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THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING TO THIS EVENING'S CANDIDATE FORUM FOR THE LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL.
UM, WITHOUT THESE CANDIDATES AGREEING TO PARTICIPATE, WE DON'T HAVE DEMOCRACY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PARTICIPATING.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, UM, THIS EVENING IS NOT A DEBATE.
SO THEY'RE NOT DEBATING EACH OTHER, THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING AMONGST EACH OTHER.
THEY'RE D THEY'RE RESPONDING DIRECTLY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE TO YOU.
WE'LL START OUT, THEY HAVE TWO MINUTES EACH FOR INTRODUCTION, THEN ONE MINUTE EACH FOR QUESTIONS.
AND YOU, IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE VERY MUCH, BUT WE HAVE SIX CANDIDATES AND WE ONLY HAVE AN HOUR.
SO THEY'LL HAVE ONE MINUTE EACH FOR ANSWERING QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE OUR TIMEKEEPERS HERE, AND SHE'S GOT THE FLASHCARD.
SO SH ONE MINUTE TO START, SHE'LL GIVE THEM THE 30 MINUTE AND THEN, OR 32ND.
WHEN IT'S, STOP, THAT MEANS FINISH YOUR SENTENCE, BUT IT'S NOT A RUN ON SENTENCE, LIKE, WRAP IT UP.
AND WE'RE GONNA BE REALLY STRICT ON THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE FAIR AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME.
UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TIME, WE NEED THE AUDIENCE TO HOLD APPLAUSE, RIGHT? UM, IF WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO FINISH CLAPPING, THEN WE'RE NOT GONNA GET ANYWHERE.
SO JUST PLEASE LISTEN CAREFULLY, LISTEN QUIETLY.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION THAT DID NOT GET ASKED FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT COULD BE BECAUSE WE COMBINED IT WITH OTHER QUESTIONS THAT ARE SIMILAR.
IT COULD BE WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE TIME.
AND IF, IF THE CANDIDATES AGREE TO STAY AFTER, YOU'RE ALSO FREE TO ASK THEM YOUR QUESTIONS DIRECTLY, JUST IN CASE.
BUT WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO AN, TO GET EVERY QUESTION THAT WE HAVE, UH, TWO MINUTES FOR CLOSING AT THE END.
SO ANYTHING THAT THEY WANNA CIRCLE BACK TO OR WRAP UP, THEY CAN DO.
ONE MINUTE THEY WERE TOLD TWO.
YEAH, THEY WERE TOLD TWO, SO WE AGREED TO, YEAH, HERE IT IS.
AND YOU NEED TO SPEAK RIGHT INTO THE MICROPHONE.
AND THEN WE, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE, UM, A STATEMENT WE NEED TO READ ABOUT RECORDING.
SO, THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS WERE TONIGHT'S SPONSORS AND PARTICIPANTS HAVE NOT AUTHORIZED ANY VIDEO OR AUDIO RECORDINGS OF THIS FORUM OTHER THAN THE REPEAT TELEVISION BROADCAST PROVIDED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, EDUCATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS CHANNEL.
IF ANY RECORDINGS ARE MADE BY ANY MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE, WE STRONGLY URGE THAT THE FORUM BE RECORDED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND NOT EDITED IN ANY WAY.
THE FCC REQUIRES THAT VIDEOTAPE OF A DEBATE OR FORUM NOT BE EDITED AND MUST BE BROADCAST IN ITS ENTIRETY, EITHER LIVE OR REASONABLY SOON AFTER IT TAKES PLACE.
BOTH THE FCC AND THE LEAGUE WANT TO ENSURE THAT INFORMATION IS NOT MANIPULATED TO CREATE FALSE OR MISLEADING IMPRESSIONS.
THEREFORE, NO CANADA'S ALLOWED TO USE OR EDIT FOOTAGE FOR CAMPAIGN PURPOSES UNLESS IT'S IN ITS ENTIRETY.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, ARE WE READY? ALL RIGHT.
UM, MRS. LAURA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO OPEN UP, PLEASE? YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS GUADALUPE, AND I WANNA START BY SAYING THAT I AM, UH, VERY PROUD, UM, TO BE HISPANIC, TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF GOING TO SCHOOL.
MY PARENTS WORKED REALLY HARD FOR US TO GO TO SCHOOL, AND I WAS ABLE TO GRADUATE WITH A BACHELOR'S IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, UH, MINOR IN SPANISH, IN MASTER'S, IN IN BUSINESS, AND THEN WENT BACK TO SCHOOL BECAUSE I LOVE EDUCATION.
AND I GOT A TEACHING CREDENTIAL IN EDUCATION.
I'VE TAUGHT, AND I'VE ALSO HAD THE HONOR OF TEACHING AT A C LA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, UM, FOR AN INTERNSHIP THAT I WAS CHOSEN IN OVER 500 CANDIDATES, UM, TO TEACH.
I ALSO TAUGHT AT SANTA ANA COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
I'VE TAUGHT AT GODINAS HIGH SCHOOL, TROY HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, I ALSO TAUGHT IN, UM, IN THE INDIO AREA IN THERMAL CALIFORNIA.
AND I ALSO TAUGHT, AND NOW CURRENTLY I'M TEACHING, I'M SUBSTITUTE TEACHING AT MY CHILDREN'S SCHOOL, LARA PALM ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS PART OF LAHABRA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE IF THEY DON'T GET ANSWERED DURING THIS TIME.
I'M, I, I CAN GIVE YOU MY CELL PHONE NUMBER.
