Editor’s note: Ahead of next week’s election, Voice of OC is publishing a series of candidate surveys for the various races. Click here to see all of the surveys.
Irvine voters are about to decide who will run one of the largest cities in the county, managing a rapidly growing population, the largest municipal construction project in Orange County and other issues facing the city.
Voters will be electing two city council members for a four year term and a mayor for a two year term, with five candidates running for mayor and six candidates running for council.
To help voters get a clearer sense of the 11 candidates and where they stand, Voice of OC reached out to all of them with a list of 22 questions, and is publishing the answers below.
All candidates responded except Katherine Daigle and Tom Chomyn for the mayoral race and Councilman Anthony Kuo and John Park for the city council race.
Several of the questions were submitted by readers in response to a public invitation.
Below is the exact text each candidate submitted in writing for their answers.
- What in your opinion is the biggest issue in your city right now? How would you address it?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “Over the past several years, our Irvine residents have experienced a downturn in our quality of life in many of our Villages and in the City overall. As a new mayor, I will enhance public safety and maintain lower taxes and a balanced city budget. I will protect our residents from the pollution and ensure to build retail centers in Great Park.”
Khan: “Housing: Housing is a local, regional, and statewide issue. Currently, the City was tasked with planning for over 23,000 units by the State and in accordance with the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA). Because we are a master planned community, it was important to preserve our existing neighborhoods and focus on areas near transport.”
Lin: “Given the fast-tracked approvals for the Live Nation Amphitheater and USA Water Polo facility, on top of millions spent on the OC Power Authority (totalling $200 million in Irvine tax dollars), the biggest issue right now is reckless, unjustifiable spending by this City Council. These items need to be scrutinized before proceeding any further.”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Our kids who grow up in Irvine, graduated from our top schools, leave home for trade school or college. But they don’t move back to Irvine because it’s too expensive. I want the City to collaborate with developers to increase the supply of housing that young professionals can aspire to afford.”
Agran: “The Council majority is constantly “planning from the dais,” that is, making decisions based on their prejudgments and personal connections, while ignoring or not seeking input from citizens, city staff or outside experts. The results have been a series of blunders and boondoggles, from the OCPA to Casco to $100 million projects for the Great Park.”
Sadigh: “I believe the biggest issue in Irvine is the recent uptick in crime that we are seeing. I would bring back our current police to resident ratio of 0.84 to where it needs to be, at or above 1. I would also make sure that we have more police officers out on patrol at night, since that is when most of the crime tends to occur.”
Treseder: “We have a city council that is beholden to special interests and puts their political ambition ahead of the needs of our community. We need leaders who focus on facts and data, not political spin. I’m running to knock out the corruption and be a voice of reason to the challenges we face. Together, we can find real solutions and move Irvine forward.”
- What are your views on the OC Power Authority? What are your thoughts on the city’s role in it?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “The OCPA and Irvine City Council leaned on our city budget to cover millions of dollars of start-up costs and 35 million in initial energy purchases. They have placed a huge fiscal debt on our city if this agency is not successful. I believe the City Council should consider a termination of the Joint Powers Agreement, if applicable.”
Khan: “The OC Power Authority is a Community Choice Aggregate that provides energy through SCE’s infrastructure. But more importantly, it provides customers with choice: 100% renewable, 70% renewable, & basic (equiv to SCE). The city is seen as a leader in creating this opportunity that will provide better rates & faster ways to convert to 100% renewable.”
Lin: “The OCPA has been crippled by cronyism, mismanagement, and poor communication since its inception. Farrah Khan and Mike Carroll authored the OCPA and serve as Irvine’s representatives on the Board but refuse to address its faults. Irvine must insist on qualified leadership to ensure the OCPA is able to deliver affordable clean energy as envisioned.”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Community Choice Energy is a great way to get sustainable energy to a mass number of households. It’s important for Orange County, in helping to reach carbon neutrality. The OCPA itself needs better leadership. It’s not performing well and lacks public confidence. Irvine needs to push for big changes in OCPA, more transparency, but remain in OCPA.”
