Editor’s note: “The Coronado News reached out to all 2024 mayoral candidates with questions to learn more about their priorities and philosophy in running for mayor. This list of questions is the second half of the total list; the first half ran in the Sept. 20 print edition and can be found online at thecoronadonews.com. Responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.”
Q: Do you favor an ordinance with greater e-bike regulations?
Tanaka: I favor enforcing current laws, including the wearing of helmets by people under 18, making proper stops at stop signs and other elements of the vehicle code over adding new e-bike regulations.
Q: What is a topic/issue in Coronado that was not referenced in these questions that you believe you can bring expertise to?
Tanaka: The most elemental job of Coronado’s mayor is to effectively lead the Coronado City Council. I am running because I have a talent for leading our City Councils and I don’t see a good reason to pass up the opportunity to have an already proven, effective mayor. There is no better training for this job than previous service as mayor and with 18 years invested as a council member, I am ready to act wisely on our public’s behalf.
Q: As mayor, how do your duties differ from that of City Council members and how are you going to lead the city council?
Tanaka: The five members of the Coronado City Council need to successfully deliberate over the city’s most pressing matters and reach clear conclusions for our full-time staff to carry out. My job as mayor is to give the five of us on the council the opportunity to speak on these issues and to make sure that at least three members align to provide clear direction to staff. The mayor’s duties differ from the rest of the council in terms of running meetings smoothly and, at times, brokering compromises at these public meetings.
There have been times where I have had to sacrifice my own point of view to allow the rest of the council to find consensus, and this is something I am still willing to do. There are times where the mayor ends up in the minority, but still helps the rest of the council to find its voice and its policy direction. I have a talent for helping councils to find consensus and I am stepping up again as a candidate for mayor because I want to continue to help the next City Council to provide this crucial policy direction to our talented city staff.
Q: What is the most significant change that you intend to make in Coronado?
Tanaka: I am not running for mayor to change things. Coronado is a beautiful place and I am running to maintain and support our vibrant community.
Q: City-wide ordinances have not been implemented for things like single-use plastic ban. Where do you stand on this?
Tanaka: The City Council will be reviewing the possibility of banning or reducing single-use plastics at the Oct. 1 City Council meeting. I look forward to reviewing the information put together by city staff and will deliberate on this at the Oct. 1 City Council Meeting.
Q: Local cities and governmental entities have declared local emergencies for the ongoing Tijuana sewage crisis. Will you push for Coronado to do the same?
Tanaka: I spoke in favor of declaring a local emergency at the Sept. 3, 2024, Coronado City Council meeting and I continue to be willing to consider such a declaration.