UM, AND ANYWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HI, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS FOR, UM, BEING ABLE TO ORGANIZE THIS WONDERFUL EVENT.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO DO A SHOUT OUT TO, UH, GOT A CALL JUST BEFORE I GOT HERE TO JOSIE ANDERSON, AND YOU RECOGNIZE HER LATE HUSBAND.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE UP HERE TODAY, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT HEAR A LOT OF EYES, EYES, EYES, BUT I JUST WANNA CLEARLY MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE HAVE A FANTASTIC TEAM, AND IT'S A TEAM WORKING TOGETHER WITH OUR MAYOR, JOSE MADRANO, ROSA SPINOZA, STEVE SIMONIAN, AND DARREN ARIAN.
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COMING TO THE LA HARBOR CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE A, A CITY THAT WE CAN WORK, LIVE AND PLAY AND BE PROUD OF.UH, PRIOR TO ME COMING TO LAJA CITY COUNCIL, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY HOBBY LOBBY TRADER JOE'S SPROUT, SMOKING FIRE, COSTCO, A SECOND WALMART, UH, A SECOND IN AND OUT BURGER.
UH, I HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO BRING THE BEST OF THE BEST TO LAHABRA.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'LL SOON BE HAVING CALIFORNIA GRILL COME TO LAHABRA HABIT SPORTS DUTCH BROTHERS, THE HABIT BURGER, UH, CRISPY CREAM, AND A LOT MORE.
UM, I'M HAPPY, UH, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS, UH, HAVE, HAS BEEN ABLE TO INVEST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN, IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
OUR EVERY SINGLE RESIDENTIAL STREET HAS BEEN REPAIRED.
WE'VE DONE DOZENS OF PLAYGROUND, UH, PROJECTS.
WE HAVE A BRAND NEW DOG PARK SPORTS FACILITY COMING TO VISTA GRANDE PARK.
I WAS, UH, UH, AWARDED THE ELECTED OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR BY THE CALIFORNIA, UH, LEAGUE OF CITIES.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE I DON'T PLAY PARTISAN POLITICS.
I WORK WITH BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.
I WORK WITH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ALIKE, UH, TO MAKE SURE WE GET THINGS DONE.
I'M HONORED TO BE ENDORSED BY THE, UH, LAJA POLICE ASSOCIATION, UH, LA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, UNION 10 14, WHICH REPRESENTS LAHABRA.
UM, I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON TRAFFIC ISSUES, THE HOMELESS ISSUE IN LAHABRA OVERCROWDING, UH, CONTINUE TO WORK TO HAVE A FISCAL RESPONSIBLE BUDGET.
MY STUDENTS, UM, ALWAYS CALL ME THAT CAUSE I TOLD THEM IT'S SAVED INC JUST TO BE IN R AND P, A COUPLE OF DOC.
I HAVE LIVED IN LAHA FOR 39 YEARS.
MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LOVED THE HARBOR, MRS. WE ARRIVED.
WE ARRIVED ON 1983, AND WE ENJOY THE COMMUNITY.
I HAVE WORKED FOR OVER 30, FOR NEARLY 33 YEARS FOR WASHINGTON, THE WASHINGTON SCHOOL SIDE, ONE YEAR AT HARBOR SCHOOL FOR THE MAJORITY OF MY TIME AT WASHINGTON.
I REALLY DO ENJOY HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ALSO, WE KEEP IN MIND PEOPLE ON THE EAST COAST RIGHT NOW WHO ARE NOT ENJOYING QUEER WEATHER.
THEY'RE COUNTRY DOWN AND THEY ARE TRYING BE SAFE, AND THEY'RE FELLOW AMERICANS WHO ARE SUFFERED RIGHT NOW, SO THAT WE CAN KEEP MIND THAT, THAT WE, WE HAVEN'T BEEN HERE RIGHT NOW AND HAPPEN.
WHEN I WAS FIRST, UM, IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, I REMEMBERED THAT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TRY TO GET THINGS STARTED BECAUSE THERE WAS, AND THEN WE HAD SEVERAL ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS STANDING OFFICE.
SO, SANDY BALZ, YOU PROBABLY HEARD ME ANYWAY.
SANDY BALTI IS THE ONE THAT REALLY GOT THINGS GOING, AND I HAVE TO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT SHE WAS THE ENCOURAGEMENT TO GO OUT AND, AND DO GRANTS AND BRING IN KIND MONEY FOR THE STUDENTS.
I HAD THE CHANCE TO TEACH FOR.
I, I, I WORKED THREE JOBS AT ONE POINT BECAUSE OF MY DOCTORATE.
I WAS ABLE TO TEACH, UM, ONLINE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO FOR ABOUT 11 YEARS.
AND I WAS AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AT CAL STATE BULLETIN, WORKING WITH TEACHERS.
UM, I'M THE YOUNGEST OF FIVE, AND, UM, I HAVE TWO THINGS.
WHEN I WAS LITTLE, I TOLD MY PARENTS WHEN I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD THAT I WOULD GO TO COLLEGE AND I WOULD SPEAK SPANISH.
GOOD EVENING TO THE LEAGUE, AND THANKS TO THEM.
THEM, UH, GOOD EVENING TO ALL THE CANDIDATES UP HERE, AND GOOD EVENING TO THE AUDIENCE AND ALL THOSE ON CHANNEL THREE.
UH, I'M THE DARREN ARIAN, UH, I'M ON CITY COUNCIL.
I WAS APPOINTED BACK IN FEBRUARY.
MY OCCUPATION WAS, UH, LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF FOR 30 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN IN THE HARBOR FOR 30 YEARS.
ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, I DECIDED TO START GIVING BACK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
AND SO I BEGAN AS I LIKE TO THINK IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE, WHICH IS AT THE VERY LOCAL LEVEL, WHICH IS YOUR OWN STREET, YOUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD.
I JOINED THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE LAHA CREST HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION.
HAD SOME GRAND AMBITIONS TO PUT UP A SIGN AT THE ENTRANCE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, CLEAN UP OUR COMMUNITY PARKS, THIS SORT OF THING.