Agran: “The OCPA is a boondoggle, sold to the public by Mayor Khan and Councilmembers Kuo and Carroll as an environmental boon but hopelessly compromised from the start by backroom dealings and political hiring decisions, compounded by gross ongoing mismanagement. This is going to end up costing the city taxpayers and ratepayers millions more.”
Sadigh: “I believe that while the OC Power Authority was founded on good intentions, it has been mismanaged and fraught with issues from the get-go. I believe our city’s role is making sure that people know that the pro’s and con’s of switching over, and knowing that doing so is completely voluntary.”
Treseder: “OC Power Authority must succeed for Irvine to meet its climate pledge. Unfortunately, I am concerned about its financial viability, lack of transparency, and inadequate leadership. As the agency’s major financial backer, Irvine must insist on replacing the current CEO with an energy expert with experience in the industry and a clean ethics record.”
- What, if anything, are you going to do to make the Power Authority more transparent and live up to what it has said it will do for the public? Do you believe the city should pull out of the Power Authority? Why or why not?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “This agency has inexperienced management, a lack of transparency, and is now being audited not only by the city, but the County of Orange and the State of California. I encourage everyone to opt out until we can review these audits which are underway. Depending on the results, the city has to take action to minimize the fiscal impact to our city.”
Khan: “The city should not pull out. What we need to do is better educate our communities about what OCPA will provide. There are 24 CCAs throughout CA and OCPA is one of the newest. Besides sharing certain contracts, OCPA provides documents for public review, including financial reports. Misinformation has done nothing more than create unnecessary chaos.”
Lin: “The failed leadership of Farrah Khan and Mike Carroll needs to be held to account. Khan and Carroll must be replaced by qualified leaders who will work for the public good. The results of the ongoing OCPA audits by the city of Irvine, the county, and the state will help determine the best path forward for Irvine.”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Irvine has 2 board members on OCPA and needs to assert influence for change in OCPA. Irvine should not pull out of OCPA, because Community Choice Energy in OC is crucial for carbon neutrality. But public confidence in OCPA must be restored for the agency to be viable.”
Agran: “I believe the OCPA has been mismanaged from the start and is hopelessly compromised. It cannot provide energy at or below SCE rates and should get out of the power purchasing business as soon as possible. “
Sadigh: “I will make sure that people are informed of the pro’s and con’s of switching over, and that residents have input into every decision that we make regarding the issue. I do not believe that we should pull out, but instead we should make it into an opt-in system, instead of the current opt-out system.”
Treseder: “If elected, I would ask to be appointed to the Power Authority’s Board of Directors. There, I would clean up the agency by replacing the leadership, insisting on transparency, and provide public accountability. If these goals are not attained, I would vote to pull Irvine out of the agency.”
- What, if anything, would you change about the future development of the Great Park? What are the projects you want to see implemented at the Great Park?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “Our Great Park families are paying taxes without proper amenities developed for their community. I believe we must insist their planned, local retail services be under construction in 2023. Additionally, we have to make a 15-20 million budget to build a state-of-the-art library ensuring our residents enjoy the benefit from what they have paid for.”
Khan: “The Great Park framework includes many of the features that the community, through outreach efforts, have desired. A mixture of active & passive uses, lake, meadow, tree forest, botanical garden, Veterans Memorial Park, library, permanent amphitheater, are all projects the community will enjoy for years to come. “
Lin: “The Great Park needs a master plan like the rest of Irvine. We must prioritize the needs of the Great Park Neighborhood residents including local retail planning, addressing public safety concerns, and creating a comprehensive traffic mitigation plan. I would like to see a modern public library, botanical garden, and a Veterans Memorial Park.”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “I want Irvine to become a world-class City of Public Art. Great Park will be a big part of that. Our flourishing private sector- businesses and family foundations- can pay for it. The City can help with right-of-way and maintenance.”
