Tom's Positions

By Tom D'Agosta

Tom knows that there are many urgent challenges facing our city. As his top priorities, he wants to par down government and balance the city's budget, aggressively recruit new businesses and new jobs, change the way that "business as usual" is done at City Hall, and create an atmosphere of Common Sense Solutions for the problems that we face.

Tom wants to lead Escondido to regain the strength it once had and preserve that strength for its residents, their children and their grandchildren. Here's how he'll do it:

Regain Budget Control

The City of Escondido is in trouble. With sales tax revenues plummeting, the current City Council has continued to spend money it didn't have, and only recently did it begin to address its financial crisis and broken budget. Operating in a crisis management mode is unacceptable.

Tom wants to:

• Live within our means; no new taxes to pay for irresponsible practices
• Rework the budget to a fiscally sound level; not relying on projected revenues
• Put excess revenues into the City Reserves and rebuild our rainy day funds

Tom has an extensive business background and is a free enterprise advocate who believes lower taxes can encourage economic growth. He believes raising taxes stifles growth, weakens the economy and puts more people out of work. The economy works best when individuals have more of their income to spend and businesses have money to invest and add jobs.

Tom will create jobs by:

• Capitalizing on the resources we currently have in place
• Attracting medical research and medical technology businesses with our state-of-the-art hospital
• Revitalizing a neglected downtown business district Reform the City Council

Tom's changes are:

• 2 term limit; no career politicians on the council
• Complete Open Door Policy; make access easy for the residents
• State of the City will be shared by all council members and held accountable by Tom Common Sense Solutions

Tom will bring:

• Solutions for a better library system without adding taxes
• Common sense, achievable ideas to revitalize our downtown
• Ideas to profitably manage our Arts Center without more taxes
• A new approach to a downtown hotel without subsidizing developers