractive pedestrian parkway by planting many hundreds of trees.
Councilmember Mike Carroll, who is running for re-election in District 4 — covering Quail Hill, Shady Canyon, Turtle Rock, Turtle Ridge, and Spectrum — has been holding a number of town halls in an effort to connect with voters in his district. As Chair of the Great Park Board, Carroll is currently overseeing construction of nearly a half-billion dollars in Great Park projects — including museums, lakes, the Veterans Memorial Park & Gardens, and an array of restaurants, retail shops, and related amenities.
For the full list of candidates running for Mayor and City Council in the November 5th election, click here.
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