Agran: “I believe the city should be implementing the Ken Smith Master Plan and we should rededicate ourselves to a thoughtful master planning process for the development of the Great Park. “
Sadigh: “I would make sure that we have proper input by the residents of the surrounding area, and making sure we do not rush significant proposals. I would like to see a Great Sundial at the Great Park, if we have the available budget for it. “
Treseder: “I would ensure that the Great Park residents have an independent, transparent way to share their needs about the park development. We should center the residents in our planning. For example, they may need more retail centers, parks, and libraries.”
- Do you support ensuring that planning and development decisions for the Great Park have public input and full review by city commissions prior to final decisions being made? If so, what changes would you recommend to ensure this?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “Yes, I do support a full public input reviewing any Great Park projects. I believe that all plans must go through the City of Irvine Planning Commission, Finance Commission, and Community Services Commission for a review.”
Khan: “The Great Park has its own budget outside of the city’s general fund. No past projects have gone through commissions. The public has always been included through many outreach efforts, in person, virtual & during GP Board meetings through public comments, e-comments, & emails. People have been waiting for this park to be built & now it’s happening.”
Lin: “Absolutely. We need to make sure the development in the Great Park is well planned and lives up to the standards of the rest of our city. It is critically important that the surrounding residents have a seat at the table given their Great Park CFD Special Tax. I would support restoring at-large voting members back to the Great Park Board.”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “I feel the Commissions should review major Great Park projects that have an impact outside of the Great Park. For example, the recently-approved permanent amphitheater will have traffic impact on city roads, even for people not going to the amphitheater. The Commissions can review plans efficiently, usually within a month or less.”
Agran: “Of course anything proposed for the Great Park should be subject to public scoping meetings and review by the relevant commissions. This is basic to Irvine’s DNA as a city. “
Sadigh: “Yes, I do support that. We should never rush decisions like these, especially if they could severely impact the life of the surrounding residents. I would allow the residents in the surrounding neighborhoods to select their representatives to the Great Park Commission. I would also turn the meetings into a town hall format.”
Treseder: “The city should be taking instruction from the Great Park residents, not developers. For example, we could host a series of outreach workshops with Great Park residents. We should change our policy of exempting Great Park development from evaluation by Irvine City Commissions.”
- What would you want to see changed about the city’s public comment policy?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “I believe it is better to move back to the previous public comment policy, which allows that our residents can speak on each business items full 3 minutes. We have to make sure to protect our residents’ rights to speak for their government.”
Khan: “The City provides several methods for people to provide public comments: email, e-comment, in person or over the phone. Each person gets 3 min unless we have over 30 ppl, then it’s 90 sec. Outside of this, I hear from the public at events, round tables, town halls, etc.”
Lin: “The current City Council changed our public comment policy three times and even reduced the speaking time for members of the public. As Mayor, I will allow public comments at the beginning of the meeting, and any time an agendized item is up for discussion, as we had before. I will also restore the 3-minute limit on each agenda item. “
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “I think the public comment policy is generally fine. Except that comments on agenda items should be taken in the order the items appear in the agenda. At present, all speakers on agenda items are lumped together, irrespective of the agenda item they’re speaking on.”
Agran: “People should have opportunities to make comments at the beginning of the meeting and then the chance to speak to items for a full 3 minutes at the time that they arise on the agenda.”
Sadigh: “I want every resident to have their full 3 minutes on each agenda item. I also want people to be able to make a public comment right before an agenda item is brought up. I also would like people to be able to engage with their councilmembers, and get a live response from them.”
Treseder: “All public commenters should be allowed a full three minutes to speak, as is standard for most California cities. The public comments should be allowed as each agenda item is discussed. Currently, speaking times can be shortened to 90 seconds, and comments are allowed only at the beginning of the meeting.”
- What is your position on SB 1439, which passed in the Legislature and would restrict local elected officials from taking official action to benefit campaign donors within certain timeframes of accepting money?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “I believe the elected officials including someone running for re-election should not get any financial benefits from the project donor during an election cycle.”
Khan: “I think it’s a move in the right direction and it should be implemented at the County & State level as well.”