EVIDENTLY, I WAS SUCCESSFUL ENOUGH TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THAT HOA FOR 20 YEARS, BUT I WENT ON FROM THERE TO SERVE AS VICE CHAIR OF THE 2004 FISCAL REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF LA HARBOR, WHICH ENABLED ME TO CUT MY TEETH ON THE BUDGET AND ALL THE STUFF THAT MATTERS WHEN IT COMES TO BEAN COUNTING.
UH, I WENT ON FROM THERE TO JOIN THE LA HARBOR CITY PLANNING COMMISSION.
I ULTIMATELY SERVED THREE TIMES AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
UH, I WAS, AT THAT TIME A LABRA HOST LION, CONTINUED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UH, BACK THEN, I WROTE A COLUMN IN THE LAHABRA,
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UH, OR THE ORANGE COUNTY STAR PROGRESS.UH, I ALSO SERVED AS LA HARBOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT PERSONNEL COMMISSIONER.
UH, NOW I'M ON CITY COUNCIL, AND I'VE BEEN ENDORSED BY ALL MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AS WELL AS THE POLICE ASSOCIATION IN LA COUNTY FIRE.
AND I'D LIKE TO SAY WITH THAT BIOGRAPHY, THAT HAVING A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE AND TIME SPENT SERVING THE COMMUNITY, UH, ISN'T EVERYTHING, UH, BUT IT'S A GOOD START.
LET ME TAKE MY MASK OFF SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE ME.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY MY WHOLE LIFE, BUT I, WHAT I REALLY WANNA SAY IS I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF US THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH COVID THE LAST THREE YEARS.
WE'VE ALL FELT, UH, THE HIT OF COVID AND FINANCIALLY AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY.
I PERSONALLY LOST MY MOM RIGHT BEFORE THE, UM, VACCINES CAME OUT, WHICH PROMPTED ME TO HELP THE COMMUNITY GET VACCINATED.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY MY WHOLE LIFE.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED MY, PRETTY MUCH MY WHOLE LIFE THROUGH MY PARENTS.
MY PARENTS WERE VERY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I STARTED, UM, BEING MORE INVOLVED IN MY EARLY TWENTIES WITH THE HARBOR FIRE DEPARTMENT WHEN IT WAS HERE WITH PHIL, THE BOOT AND MUSCULAR TROPHY FEW WITH MY HUSBAND.
WE BOTH WENT THROUGH THE SCHOOLS HERE IN THE CITY.
UM, I'VE BEEN SERVING FOR THE CITY FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
I'VE BEEN, UH, CR THE CREATOR OF MANY PROGRAMS IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, CO-CREATOR OF LA LOVE, LAHABRA TAMALI FESTIVAL.
I HELPED WITH THE COLLABORATIVE, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ARE CREATED, THE ENTERPRISE TEAM.
WE DID A LOT OF BUSINESS STUFF.
SO I'M VERY WELL VERSED IN WHAT THE COMMUNITY, UM, NEEDS.
AND I AM A PLANNING COMMISSIONER.
I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION FOR SEVEN YEARS.
SO EVERYTHING THAT JAMES HAD JUST, UH, SUGGESTED THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN.
UH, THANK YOU TO THE WOMAN LEAGUE OF VOTERS FOR, UH, HOSTING THIS EVENT, UH, TO MY, UH, COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND THE CANDIDATES THAT ARE UP HERE AS WELL FOR, UH, COMING OUT AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS.
APPRECIATE YOUR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS.
COMMENTS, UH, AFTER, OF COURSE, MY NAME IS, UH, HOEM.
I CURRENTLY SERVE AS, UH, THE MAYOR OF LAHABRA.
I'VE BEEN IN THAT CAPACITY NOW FOR JUST UNDER A YEAR.
I'VE BEEN ON CITY COUNCIL ALMOST FOUR YEARS.
UM, I AM, UH, FORTUNATE ENOUGH, UH, TO HAVE RAISED, UH, THREE DAUGHTERS HERE IN LAHABRA OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 23 YEARS, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 23 YEARS.
AND, OF COURSE, MARRIED TO MY WIFE ALLY, WHO IS A, UH, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY.
UH, SHE'S A, UH, DEPUTY CHIEF HERE IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT.
UH, I ENJOY ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY.
I EN I ENJOY HAVING ENGAGED OUR COMMUNITY, UH, FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, A, UH, BIG COMMUNITY ADVOCATE, UH, HAVE, UH, COACHED GIRLS SOFTBALL AND GIRLS SOCCER HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WORKED MY WAY UP AND, UH, DECIDED TO RUN FOR OFFICE FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND OF COURSE, AS I ALWAYS TELL OUR RESIDENTS, YES, I AM LISTENING.
I'VE BEEN COMMITTED TO MAKING LOCAL GOVERNMENT EFFICIENT, RESPONSIVE, AND ACCOUNTABLE TO EVERYONE.
I CONTINUE TO MAKE PUBLIC SAFETY A PRIORITY THROUGH MY IN PERSON CRIME WATCH MEETINGS IN VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
I'LL TOUCH ON MY, UH, MY WORK EXPERIENCE.
I'VE BEEN A, UH, POLICE OFFICER AND NOW DETECTIVE FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
BEEN TO LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR A LITTLE OVER 27 YEARS, HAVE INVESTIGATED VARIOUS CRIMES, WELL VERSED IN PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES, UH, FROM JUVENILE CRIMES TO, UH, AUTO THEFT TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING, UH, THE, UH, THE SCOURGE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
UH, SO I, I UNDERSTAND A GREAT BIT OF, UH, OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, ALSO ENDORSED BY, UH, THE LA HARBOR POLICE ASSOCIATION BY THE ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF DON BARNES, UH, ORANGE COUNTY COPS ASSOCIATION OF LOS ANGELES, DEPUTY SHERIFFS AND VARIOUS TEACHERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE, UH, ALSO ENDORSED BY THE, UH, INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS.
