Jim Light, Candidate for Redondo Beach District 1

Jim Light, a 23-year resident of Redondo Beach, is running against three other candidates to represent Redondo Beach City Council District 1. A 13-year U.S. Air Force veteran, he has never held elected public office.

Below are Light's responses to a questionnaire compiled by Patch editors with suggestions from readers.

Redondo Beach Patch: Why are you running to represent Redondo Beach's District 1?

Jim Light: I have a 10-year track record of advocating resident quality of life. It all started when I got involved fighting the Heart of the City zoning for 2,998 condos. It continues as we fought rezoning Torrance Boulevard for hundreds of condos. That led to co-authoring Measure DD, which is now part of our City Charter and gives residents the right to vote on major zoning changes in Redondo. Now I am the co-author of Measure A which is our only chance to stop a new power plant from polluting and blighting our waterfront for the next 50 years.

With major development decisions coming to a head in the next four years, Redondo Beach is at a crossroad. We can go down the easy path of soulless cookiecutter overdevelopment, or we can choose quality and balanced development. If we choose to do some heavy lifting we can become the Crown Jewel of the South Bay. I believe my track record shows my committment to this vision. I can help accomplish this vision more effectively as a councilman than as an activist.

Patch: In your opinion, what is the No. 1 issue facing District 1?

Light: While sequestration and the potential closure of Los Angeles Air Force Base are huge issues facing our region, the biggest issue facing District 1 is the direction we take on the numerous redevelopment/revitalization activities coming to a head in the next four years in District 1 and extending to into the waterfront in District 2. The land use/project decisions of the next few years will determine the character of our twon for generations to come. 

Will we continue down the easy path where we abdicate project decisions to developers? Or will we do some heavy lifting and fight for quality development that continues and enhances the quaint seaside village quality that attracted many of us to settle here?

The land use activities include the completion and extension of the Esplanade beautification; the type of projects we allow at the Knob Hill School site and old Bristol Farms site; the Harbor and Pier revitalization effort, and the redevelopment of the AES power plant site.

The next few years are pivotal in our history. I believe with the right vision, leadership and dedication, we can do the heavy lifting to revitalize our town and make it the envy of the South Bay while enhancing our seaside village look and feel. We must not squander this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Patch: What is your position on AES' plans to repower its power plant on Harbor Drive?

Light: As coauthor of Measure A, I oppose a new power plant in Redondo. 

We have not needed power from this plant since the last decade. The plant is our biggest single polluter and the city has deemed it "the major blighting influence" in the harbor area. It impacts harbor area business revenues and property values. What other beach city has a dirt farm and mini-storage two blocks from the beach? On top of that, revenues from AES make up less than 1 percent of city revenues from 50 acres of prime waterfront property. That is  a travesty. AES has not been a good neighbor. 

We can do better than this. We should not risk our waterfront revitalization by allowing a new plant to blight the waterfront for 50 more years.

Patch: What is your position on Measure A, the ballot initiative that would rezone the Harbor Drive property in hopes of preventing the construction of a new power plant?

Light: Measure A is a game-changer that provides the opportunity to augment the CenterCal waterfront revitalization to make our waterfront the Crown Jewel of the South Bay.

As its co-author, I am for Measure A. Measure A is our ONLY chance to stop a new power plant on our waterfront. Intervening with the California Energy Commission will not stop a power plant. Negotiating with AES will not stop a power plant. As the City Attorney's Impartial Analysis of Measure A points out, Measure A drives the CEC to a higher standard of analysis. Because a new power plant would conflict with Measure A zoning, the CEC would have to override the zonign to approve a new plant. And in order to do that, the CEC has to demonstrate that power is absolutely needed from this specific site and no other alternatives are available. It is unlikely the CEC will override the will of the voters. And even if they wanted to, the state agency reports to date do not support a finding the AES Redondo is critical to our power needs of the future.

AES is spending so much money on campaign propaganda because they understand Measure A is the only real obstacle to a new power plant. Their fear mongering on fiscal and legal impacts is just that fear mongering. There is no substantiation. 

Measure A is a zoning change it does not obligate the city to buy anything or AES to sell anything.  And Measure A is carefully crafted by land use experts and is on solid legal ground.