Lin: “I am in strong support of SB 1439. We must ensure that elected officials make decisions in the best interest of the residents, not themselves. Prohibiting elected officials from accepting campaign contributions from those who are seeking permits or contracts from the city is common sense public policy and good governance. “
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “The Governor signed into law restrictions on proceedings involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use pending before an agency.”
Agran: “I support it.”
Sadigh: “I fully support it. We can’t have corruption, especially in local government, and this bill is a step in the right direction.”
Treseder: “I support it. It is an open secret that special interests in Irvine have an outsized influence on our city government. This bill would limit that influence.”
- What are your plans to address homelessness in your city?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “We have very limited homeless population in the City of Irvine, however, I will ensure to show support for those who are in need and provide opportunity to get connected and receive proper care from the county shelters.”
Khan: “We have been working on this issue as a region, w/our neighboring cities to provide emergency shelter. We have enlisted the assistance of Be Well OC as well as our non-profit partners for resources & services. Public safety is most important & our officers are out in the city building relationships w/our homeless individuals to provide resources.”
Lin: “The last point in time count stated Irvine has 150 unhoused individuals in our city. I believe the best way forward is to provide permanent supportive housing with wraparound services to help unhoused individuals get on a path to self-sufficiency. In addition, we must stem the problem through homelessness prevention services.”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Cities with success in addressing homelessness (e.g. Houston) have carefully coordinated responses, across agencies. I would ask City staff to revisit the issue of homelessness in Irvine and identify strengths/weaknesses of Irvine’s approach.”
Agran: “We should continue to work with neighboring cities to see to it that the homelessness problem is remedied regionally.”
Sadigh: “I plan to relax some of our zoning laws, which will make it easier for new housing to be built. With an increased supply of housing, the price of each house will naturally decrease. I will also push for an increase in higher density housing, which will be built to Irvine quality standards.”
Treseder: “The city should hire social workers who can be the primary point of contact for homeless individuals. This way, homeless families—including children—do not fall through the cracks.”
- What are your plans to address the housing crisis? Do you support more affordable housing? If so, what are your plans to increase it?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “We have a large inventory of apartments in our city. Based on the existing inventory, I will work with our development partners to ensure to provide more affordable, workforce housing for the residents.”
Khan: “We have already submitted our Housing Element Update to the state which includes our plans for affordable housing. We are currently looking at our inclusionary zoning ordinance and other means to increase the number of affordable homes in the city.”
Lin: “Due to the housing crisis, the state has mandated that Irvine build 23,610 units across all price points by 2029. I will work to increase affordable housing for new developments and work with the Irvine Community Land Trust, which is responsible for building permanent affordable housing, to ensure we increase housing for all income levels.”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Smaller units, close to public transit. Irvine has a golden opportunity. State is requiring Irvine to plan tens of thousands of new units. City has a short window of time to collaborate with developers, emphasize new units young professionals can aspire to own. So that our own kids, who grow up in Irvine, have the option of returning to Irvine. “
Agran: “Irvine is on track to meet in the next 5 years its General Plan goal of 10,000 affordable units in the city. These include mostly subsidized rentals in apartment buildings as part of our inclusionary housing ordinances.”
Sadigh: “I would like to have a village dedicated to more affordable housing, as well as building some affordable housing units in our already existing villages. Yes, I do. I also plan to have housing subsidies taper off instead of abruptly ending above a certain income threshold.”
Treseder: “It is unconscionable that the people who feed us, keep us safe, teach us, take care of and love our children, build and repair our homes, and guard our health cannot afford to live in our community. I will ensure that new developments assign at least 15% of units to affordable housing.”
- What is your position on rental assistance and rent stabilization policies in your city to assist those who cannot afford or are at risk of losing housing?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “As I mentioned earlier, I will make sure to provide support for people at risk by working with development partners.”
Khan: “NR”
Lin: “I am in favor of the city providing rental assistance programs for families at risk of losing housing. The social and financial costs of homelessness outweigh the expenditure to prevent homelessness. Irvine has worked alongside nonprofits on homelessness prevention services and I would look to increase funding for these organizations. “
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “I favor assistance to at-risk tenants who, through no fault of their own, may soon be evicted. I am against rent control.”