LOCAL 10 14 ARE LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS.
WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LOOKING FORWARD IS, THANK YOU.
FOR OUR FIRST QUESTION, UH, IT GOES TO MRS. LAURA, WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT ACCEPTING OUTSIDE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE MONEY FROM ENTITIES OUTSIDE OF LAHABRA? AND HAS YOUR CAMPAIGN RECEIVED ANY OF THIS SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY IN THE FORM OF A DONATION OR INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE? CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT ACCEPTING OUTSIDE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE MONEY FROM ENTITIES OUTSIDE OF LA HARBOR MM-HMM.
AND WHAT HAS YOUR CAMPAIGN, HAS YOUR CAMPAIGN RECEIVED ANY OF THE SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY IN THE FORM OF A DONATION OR INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURE? OKAY.
SO, UM, VERY INTERESTING QUESTION.
SO AS A COMMUNITY IN LAHABRA, UM, WE, WE DO A LOT OF BUSINESS WITH OUTSIDE.
MY PARENTS AND I, FOR EXAMPLE, WE OWN INCOME PROPERTY SEPARATELY, BUT THEY HAVE INCOME PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF BELL.
I HAVE INCOME PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF SOUTHGATE.
THERE'S WE APARTMENTS TO BE EXACT.
SO THERE ARE ASSOCIATIONS THAT HELP SUPPORT AND PROVIDE
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SUPPORT FOR APARTMENT OWNERS OR HOMEOWNERS.SO YES, THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO SUPPORT AND HELP THAT ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY IN LAHABRA.
UM, I DID, SO YEAH, YOU STILL HAVE TIME.
AND, UH, SO YES, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FEEL ARE SUPPORTIVE TO, TO ANY CITY, WHICH ARE, UH, APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND WHATNOT.
I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY, AND I WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY MONEY FROM THE EXAMPLE, LIKE THE BUILDING INDUSTRY OR THOSE TYPE OF, UH, ORGANIZATIONS.
OKAY, MRS. PRITCHARD, THANK YOU.
UM, WE ARE THE MOST NORTHWEST CORNER CITY IN ORANGE COUNTY.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF ASSOCIATIONS WITHIN ORANGE COUNTY THAT WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR CITY.
SO ONE OF THOSE WOULD BE THE HOUSING INDUSTRY.
ONE OF THOSE WOULD BE THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATIONS.
I HAVE ACCEPTED MONIES FROM THOSE REALTY DEPARTMENTS AND FROM THE HOUSING, I WAS ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE, UH, DONATION FROM THE, UM, THE, UM, MOBILE HOME, UM, PACK, BECAUSE THEY EXPLAIN TO ME THAT THEY HAVE MONIES TO HELP PEOPLE, AND THEY WILL BE A, A LINK FOR ME TO TALK TO AND GET ADVICE TO, TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE, UM, RENT THAT THEY HAVE.
CUZ THEY OWN THEIR MOBILE HOMES, BUT THEY HAVE A RENTAL SPACE.
SO I DO, I DO HAVE, UM, THE MONIES FROM IT, AND I APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK OUTSIDE, UH, LOBBYISTS CAN BE A DANGERS TO GOOD GOVERNMENT LOCALLY.
UH, I HAVE ACCEPTED NO, WITH SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY, UNLESS YOU CONSIDER THE FACT THAT LAHABRA POLICE ASSOCIATION IS IN ITS OWN SENSE, A SPECIAL INTEREST, WHICH SUPPORTS ME AS DOES LA COUNTY FIRE 10 14.
UM, IN TERMS OF OUTSIDE DEVELOPERS, I WOULD NEVER ACCEPT MONEY FROM AN OUTSIDE DEVELOPER OR ANY ADVOCACY, ADVOCACY GROUP THAT INTENDS TO FOSTER GREATER BUILDING AND RAMPANT REDEVELOPMENT IN LA HARBOR, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW THAT IS OUT OF CONTROL BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE LOCAL CONTROL WE NEED.
SO ACCEPTING DONATIONS FROM RE DEVELOPERS OR THOSE FROM OUTSIDE LA HARBOR WITH NO CONNECTION TO THE WELFARE OF THIS CITY, AND NO INTEREST IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR PEOPLE, THAT'S MONEY I WON'T TAKE.
THAT'S MONEY I REJECT, AND WE ALL SHOULD.
I WORKED IN THE MARKETS FOR YEARS.
WE ALL ARE PART OF UNIONS THROUGH OUR WORK, AND WE NEED UNIONS TO HELP CREATE JOBS THAT ARE SUSTAINABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO I HAVE TAKEN MONEY FROM OUR UNION'S, LOCAL THREE, UM, U F C W, TEAMSTERS.
THOSE ARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, THOUGH.
I'M GONNA ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MY, UH, CURRENT COLLEAGUES ON CITY COUNCIL.
AND, UH, NO, I HAVE NOT TAKEN ANY SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY.
UM, I DO NOT BELIEVE IN TAKING ANY OF THE SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY BECAUSE THERE ARE ADVOCATES OUTSIDE OF LAHABRA WHO WISH TO DO LAHABRA HARM WITH THAT SPECIAL INTEREST MONEY.
UH, AND I, UH, I DO NOT BELIEVE IN IT.
UM, I HAVE A, I HAVE A SLOGAN, HELP ME FIGHT SPECIAL INTEREST.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, I PUT OUT ON MY, UH, DOOR HANGERS.
