Avalon Council Candidates for Two-Year Term

Carl Johnson

Carl Johnson

Background: Occupation: Businessman/Entrepreneur. Blessed to be the fourth generation to call Avalon home and an Avalon High School graduate, I admire what the Council does for the City. I have an interest and receive joy in attending every City Council Meeting no matter what topics are on the Agenda. Staying current on other meetings provided by the City of Avalon’s website is important. As a native businessman/entrepreneur, my interests and capabilities continue to grow.

I am driven to maintain and advance this beautiful community that has given much opportunity to my family. My dedication is shown through other commitments and my character displays integrity. As a councilmember, I will contribute my best effort by utilizing these values.

My views run parallel with those who have previously served our community. “I will be an independent voice of reason, not beholden to any person or organization or City special interest. I will gather the facts before I offer an opinion. I will rely on persuasion and listening to achieve consensus on decisions. I want this great community to thrive and prosper for all its citizens, not just those at the top.”

Support Carl Johnson as your Councilmember.

What is your stance on cruise ships and creating beneficial visitor counts? 

Avalon is a popular port-of-call for cruise ships on the west coast and is dependent on tourism for a sustainable local economy. Most passengers have not visited Avalon before the cruise ship visit, and results in Avalon’s increased exposure as a desired destination. Cruise ship passengers visiting Avalon generate a sizable impact on the local economy. In addition to the expenditure-based impacts of passengers, the cruise ship industry may have other impacts on the local community. These impacts would include: congestion on days when passengers visit, diminished satisfaction among overnight visitors, impacts on the harbor and waterfront, and passenger fees paid to the City of Avalon. 

The fact is, cruise ships create beneficial visitor counts and Avalon residents rely on visitors to generate income. It should be the responsibility of businesses to spur economic growth. It is the City Council’s responsibility to prepare for negative impacts, that result from an increase in cruise ship visitor counts, and determine how to manage those impacts. The City of Avalon does not generate enough revenue to repair our aging infrastructure, and the revenue from additional cruise ships will not offset the impacts of those added ships. The added pressure they would bring, should be the City Council’s primary focus. Providing adequate facilities would allow supply & demand to naturally govern a visitor count that Avalon can support.

Michael Ponce

Michael Ponce

Background: I have been a resident of Avalon for twenty-four years, moving to Santa Catalina Island after being offered a job at the Inn on Mt. Ada. My mother and sister have resided here for over thirty years. 

I have been consistently involved with my community by serving on the Catalina Art Association, CHOICES and Catalina Island Medical Center Boards as well as the Chamber of Commerce and the Avalon Rotary Club. I have also served on the Planning Commission and two terms as a Councilmember. 

I feel that I have temperament to hearing all sides to any issue and working to find answers that will benefit residents and visitors alike.

What is your stance on cruise ships and creating beneficial visitor counts?

Cruise ships are a great benefit to Avalon’s business and residents alike. The City and Harbor Department currently have the ability to control how many visits the City receives. The City is evaluating how that will be handled. I believe they have come up with a good plan which will be heard prior to this article being published. Three cruise ships a week, none on Holidays or weekends and the ability to have the smaller ones still come into Port is a workable plan and a vital contribution to our economy.