Agran: “I am supportive of rental assistance programs that are properly designed and implemented.”
Sadigh: “I am against rent control, as it would decrease the already low supply of housing, and cause prices to skyrocket. I would support increased housing subsidies however, with them gradually tapering off after a certain income threshold.”
Treseder: “The bottom line is that it costs the city less to offer rental assistance and rent stabilization than to provide services to homeless families. I support these policies.”
- What are your plans for reducing traffic congestion in your city? And what, if any, changes to public transit would you seek?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “Our City Traffic Center must be updated with the best technology, to ensure traffic moves more efficiently through our streets. I will make sure to enhance traffic management by synchronizing the traffic lights to better increase traffic flow especially at traffic peak hours during the day.”
Khan: “Our Transit Vision Study is near completion. This will be a pilot program with smaller neighborhood shuttles to help people move from neighborhoods to shopping centers/schools/destination areas & the possibility of introducing micro-transit options.”
Lin: “We must continue to work with OCTA to improve traffic light synchronization between the freeway off-ramps to our city streets. We must also encourage active transportation by planning for more protected bike lanes, walkways, and pedestrian bridges. I will explore a pilot program for street cars and shuttles to gauge public interest and ridership. “
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Microtransit is promising and the City is moving forward with it. Call up a shuttle with a phone app, travel anywhere within a boundary at a modest cost.”
Agran: “We need to provide modernized, electrified, clean and convenient transit throughout Irvine on an accelerated basis.”
Sadigh: “I would make sure that all of our traffic lights are properly synchronized. I would also make sure that our construction projects are completed as quickly and as safely as possible, to decrease the impact they have on commuters. “
Treseder: “Irvine needs walkable, bikeable neighborhoods. Many car trips are between home and school or afterschool activities. If our children were safe walking or biking, we could take those car trips off the road. I also support green public transportation.”
- How do you define public safety? What’s your perspective on how the city can best enhance safety for the public? And what specifically would you do to enhance public safety?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “Public safety allows businesses to thrive as well as families to feel secure in their homes and their children safe at school. We have to ensure to provide more financial support and our budget should reflect our priority. As we are seeing an increase in our crime rates in our city, we must ensure our residents safety is our top priority.”
Khan: “We have held the title of being the safest city in the nation for 16 consecutive years. However, that doesn’t mean that we’re immune to petty & property crimes. As a growing city, it’s important for us to continue having a strong relationship between our communities & IPD, through programs and meetings. Prevention is key to deter crime in our city.”
Lin: “Irvine has been ranked one of safest cities in America for 15 consecutive years, thanks to the Irvine Police Department which emphasizes community-based policing. I will build on this partnership to promote safe encounters between our loved ones and law enforcement by pushing for greater use of de-escalation techniques and crisis intervention.”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Irvine is America’s Safest City for its size. As the city grows, the police force and resources must grow with it. This includes additional social service personnel in the police department who can respond to mental health incidents, domestic disputes, and the like. “
Agran: “Public safety includes not only maintaining a top-notch police force but also integrating a public health workforce into what would become an Irvine Department of Public Safety and Public Health.”
Sadigh: “I define public safety as how safe people feel in a given area during all hours of the day. Currently, I do not believe we are meeting that definition, as people feel unsafe in their communities, especially at night. I would ensure that our police force always remains adequately funded, and that our officers receive the best training possible.”
Treseder: “Public safety ensures that all our community members are free from crime and other safety hazards like wildfires. Right now, our police and firefighters cannot afford to live in Irvine. If Irvine provides workforce housing, they can be our neighbors and will be ready even if natural disasters cut off our city.”