AND I FEEL FIRMLY THAT, UH, THAT NO, LET'S, UH, LET'S TRY TO KEEP IT CLOSER TO LAHABRA AND, UH, NOT ALLOW SPECIAL INTEREST TO INFLUENCE OUR DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE UP HERE ON THE DIAS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.
AND I THINK THAT'S PROOF OF WHAT OUR RESIDENTS, UH, EXPECT OF US AND HAVE EXPECTED OF ME FROM THE VERY BEGINNING FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY FOUND APPEALING IN ME, THAT, UH, I DO NOT BOW TO SPECIAL INTERESTS.
I HAVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF LAHABRA AND OUR RESIDENTS IN MIND, ALWAYS.
THIS QUESTION GOES TO MR. GOMEZ.
DO YOU SUPPORT GOVERNMENT IMPOSED PRICE CONTROLS ON HOUSING, LIKE RENT CONTROL AND EXCLUSIONARY ZONING? UH, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
I THINK THE, THE MARKET WILL SET WHAT THE GUIDELINES, UH, SHOULD BE.
I DO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, TO HAVE THAT MANDATED.
UM, I CAN'T GO AND DICTATE WHAT SOMEBODY'S GONNA CHARGE FOR RENT FOR THEIR FACILITY.
SOMEBODY THAT WORKED VERY HARD AND COUNTLESS HOURS, I CAN'T TELL THEM, UH, WHAT THEY SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT, UH, UH, CHARGE FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR PROPERTY.
UH, AGAIN, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF, OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND I THINK THAT SUMS IT UP.
I DO NOT SUPPORT RENT CONTROL.
I BELIEVE THAT PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO SET THE RATES THAT THEY THINK IS RIGHT AND CORRECT, AND THE MARKET WILL SERVE ITSELF.
BUT PART OF THE PROBLEM ALSO WITH RENT CONTROL IS THAT IT, IF YOU DO STOP THE ABILITY TO RAISE THE RENT ON THE PROPERTY, THEN YOU ALSO LEAVE OPEN THE CHANCE TO NOT HAVE THE PROPERTY BE CONTINUED TO BE FIXED UP TO LOOK NICE FOR THE RESIDENTS, ET CETERA.
I ALSO HAVE A PERSONAL REASON FOR IT.
MY NIECE HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT IN SANTA MONICA, AND IT WAS VERY HARD ON THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEY FINALLY HAD
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TO SELL THEIR UNITS BECAUSE THEY COULD NO LONGER AFFORD TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.SO I'M AGAINST THE RENT CONTROL I BELIEVE IN.
I BELIEVE THAT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UM, HAS MANY ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS.
AND I AM TOTALLY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND I BELIEVE THE UCI, UM, LIVABLE CITY, UH, STUDY RECENTLY WILL SUPPORT THAT.
I WOULD ANSWER THE RENT CONTROL ISSUE WITH THE QUESTION IS RENT CONTROL, RIGHT, FOR LAHABRA? AND THE ANSWER HERE AND SIMPLY IS THAT IT'S NOT, WHICH IS NOT TO SAY THAT IT MIGHT NOT WORK IN SANTA MONICA OR OTHER PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
LA HARBOR TYPICALLY DOESN'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH, UH, LANDLORDS GOUGING THEIR TENANTS MAKING RENTS ABOVE MARKET RATE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO RENT RELATIVELY AFFORDABLY.
AND THAT'S PARTIALLY A COMPONENT BECAUSE LAHA ITSELF IS A FAR MORE AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY THAN OTHER PORTIONS OF ORANGE COUNTY.
SO I WOULD SAY NO, IN LAHABRA, I WOULD SAY THAT EVERYTHING WE CAN DO WITHIN REASON TO FOSTER AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND THAT'S WHY THIS COUNCIL UNDERTOOK THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE, WHICH IS A GREAT PLAN THAT NOW SAYS THAT, UH, IN A PROJECT THAT'S GOT 10 OR MORE UNITS, 15% OF THOSE UNITS NEED TO BE AFFORDABLE.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S UNUSUAL FOR ACTUALLY ACTUAL CITIES.
NOT, NOT A LOT OF CITIES HAVE ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE OF THAT NATURE.
SO I'M PROUD OF OUR RECORD IN BEGINNING THE MISSION OF MAKING HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE IN LAHA.
UM, I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN MULTIFAMILY U UM, BUILDS AS, UM, I'M FOR RESPONSIBLE BUILDS.
WE ARE OVER, UM, 50%, WE'RE WELL OVER 50% IN RENTERS.
WE'VE BEEN RENTING FOR 23 YEARS.
WE TRIED TO GET INTO THE MARKET, BUT WE DIDN'T CATCH IT IN 2000.
AND, UM, OUR KIDS HAVE BEEN REALLY SICK FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WITH MEDICAL COSTS.
SO I AM A RENTER, BUT I HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MULTI-FAMILY USE, AND, UM, RENT CONTROL.
I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE A DISCUSSION.
SINCE WE'RE A RENTER COMMUNITY, WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE A SERIOUS DISCUSSION ON THAT.
WELL, I THINK AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS KEY HERE, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY A HOME NOWADAYS.
UM, DO I SUPPORT, UH, DO I SUPPORT RENT CONTROL? I DON'T THINK IT'S GOOD FOR LAHABRA.
UM, I DON'T THINK, UH, AS SIMILAR TO WHAT MY, UH, COLLEAGUE DARREN XER WAS, UH, WAS SAYING, I DON'T THINK THERE IS A, UH, RENT CONTROL ISSUE NOW, CAN THERE BE? SURE, THERE CAN.
WHAT I DO SUPPORT IS LOCAL CONTROL.
AND, UH, IF, UH, IF ANYBODY, UH, HAS, UH, READ UP, UH, MORE RECENTLY WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, THERE IS A LOCAL CONTROL, UH, UH, AMENDMENT TO THE CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION.
