District 2 includes the cities of Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana and a portion of Upland. The candidates were asked about their stance on warehousing and whether a moratorium should be considered. Their answers ranged, but everyone agreed that the region needs a better warehouse development approach.
“I’m not opposed to development. But I’m not going to allow indiscriminate development. It has to be a win-win. And you can’t put warehouses next to schools and churches and parks," said current Cucamonga Valley Water District board member Luis Centina. "There’s a right place for things in a community because it has to work for everyone. I will do Everything in my power to raise my voice. Leadership has to be courageous to raise their voice and say what’s right and what’s wrong.”
Dejonae Shaw is a Licensed Vocational Nurse and union advocate. She says gathering community input should be required before a company is allowed to build a new warehouse. "More often times than not, projects come to development, and the community’s needs are not met. But furthermore, we have advocates that attend meetings, andtheir concerns are not addressed. They fall on deaf ears," Shaw said. "It is our responsibility as elected officials to carry out the will of the people, and when your people are telling you that they need something, you have to abide by their wishes."
Another candidate Nadia Renner, a small business owner in Fontana, says the Inland Empire economy needs more than warehousing jobs. “ Warehouses are not the best-paying jobs. I interviewed these people that work there; the job condition is not healthy. The return rate on warehouses is 90%. That means that they’re only working a small amount of time up until they find their next job. Is that a good job? No, I don’t think so," Renner said.
Eric Coker is a Rancho Cucamonga business owner. When it comes to increasing local job opportunities, he said the biggest barriers are state regulations. “Everything the government seems to want to do is find a way to fine, inhibit, hinder, harass, current businesses we have; it makes it hard to stay," Coker said. "That’s why people are leaving California, and that’s the biggest problem... we need to work with the state to say, look, you guys got to pull back on the reins or let the reins go a little bit... and so we can actually get some stuff done and get some business back in here.”
Former Fontana City Councilmember Jesse Armendarez is also running for the San Bernardino County Supervisor District 2 but did not attend the forum. Current District 2 Supervisor Janice Rutherford has been termed out and cannot run for reelection.