- Do you support a systematic implementation of protected bike lanes throughout your district? If so, how would you go about doing that and measuring progress?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “Yes, I support and will continue to support the bike lanes in our city. Irvine is a leading city with extensive bike and walking paths throughout the territory, and an example to cities across the country. “
Khan: “We’re already working on our active transportation plan, which includes connectivity of bike lanes/trails throughout the city with pedestrian/bike bridges. We’re also planning on implementing protected bike lanes via physical barriers, especially for our arterial streets. “
Lin: “As Mayor, I will initiate a system of protected bike paths and sufficient bike storage at destination centers. I will create a committee and set tasks, deadlines, and follow up to ensure necessary steps are taken toward achieving this goal. I also plan to reach out to experts at UCI to assist with this endeavor. “
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Irvine has a huge network of bike lanes. On the Transportation Commission, we have been discussing with city staff increasing protected bike lanes.”
Agran: “Yes, I support protected bike lanes. We are preparing to undertake several pilot projects in the coming months to test the efficacy of different approaches.”
Sadigh: “Yes, I do. We would do a staggered restriping of our major arterials. That way, we can decrease the impact of the congestion that would be created by the necessary lane reductions. I would measure progress by the ratio between the length of the completed protected bike lanes and the length of our major arterial roads.”
Treseder: “Yes. If even one intersection along a bike route is unsafe, people will choose to drive instead. Protected bike lanes will help reduce car traffic and save lives. We can measure progress by making annual traffic studies to measure bike use and safety.”
- What are the main things, if any, you would change about how your city spends its dollars?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “I will ensure to prioritize our budget spending. I will make sure to use our city budget for the municipal government issues to promote our safety. By prioritizing our budget, we can use our taxpayers’ money for our roads, lighting system, and park system operating and functioning well without raising any new taxes.”
Khan: “We are a fiscally sound city with a strong reserve. Every effort is made to spend wisely and on things that help improve our quality of life. There is no major change I would suggest. “
Lin: “We must not fast-track development projects which would potentially affect quality of life while imposing long term financial burdens on the city, the way the current council has done with the OCPA, Amphitheater, and Water Polo facility to the tune of $200 million. Thorough analysis and public input must be weighed carefully before approval.”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Irvine is among the top cities for financial management. I would increase the City’s contribution to the public school district. Irvine Unified School District is one of the lowest-funded districts in the State, on a per-student basis. So it relies on contributions from the City as well as private sources to get by.”
Agran: “Irvine has a history of fiscal prudence and getting the most from its spending. This record has been degraded by the current Council majority, which has repeatedly OKed pet projects without proper vetting, including cost estimates.”
Sadigh: “As we are spending taxpayer money, it is our job to make sure that our funds are being spent in the most efficient way possible. I would regularly audit our spending, and if any expenditures are found to be excessive, I would redirect those funds to areas where they could be better spent.”
Treseder: “I would like to see more fiscal responsibility from our city council. We should not be approving multi-million dollar city projects without detailed financials or adequate notice to the public.”
- Do you believe your city should create additional public pools, libraries and community centers? Why or why not?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “Yes, these are additional benefits to our taxpayers for what they have paid for.”
Khan: “As a master planned community, community parks and centers are a part of our neighborhoods or villages. We’re in the process of building another public aquatic center at the Great Park, this is in addition to all the existing neighborhood/HOA pools. Currently, we work with the County on our 3 libraries & have approved an additional library at GP.”
Lin: “Yes. The city used to ask for a community benefit with every request for approval from developers. We currently have the same number of libraries that I had as a child while the population has quadrupled. We must elect leaders who negotiate for more public amenities. “
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Yes, it will need to because Irvine is growing so quickly.”
Agran: “The city definitely needs more public pool facilities, with full public access. Libraries and community centers are high priority items that we need to identify funding for and pursue vigorously.”
Sadigh: “Yes. Currently, a lot of our older communities lack the community centers that newer communities have, so I would push for community centers to be built in those areas. We also need to build more public libraries, especially in the newer communities, as they do not have easily accessible public libraries. A public pool should be in each community.”
Treseder: “Yes, our public pools are overcrowded. Also, Irvine has only three libraries to serve 300,000 people. Our numbers of pools, libraries, and community centers should grow with the city.”