If the state denies AES' application, it will be the state's decision not Redondo's. Then Measure A represents more value for AES than current zoning. Measure A zoning does not kick in until the 2020 state deadline for AES to comply with new ocean water cooling restrictions. That date was set by the state not Redondo and it allows AES time to complete their current power contract. AES would not have grounds to sue Redondo until a project is denied.

Remember we can always change zoning if we must. If we let AES build a new plant, we are stuck with its blight and pollution for 50 years. Measure A is the only way to stop a new power plant and pave the way for a true renaissance of Redondo.

Patch: If elected, what are your top three priorities?

Light:

1. Public safety—restoring first responder staffing to safe levels.
2. Setting the conditions for increasing city revenue generation—to replace  revenues from sources lost during the recession.
3. Setting the vision and doing the heavy lifting to execute that vision to make our City the Crown Jewel of the South Bay. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Patch: Share one specific example of demonstrating your leadership and execution skills.

Light: Having served as a USAF officer, I have formal leadership training that has served me well through my career. My leadership skills allowed me rise to executive management in the aerospace industry. And I have taken those skills into my work for the people of Redondo both in a resident activist role as well as executive positions in non-profit organizations. I have been a leader activities including: the resident drive against the Heart of the City; the Measure DD initiative creation and campaign activities; and most recently, Measure A activities.

A current example of my leadership and execution skills is the current Measure A campaign. As it became evident the City Council was not going to take action to oppose a new power plant in our city, I began to work with Councilman Brand to develop what was to become Measure A. 

Getting Measure A on the ballot is the culmination of a very complex and time critical set of activities that included basic research, public education, fund raising, developing the language of the measure itself, recruiting, and organizing signature gatherers and volunteers to walk the streets. 

The fact that Measure A is on the ballot is a testament to my leadership and execution abilities as well as my ability to work with a diverse group in the challenging environment of volunteer work—which, by the way, is, in many ways, more challenging than much more structured and better incentivised military and business environments.

Patch: Why should people vote for you?

Light: I have a detailed platform that lays out my priorities which all reflect a prioritization of resident quality of life and siezing this once in a lifetime opportunity to revitalize Redondo to become the best beach city in California. 

I have the education and professional experience to execute my platform.  Education-wise, I have earned an engineering degree and an MBA. These give me insight and understanding of both the techncial and fiscal decisions that a Councilman must make. My 13 years as a USAF officer give me experience with large public project management and establishing and administering public contracts and budgets. My 17 years as an aerospace company engineer and executive give me experience with setting and executing business growth strategies.  And my volunteer and non-profit experience includes authoring zoning changes and City Charter changes.

To back my experience, I have a proven track record that provides confidence to voters that my platorm is more than just words—my platform is backed by a decade of championing resident quality of life.

Patch: Is there anything else you'd like to say?

Light: First off, I want to thank all the great people whom I have worked with and who have supported me in this campaign and all the way back through the Heart of the City activities. These campaigns were not easy; and, we all, in some way or another, have been dragged through the mud through the years.  But they pick up and perservere through adversity. I am very proud of them all. Regardless of how the election turns out, I am truly humbled by their support through all the years.

Second, I am sure it came out during the rest of my answers, but we are truly at a crossroad for our town. The land use decisions of the next few years will determine the future of our town for generations to come.

Your choice for councilman and on Measure A will have a profound impact on the direction our town takes. If you want a truly revitalized waterfront free of 50 more years of industrial blight and pollution, vote Yes on Measure A. 

And as you make your council choice dissect our platforms, our experience and education, and just as importantly, our track records. 

This is not the time for business as usual. This is not the time to think just potholes and compromise. This is not the time to take our usual easy path that leads to soulless cookie-cutter overdevelopment. This is the time for decisive action. This is the time for bold leadership and heavy lifting. This is the time for us to shoot for the stars. This is our time, Redondo. Our future is in your hands. Cast your vote accordingly.

Related:

• Jim Light for Redondo Beach City Council
• Jim Light for District 1 City Council on Facebook
• Jim Light [Patch]
• 4 Candidates Vying for District 1 Seat on Redondo Beach City Council [Easy Reader]
• Redondo Council District 1 Candidates Answer Questions From The Beach Reporter [Beach Reporter]

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