IT'S CALLED ACA SEVEN, THAT I DO SUPPORT TO HAVE THAT CONTROL HERE LOCALLY AND OF COURSE, CONSIDER AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
MY COLLEAGUE DARREN ER MENTIONED THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE.
I SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A SOLUTION AND WE CONTINUE, UH, UH, TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION AS A, UH, CITY COUNCIL.
SO CAN REPEAT THE QUESTION FOR ME TO SEE? YES.
DO YOU SUPPORT GOVERNMENT IMPOSED PRICE CONTROLS ON HOUSING, LIKE RENT CONTROL AND INCLUSIONARY ZONING? OKAY.
I DO NOT SUPPORT RENT CONTROL.
AND REGARDING THE, MY PARENTS, I HAVE FAMILY THAT'S IN REAL ESTATE, AND I KNOW THAT AS A PRIMARY OWNER, HOMEOWNER, YOU, THAT'S YOUR BIGGEST INVESTMENT.
AND YOU LOOK FORWARD TO THE APPRECIATION ON A HOME AS A BUYER.
AND I, I, I'VE REVEALED IN ARIZONA.
SO THIS NEXT QUESTION WE START WITH MRS. PRITCHARD, WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON EITHER A NEW SALES TAX OR RENEWING THE EXISTING SALES TAX? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I HEARD FROM CITY COUNCIL THAT, UM, BANKRUPTCY, BANKRUPTCY ONGOING.
SO BASED ON THAT, IF WE'RE DOING JUST FINE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR PEOPLE GET A BREAK.
UM, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE SAYING THAT WE HAVE AN 8.2%.
WELL, AS A, A DOG OWNER OF PORTAL REGION, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT WHEN I BUY A BOX OF BISCUITS, IT'S NOW 50% HIGHER.
IF I GO TO THE STORE TO BUY MILK, IT IS NOW 42% HIGHER IN CERTAIN PLACES.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY GIVE 8.2% INFLATION ARE, PEOPLE ARE GOING INTO THE STORES AND COMING BACK OUT WITH LESS AFTER PAYING MORE.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT DROP THE TAXES, LOWER THE TAXES.
I WOULD NOT WANT TO RENEW THAT TAX.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE JUST GOT OUR REAL ESTATE TAX BILL TODAY, SO THANK YOU.
OKAY, MR. ARIAN, EVERY CITY IN THIS COUNTY DEPENDS ON SOME FORM OF LOCAL SUSTAINABLE, RELIABLE FUNDING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SERVICES,
[00:25:01]
MAINTAIN INFRASTRUCTURE, AND DO WHAT THE CITIZENS EXPECT OF IT.UH, YES, WE'VE GOT A TRANSACTIONAL SALES TAX.
IT BRINGS IN A LITTLE OVER $7 MILLION A YEAR.
NOW, THE PEOPLE HAVE A CERTAIN EXPECTATION WITH REGARD TO THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC SAFETY, THE QUALITY OF THEIR ROADS, THE QUALITY OF COMMUNITY SERVICES.
IF, UH, CANDIDATE PRITCHARD IS SUGGESTING WE LET THAT MONEY GO AWAY, 7 MILLION, I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO KNOW HOW SHE WOULD INTEND TO PAY THE SALARIES OR THE POLICE OFFICERS, OR THAT MONEY PROVIDES FOR REPAVE THE STREETS AS WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS.
NOBODY'S TALKING ABOUT AN INCREASE.
WE'RE TALKING DOWN THE ROAD IN SIX YEARS WHEN THAT SUNSET'S MAINTAINING THE LEVEL OF SERVICE AND SUPPORT WE'RE NOW PROVIDING FOR THOSE SERVICES.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE RECKLESS TO SUGGEST THAT WE CAN ABSORB A $7 MILLION HIT, WHICH HAS GOT NO BEARING ON OUR CONDITION.
WE ARE DOING FINE, BUT THAT'S LARGELY BECAUSE WE'VE GOT OUR DUCKS IN A ROW AND WE'VE GOT THAT TRANSACTIONAL SALES TAX.
THANK YOU, MRS. BENET, THAT, UH, TAX ISN'T EXPIRE FOR ANOTHER, WHAT, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
SO I THINK WE NE NEED TO SEE HOW WELL IT'S DOING.
AND I BELIEVE, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD KEEP IT LONG AS IT'S DOING WELL FOR US, AND WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT.
WE CAN REVISIT THAT AT THAT TIME, BUT WE CAN'T SEE INTO THE FUTURE RIGHT NOW.
SO LET'S HAVE THAT CONVERSATION CLOSER TO THAT TIME.
AND IT'S WORKING TO HELP US BALANCE WHAT WE NEED.
SO I WOULD SAY TO KEEP IT THANK YOU, MR. MADRANO.
WELL, I THINK THE QUESTION GOES OUT TO THE VOTERS OF THE CITY OF LAHABRA.
DO THEY WANNA KEEP THE TAX? UH, THE, UH, AND THAT'S MEASURE T WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, OVER $7 MILLION A YEAR IN INCOME, UH, WHICH GETS COUPLED IN WITH OUR GENERAL FUND THAT WAS VOTED IN BY THE CITY OF LAHABRA VOTERS IN THE YEAR 2008.
MATTER OF FACT, ONE OF OUR FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD VOTED ON THAT AND WORKED ON THAT INITIATIVE, ONE OF OUR MORE RECENT FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, THAT BEING SAID, I, I TOO WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHERE ARE WE GONNA COME UP WITH $7 MILLION TO PAY FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, TO PAY FOR THE SALARIES OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO PAY, PAY FOR THE SALARIES OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS TO PAY FOR THE SALARIES OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS.
UH, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CUT SOMEWHERE IF YOU EVER PLAN ON LETTING THAT, UH, TAX MEASURE GO.