- What do you think of how the agency you’re running for handles public transparency? Do you have any specific critiques or areas that you feel need improvement?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “I do not believe current City Council is carrying the core value of local government. We have to ensure that our city is transparent and operating as an opened-government as expected. We should expect a complete transparency.”
Khan: “The City provides most of its plans, documents, financials online for the public. There’s always room for improvement. I don’t think we have a transparency issue. What we have is a communication issue, we need to do a better job of communicating with the public.”
Lin: “Conflicts of interest are not always disclosed before a vote, including those involving campaign contributions by those who have business before the city. Also, the use of cellphones during City Council meetings is in direct violation of public transparency and undermines the spirit of the Brown Act. “
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Transparency issues at Great Park can be improved. Giant project. In the early days, there were transparency problems on issues like selecting Park leadership, no bid contracts. Now it’s project selection, master planning. For projects that impact the City outside of Great Park, the City’s commissions should be consulted more.”
Agran: “The current Council majority doesn’t trust or just doesn’t want to hear public input and feels no need to share its plans or thinking with the residents who will have to pay for and live with them. The latest example is the ramming through of two major Great Park contracts with the public given one week to review them and 90 seconds to comment.”
Sadigh: “I do not believe that the Irvine City Council is handling transparency as well as it could be. Currently, local developers and companies have to much influence into the decisions that our elected officials make. If we have accepted a contribution, I would require that we recuse ourselves from any decision that could benefit the contributor.”
Treseder: “I would like to see better adherence to the Brown Act, which is state law governing open meetings for city councils. City Council Members should not deliberate out of the public eye.”
- What, if anything, will you do to make your agency and its elected leaders more transparent and open to constituents?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “I will ensure that our city council is open to public and accessible to our residents.”
Khan: “I hold round table discussion, town halls, small group meetings, individual meetings, attend events, & make myself available through email, phone, in-person, & online – people who are interested in communicating with me can connect with me in multiple ways. I share information via my newsletter & social media providing information.”
Lin: “As Mayor, I will establish a city policy banning the use of mobile phones, communication devices or apps during public hearings and City Council meetings to increase transparency and show proper respect to those in attendance at the meeting. I will also strengthen Irvine’s recusal policy. “
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Recent changes in State law will limit the extent to which councilmembers can vote on projects from which campaign donors would benefit.”
Agran: “Fully vet plans and contracts in public hearings and reviews by the relevant boards and commissions before any Council consideration or action.”
Sadigh: “I would make it easier to get involved in their local government. I would increase outreach to our youth, since they are an important, but often overlooked segment of our constituents. I would push my fellow councilmembers to attend regularly occurring townhalls, so that our constituents can come question us and hold us accountable.”
Treseder: “I would like to see better adherence to the Brown Act, which is state law governing open meetings for city councils. City Council Members should not deliberate out of the public eye.”
- Do you support publicly posting meeting agendas earlier? If so, how early? And what if any steps would you take to increase public input in budget decisions?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “Yes, I support posting meeting agendas as early as possible. I will ensure to have the agendas ready 12-14 days prior to the upcoming council meeting.”
Khan: “One of the things people need to understand is that no one member of the council can make changes, 3 votes is what it takes. Posting the agenda too early is not productive when direction is given to staff on a Tuesday evening with the next meeting being held 2 weeks later. We dealt with this issue in the past and have found middle ground that works”
Lin: “It is the job of the Mayor, alongside the City Manager, to set meeting agendas. I am in favor of giving the public at least 7 days to review these meeting agendas, and restoring the 3-minute speaking time at City Council meetings for all who wish to speak so their voices are fully heard.”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “The public can come to/submit comments at Finance Commission meetings early in the budget cycle. This gives the public an early opportunity to influence city spending. The City should remind members of the public this opportunity is available to them.”
Agran: “I think we can post a preliminary agenda well in advance and add items as appropriate up to a final deadline of one week before the meeting.”
Sadigh: “Yes, people have a right to know what their elected officials are going to discuss. I would want them posted publicly at least a week in advance. I would want town halls to be involved in the budgetary process, so any resident could have a chance to provide input about how their tax dollars are being spent.”
