Tag: County

    Why the word ‘Believe’ is on our campaign shirts

    Why the word ‘Believe’ is on our campaign shirts

    May 16, 2018 by omarpassons in

    We get asked regularly why our campaign shirts have the word ‘believe’ printed on the front above our Omar4SD logo.  There are two primary reasons.  The first comes out of a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that I became aware of while on a trip with my wife to the King Memorial in Washington, D.C. a few years back.

    This quote is from Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech.

    I started the clip at the point of the quote, but it is a great speech overall.  There is quite a lot to love about this speech, especially as we look at how some things in our region and our country are going right now.  But for me, I deeply believe in affirming the dignity, equality, and humanity of every person.  I loved this quote and wanted to carry it with us throughout the campaign.

    Okay, what’s the other reason?

    A group of supporters getting ready to walk in Pacific Beach

    The other reason for using ‘believe’ as a mantra, a hashtag, a talking point, and just a point of discussion is that we want everyone in San Diego to believe in a different type of leadership and a different type of politics.  We believe we can have the type of leadership that focuses on making life better rather than taking political shots at others. We believe that the residents of the County’s District 4 ought to decide who represents them, not monied interests, political parties or Sacramento lobbyists and power brokers.  We believe in supporting our region’s children, in protecting our seniors, and in having honest – if difficult – public conversations about where our region is going.

    Join us. Believe with us. Believe that we can focus on issues and substance rather than insider politics.  Believe in what makes San Diego beautiful and San Diegans warm and welcoming people and we can and will change the course of our region for the better!

    About Omar

    Where Omar Stands on the Issues

    What Does the County Board of Supervisors Do?

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    North Park Festival of Arts (5/12) – Parent Comfort Room & Kids’ Play Area!

    North Park Festival of Arts (5/12) – Parent Comfort Room & Kids’ Play Area!

    May 7, 2018 by omarpassons in

    On Saturday, May 12th, the Festival of Arts returns to North Park! Our campaign is driven in large part by my deep passion to better support children and seniors.  To help our youngest children (and their parents), we have decided to offer a few helpful comforts and some fun for the kiddos!

    At our campaign office (located at 3815 Grim Ave, across from Mike Hess Brewing) you’ll find:

    1. Private, air-conditioned room for pumping/nursing/quiet time
    2. Changing stations for older kids
    3. Bathroom (for parents/grandparents/caregivers only)
    4. Arts/Crafts/Slime area outside

    PLEASE NOTE: We are NOT able to provide actual child care on site, just a calm place for parents if they want a little privacy, a clean bathroom and to learn about why my candidacy has been so focused on our region’s children.

    Our commitment to our region’s children and families drives this campaign and I am living proof of what happens when we better support children from the earliest stages!  Come have fun, hang out, and enjoy a great event for all ages.

    Read our StrongStarts4All plan

    • Includes steps to bring down the cost of quality child care, home visits, improved arts access, youth mental health support and more

    About Omar

    Omar’s Position on the Issues

    What Does the County Do?

    Can I vote for this position on June 5th?

    Episode 2: Give me the basics – what does the County actually do?

    Episode 2: Give me the basics – what does the County actually do?

    January 21, 2018 by Omar Passons in /

    (Click play button below to listen to Episode 2 – 17:07 minutes)


     
    Click to view in iTunes
     

    Summary of Episode 2

    The first question most people ask me when I tell them I am running for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is “what does the County do?”  Now that I’ve given a little background about myself and my reasons for running in Episode 1 this episode is a basic conversation about what the County government does.

    The County has many roles in our region.  One major role is in the social safety net and the region’s health. This includes:

    • Public Health (e.g. Hepatitis A, Flu Outbreak),
    • Mental Health (e.g. homeless support, youth support, psychiatric care),
    • Community Health (e.g. disease prevention, public safety), and
    • Social Health (e.g. early childhood development, senior care & support, etc.).

    One of the largest parts of the County’s budget is in Health & Human Services – almost $2 Billion.  To put this number in perspective, in 2015 the City of San Diego’s entire budget was $2.6 Billion.

    The County is organized kind of like a company. It is led by a Chief Executive, called a Chief Administrative Officer (her name is Helen Robbins-Meier), five business groups that function like divisions of a company, and a five member Board of Directors, called the Board of Supervisors.

    The Board of Supervisors sets the direction for the County’s $5.8 Billion budget to impact everything from homelessness to land use (where you can and can’t build), mental health and social services, child and senior welfare, and a range of public safety and criminal justice issues.  It is a very big job that is well-served to have leaders with technical knowledge and experience in the key areas of the government.

    The purpose of this episode is to give listeners a quick overview to understand what areas the County operates in and how it does the people’s business.  I will talk more about specific substantive areas in later episodes. Thanks for listening!