SO MY ANSWER TO YOU IS IT'S UP TO THE VOTERS OF LAHABRA ONCE AGAIN TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
UM, QUICK REMINDER TO PRESS THE BUTTONS ON YOUR MICROPHONE BEFORE YOU ANSWER TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE ALL HEARD.
OKAY, MRS. LAURA? UM, WELL, I, I AGREE WITH DR.
P HERE BECAUSE, UH, TAXES ARE HIGH, EVERYTHING IS HIGH, INFLATION IS HIGH, GAS IS HIGH, AND IT'S STILL A WHILE BEFORE ALL OF US OWN AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND HAVE A STATION TO PROVIDE, UH, POWER FOR IT.
SO I WOULD APPRECIATE A TAX RELIEF AS A, AS A RESIDENT OF LAHABRA.
UH, BEAUTIFULLY SAID BY MY COLLEAGUES DARREN ER AND OUR MAYOR, UH, JOSE MADRANO, 7 MILLION TO CUT THAT AWAY, UH, DOWN THE ROAD FROM HOW THAT IS A HUGE, HUGE HU CUT AND A HUGE HIT TO, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THE REASON WHY WE HAVE A DOUBLE A PLUS RATING, A PORTION OF THAT IS BECAUSE THE $7 MILLION THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE BEST FIRE SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A GREATEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, TO CONTINUE THE SALES TAX, I WOULD DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THAT.
VOTERS, UH, WILL GO TO THE VOTERS AND LET THEM ULTIMATELY DECIDE, UH, IF WE LOSE THAT, UH, $7 MILLION IN TAX AS A COMMUNITY AND AS A CITY COUNCIL, WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE SOME VERY, VERY TOUGH DECISIONS.
WE WON'T GO BANKRUPT, BUT IT WILL NOT BE THE SAME CITY AS WE ARE TODAY.
THIS NEXT, NEXT QUESTION WE START WITH MR. ERIAN, WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN LAHABRA? SAY, FOR TWO WEEKS, YOU WOULD BE SPEAKING ABOUT AIRBNBS.
AND THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THAT KIND OF SHORT TERM RENTAL AIRBNBS IS THAT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, WE HAD A GRAND TOTAL OF ABOUT SIX, MAYBE SEVEN OF THESE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT A RESORT DESTINATION, WE'RE NOT LIKE BUENA PARK, WHERE YOU GOT, UH, NOTS VERY FARM OR ANAHEIM WITH DISNEYLAND, OF COURSE.
SO THAT'S WHY THERE WERE SO FEW IN OUR CITY OF 62,000 PEOPLE AND 28,000 HOUSEHOLDS, SIX OR SEVEN.
THEN WE BEGAN EXPERIENCING SOME SERIOUS ISSUES WITH SOME OF THESE AIRBNBS, WHERE THE OWNERS WERE NOT PRESENT, NOT OVERSEEING THE WAY THESE PROPERTIES WERE BEING USED.
POLICE WERE CALLED REPEATEDLY TO THESE HOUSES FOR THESE DRUNKEN PARTIES WHERE THERE WAS TRASH ALL OVER EVERYWHERE, LOUD MUSIC UNTIL THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
AND SO WE DID THE MATH, THE CITY COUNCIL, AND WE SAID, YOU KNOW, OKAY, WE'VE GOT FIVE OR SIX, THREE OF THEM ARE ARE TERRIBLE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON QUALITY OF LIVING.
SO WE SAID, NO MORE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
NOW, WOULD THAT BE WELL ADVISED IF WE WERE IN A RESORT DESTINATION? PROBABLY NOT.
BUT IN LA HARBOR, THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION.
I WAS ON THAT PROJECT, UM, FOR, UH, THE AIRBNBS.
WE LOOKED AT ALL THE PAPERWORK, EVERYTHING WE COULD, UM, ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
[00:30:01]
FIND A REASON TO KEEP IT.JUST LIKE DARREN SAID, THAT WE ARE, WE DON'T HAVE DISNEYLAND NEAR US.
BUT LIKE HE MENTIONED, THERE WAS ONLY SIX HOMES THAT WERE RENTED OUT FOR AIRBNBS.
AND THERE'S THIS ONE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS ACTUALLY CLOSE TO ME THAT THEY HAD PARTIES ALL NIGHT LONG THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.
YOU CAN HEAR THEM CLOSE TO IMPERIAL BEACH.
I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOOD FOR US.
WE DON'T NEED IT, AND IT WASN'T NEEDED BEFORE.
CAN YOU, UH, UH, REPEAT THAT QUESTION PLEASE? YES.
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON SHORT TERM RENTALS IN LAHABRA, SAY, FOR TWO WEEKS? WELL, IT'S WELL DOCUMENTED THAT, UH, THAT I VOTED AGAINST SHORT TERM RENTALS.
AND, UH, THERE'S A SPECIFIC REASON, AND I'LL TELL YOU THIS.
IT, UH, IT BREAKS AT THE, UH, FABRIC OF OUR, OF OUR, UH, OF OUR SOCIAL, OF OUR SOCIAL FABRIC HERE IN LAHABRA.
UH, ONE BEING IS THAT, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT IT.
UH, COUNCILMAN EXER HAD, HAD TOUCHED ON IT, SPECIFICALLY A CERTAIN AREA HERE IN TOWN, ACTUALLY, WHERE WE HAD THESE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UH, IT WAS, UH, IT WAS AN EYESORE.
AND, UH, WE WERE CONSTANTLY GETTING CALLS FOR SERVICE FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS.
I KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW TO DEAL WITH THOSE ISSUES BECAUSE I AM IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND I WILL GIVE YOU AN ILLUSTRATION AS TO WHAT ACTUALLY SENT ME OVER AND CONVINCED ME THAT THAT IS NOT, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE NEED HERE IN LAHABRA.