Treseder: “Yes. I support reinstating Irvine’s former Sunshine Ordinance, which requires that city council agendas be published 12 days before a meeting. I would increase public input by ensuring that public commenters get their full three minutes of speaking time as budget items are discussed.”
- What is your perspective on climate change? And what, if any, action plans do you have to address climate change and protect residents?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “I am opposition to the continuing pollution to our north Irvine community and I support city council plans to bring forward climate action plan.”
Khan: “I have led our Council on environmental sustainability, initiating the Climate Action & Adaptation Plan which created opportunities for us to study our buildings, transportation, energy use, water usage, & so much more. We initiated programs like One Irvine, Cool Block, Solarize Irvine, & Electrify Irvine among others. “
Lin: “Housing, clean air, and clean water are basic rights that are endangered by fires, storms, and droughts from climate change. As Mayor, I will ensure that Irvine prioritizes leads on carbon neutrality, starting with a citywide effort to create a comprehensive Climate Action Plan that the current Mayor failed to pursue and deliver on. “
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Climate change is having noticeable impact on Irvine already. Hotter days, more frequent and intense fires. The City has set a goal of carbon neutrality by 2030. This means electrifying homes (stoves, water heaters, etc.). And converting the City’s vehicle fleet to electric. A high priority is developing a formal climate action plan.”
Agran: “Climate change is real and an existential threat and there are actions the city can take on its own or in cooperation with other jurisdictions to help address it.”
Sadigh: “I believe climate change is a serious problem, one that we all need to work on solving together. I would ensure that any newly built housing is energy efficient and built to certain environmental standards. New housing should also be decorated with drought tolerant plants.”
Treseder: “I’m a climate scientist at UCI. I’m running because I am concerned about climate change. I am proud to have co-authored Irvine’s ACHIEVES Resolution, in which the city pledged to be carbon-neutral by 2030. We can reach this goal by using renewable energy, installing EV charging stations for apartments and condos, and building green infrastructure.”
- What local actions, if any, do you support to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, I believe we must heal the ground first by reducing herbicide and using organic applications such as goat population in our expansive open spaces. We also have to plant more trees around the community.”
Khan: “There are several that we are working on: more public & micro transit, electrifying city fleet, updating buildings, elimination of gas & other fossil fuel energy sources.”
Lin: “Carbon emissions from cars and homes are the biggest contributors to climate change. I will work to accelerate the conversion of government vehicles to electric cars, build more charging stations, and promote subsidies and rebates encouraging residents to switch to zero-emission cars and electric appliances.”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Electrification of homes and buildings, to dramatically reduce gas usage. Swap the City’s huge fleet of gasoline vehicles to electric. Expand the network of charging stations in the City. Increase the number of trees (Note: Irvine already has 1/2 million trees. So this means increasing Irvine’s already-significant tree population)”
Agran: “We could begin with something very basic: planting at least 200,000 trees in the next 5 years, and promote and accelerate the installation of rooftop solar.”
Sadigh: “I would push forward a resolution calling on the state to build more nuclear power plants. I would also push for building more electric vehicle chargers, as well as making it easier for people to buy electric vehicles.”
Treseder: “My top priority is developing a legally-binding climate action and adaptation plan for the city, with clear benchmarks and assessments. Our plan must be financially responsible and evidence-based.”
- Do you believe the last presidential election was stolen?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “Not a municipal issue.”
Khan: “No”
Lin: “No”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “No”
Agran: “No”
Sadigh: “No.”
Treseder: “It was not stolen!”
- Do you believe you are participating in a free and fair election process? Subject to the established rules for recounts, will you accept the results of their election, win or lose, as certified?
Mayor Candidates
Moon: “Historically, Irvine has been in a fair election process. I will accept the outcome of election.”
Khan: “Yes and yes”
Lin: “Yes”
City Council Candidates
Hansen: “Yes”
Agran: “Yes”
Sadigh: “Yes. Yes, I will.”
Treseder: “Yes, I believe this. I will accept the results of the election as certified.”