We asked the candidates running for Irvine mayor about their vision of Irvine and how they would ensure the city’s business climate continues to grow and thrive. These were their responses:

 

Christina Shea

Christina Shea

Vision of Irvine: A city of peace and harmony, with an strong emphasis on fiscal strength, excellence in education, innovation, and continued focus on environmentally sound, sustainable programs, to ensure the health and well being of all our community members.

Business Climate: I will be creating a Mayor’s Business Council in January if I am elected. We can’t sustain the unemployment rates and business closures as our business sector is the hub and lifeline of our fiscal success as a city. We will need to be innovative, creative and as flexible as possible to kick-start new businesses and restart old businesses.

I am committed to making this my top priority.

Farrah Khan

Farrah Khan

Vision of Irvine: I envision Irvine as a world-class city that is a model for innovation, sustainability and civic engagement. A hub of start-ups, small businesses and large corporations providing space for creativity and employment for our residents. A city where a few blocks away are parks, trails and open spaces for people to walk, hike, bike or run.  

Business Climate: There is so much opportunity to expand our business footprint and I look forward to working with the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce and many of our diverse Chambers of Commerce to attract businesses to our city. I have already worked closely on the Chamber’s World Trade Week, networking with our many consulates in L.A. and O.C. on business opportunities. However, before we continue to expand our horizon, we need to take care of our businesses that have been struggling during this pandemic. Just like I urged our county Board of Supervisors to provide funding for our Small Business Grant program, I will continue to push our state and federal representatives to get us the much needed funding from the CARES Act and HEROES Act to save our businesses from closing their doors. I brought together the business, health, education and development communities at the start of this pandemic, I will bring them together again, to map out a plan to safely open up according to state guidelines and provide the necessary support to keep our city moving forward.

Katherine Daigle

Katherine Daigle

Vision of Irvine: Our vision is to continue to be the safest city in the United States and be one of the best-run cities in America. Irvine is one of the best places in which to live, work and play. 

I am a businesswoman with over 20 years of contract negotiations with the top healthcare industries in America and in this city. I will create new jobs for our economic security for our families in the O.C. – to get our kids back in school and create a safer city by working with a public/private partnership with our amazing healthcare and pharmaceutical businesses located in our great city, because there is no place like home.

Business Climate: I am a business person and I understand finance and the economic challenges from COVID-19. As an executive VP I was challenged with September 11, when businesses collapsed in the United States over the fear of terrorism.  

Fundamental to my thinking is the continuation of Irvine’s association with top universities like UCI and the many life science industries that provide economic strength and jobs when our city will need to ramp up to fill jobs in early 2021. I will work to develop more, value-added professional employment opportunities, ensuring a dependable healthy revenue stream to meet the city’s budget 

Businesses want to invest in cities such as Irvine with a young workforce and city officials – pragmatic leaders such as myself – that will recognize that our community may not thrive without the missing demographic such as a vibrant workforce. Irvine has a youthful demographic, but a limited amount of affordable housing for young entrepreneurs. We as leaders should utilize the business acumen used by companies that have survived this pandemic together as a benchmark against other U.S. cities with young working-age populations. In other words, what do they have that young people want to experience that we do not YET have. A walk-able city, downtown and arts and entertainment districts, a promenade. Generally young people are not ready for a house. They want central areas where they can meet, relax and have fun with friends.

The city can redesign itself to identify what would keep young professionals in the area and what could improve the city’s chances of attracting and retaining more of them. We do have sports attractions, Wild Rivers, Duck Ice, even a convention center. The proximity to John Wayne Airport positions Irvine as a hub and our universities are modern and international.

Luis Huang

Vision of Irvine: An Irvine that is not controlled by the Irvine Company and FivePoint, and is responsive to the needs of the good people working and living here.

Business Climate: I have endorsed Prop. 15. With the funding from Prop. 15, I am calling for a sales tax holiday here in Irvine to spur local economy and small businesses.

 

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