Corrections appended

The seven La Jolla business owners who have become challengers in the upcoming Promote La Jolla election, and the eight incumbents, will share their views Oct. 2, during a candidates’ forum at the Hotel Parisi, 1111 Prospect St.

All candidates will discuss their opinions on the hot issues currently permeating the village “” including parking.

The eight incumbent candidates include Bill Berkley, Izzy Tihanyi, Peter Wagener, Gregory Rizzi, Reza Ghasemi, Terry Underwood, Deborah Marengo and Errol Lurie. These candidates are, for the most part, in support of the current on-street parking plan.

The seven challengers include local business owners Thomas E.K. Cerruti, Robert Collins, Keith Kelman, Glen Rasmussen, Bart O’Rourke, Pieter Van Leuven and Nancy Warwick.

“So many of us find that the current board does not listen to its constituents, but rather seems to focus on re-making La Jolla for tourists, disproportionately promoting businesses on Prospect and lower Girard,” the seven stated in a flyer discussing their platform. “La Jolla needs healthy tourism, but this must be balanced with the needs of all those who own businesses, work and shop here.”

Parking is a major issue for the community.

The seven challengers said they believe that paid parking will cause La Jolla to become less inviting.

But the eight incumbents have endorsed a proposed pilot program for parking in the village of La Jolla. The program’s goal is to cut down on the congested parking in the area. Three members of Promote La Jolla are on the La Jolla Community Parking District Advisory Board, whose plan for on-street parking would leave a 10 to 15 percent vacancy rate on the street by utilizing new parking technology.

Martin Mosier, who is not a current Promote La Jolla board member, was appointed to the parking board with the other two Promote La Jolla representatives who happen to be board members “” Peter Wagener and Reza Ghasemi.

The three La Jolla Parking Board members are appointed for a year by members of Promote La Jolla.

Michael Harth, the “at-large-business-owner” seat on the parking board, stepped down at the Sept. 21 meeting. Harth recused himself during the meeting because he said he had a conflict of interest due to his ownership in a parking company.

This year’s Promote La Jolla election is important to members who watch the La Jolla Parking Board because three people from Promote La Jolla are appointed to the parking board. The challengers believe that, if elected, they will have more input on parking issues, they said.

Every year, Promote La Jolla holds an election by secret ballot for either seven or eight new members to the board of directors. This year, members “” or local business owners defined as in good standing “” can vote for eight new members.

Election ballots were mistakenly sent out Sept. 20 with a printing error asking the voter to choose seven candidates instead of the correct number of eight. The error was quickly fixed and new ballots sent to the voting members, said Tiffany Sherer, executive director of Promote La Jolla.

The old ballots will be set aside and the organization has extended the deadline for turning in the new ballot. Promote La Jolla increased the deadline to Oct. 12 by 1 p.m., or postmarked no later than Oct. 10. The original deadline was Oct. 5, Sherer said.

Voters are asked to follow the directions carefully. The organization uses the outer envelope to verify the status of the business member. Once the status is verified, that envelope is set aside and the inner, sealed envelope with no personal information is opened and the votes are counted, Sherer said.

A representative from the county of San Diego oversees the vote counting. Any member of Promote La Jolla can go to the office on Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. to observe to the process, Sherer said.

Election results will be announced at the La Valencia Hotel during the Nov. 14 board meeting at 3 pm.

New elections for the La Jolla Community Parking District Advisory Board will take place at Hotel Parisi the third Wednesday of the month at 9 a.m.

For more information call Sherer, (858) 454-5718.