A VIDEO, A RESIDENT OF THIS AREA THAT WAS AFFECTED A VIDEO OF A FEMALE WHO, UH, WAS HIKING UP HER SKIRT AND PEE OUT ON THE STREET, UH, UH, AS A RESULT OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, BECAUSE THERE WERE PARTIES THERE ALL THE TIME.
SO IT WAS A NUISANCE AND NOT GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I, YOU KNOW, LET ME ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
WELL, I GET B, VRBO, AIRBNB, AND WHEN THERE ARE SITUATIONS WHERE THEY, THEY HAVE RULES AND REGULATIONS, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE AS A PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH MY PROPERTY AS I WISH.
I DON'T FEEL THAT I NEED CONTROLS FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO WITH MY PROPERTY.
NOW, IN THIS CASE, BEING THAT THERE WAS SIX OR SEVEN OR EIGHT PROPERTIES IN THE WHOLE CITY OF LAHABRA TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS SOUNDS A LITTLE RIDICULOUS.
THEY, AIRBNB COULD HAVE CONTACTED VR, THEY CAN PERMANENTLY REMOVE THESE HOMES FROM THEIR, THEIR SYSTEM, AND THEY WON'T, IF THAT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN, IF THERE ARE PROBLEM IN THAT SITUATION.
SO I JUST DON'T AGREE IN CONTROLLING PEOPLE.
I DON'T AGREE THAT IT'S, IF THERE, IT'S THEIR HARDWORK MONEY, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE, THE COMMUNITY THAT WORKS HARD FOR THEIR MONEY AND CHOOSES TO, TO RENT THEIR HOME.
I, I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM, PROBLEM WITH IT.
MY, MY SISTER, AS A MATTER OF FACT, SHE RENTED TO A, UH, GYM COMPANY IN CHINA BECAUSE THEY WERE COMING TO DISNEYLAND AND EVERYTHING.
DISNEYLAND WAS REALLY EXPENSIVE.
UM, CAN I ASK YOU TO SPEAK INTO YOUR MICROPHONE TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY CAN HEAR YOU? THANK YOU.
THAT'S FOR EVERYBODY, BY THE WAY.
VERY ELOQUENTLY SAID BY MY COLLEAGUES AT DARREN AND JOSE.
UH, AS WELL, UH, OUR COMMUNITY OUT CRIED AND CAME OUT AND SAID, WE ARE AGAINST THESE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
THE, THE, THE, THE TROUBLE THAT WAS CAUSING THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT WAS CAUSING ABSOLUTE HAVOC, ILLEGAL DRUG USE, UH, PEOPLE URINATING TRASH, DRINKING.
THE AROMA OF MARIJUANA JUST, UH, PLUMMETED THE AREA THERE.
UH, OUR COMMUNITY SOUNDED OFF, AND THIS COUNCIL REACTED, IT'S TOO MUCH TIME THAT WE GIVE TOO MUCH RIGHT TO THE, UH, CRIMINALS INSTEAD OF THE VICTIMS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO, ABSOLUTELY, OUR COUNCIL, UH, WORKED VERY HARD AND PUT AN END TO THAT.
AND I AM ABSOLUTELY AGAINST THOSE SHORT TERM RENTALS, UH, UNLESS YOU CAN COME UP WITH A BETTER ARGUMENT AND COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
RIGHT NOW, THE WAY I SEE IT, THESE PROPERTY OWNERS WERE NOT BEING RESPONSIBLE, UH, FOR THEIR HOMES.
I WON'T SPEAK OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF MY MOUTH.
I BELIEVE THAT OUR CITY SHOULD NOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE STATE.
I BELIEVE THAT OUR CITIZENS SHOULD NOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE CITY GOVERNMENT ON WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THEIR PROPERTY.
THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW THAT IF I HAVE TO, UH, GO TO PLANNING TO GET A PERMIT TO BUILD SOMETHING, I HAVE TO GO IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
HOW MANY TIMES DID ANYONE ON THE CITY COUNCIL ACTUALLY APPROACH THE STAFF AND HAVE INFORMATION OR APPROACH THE POLICE AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY REALLY COULD DO? DID YOU TALK TO THE HOMEOWNERS? I KNOW THAT AIRBNB HAS, ITS VERY STRICT, UM, GUIDELINES, AND THEY DO FOLLOW THOSE COMPLETELY, AND THEY WILL KICK PEOPLE OUT.
BUT I THINK IT'S RATHER HYPOCRITICAL.
I DON'T WANT THE CITY TO BE BOSSED BY THE STATE, BUT I WILL BOSS MY STUDENT, MY, MY, UH, MY CITIZENS IN THIS, IN THIS, UH, CITY AND TELL THEM WHAT THEY CAN DO AT THEIR PROPERTY.
YOU, YOU'RE TELLING ME TWO THINGS OUTTA THE SIDE OF YOUR MOUTH, AND I DON'T AGREE.
THIS NEXT QUESTION IS FOR MRS. BENET.
WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION IN LAHABRA AND HOW THESE DEVELOPMENTS IMPACT HIGH
[00:35:01]
RESIDENTIAL DENSITY? UM, I'M GONNA MAKE A COMMENT TO THE, THE AIRBNBS.WE DID REACH OUT TO THE OWNERS.
WE DID REACH OUT TO ERIN B WE TALKED TO THE POLICE.
THE POLICE TALKED TO THESE PROGRAMS. THERE WAS NO ANSWER, AND IT WENT ON FOR MONTHS, LONGER THAN SIX MONTHS, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS. THAT BEING SAID, UM, SAY THE QUESTION AGAIN.
WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION IN LAHABRA AND HOW THESE DEVELOPMENTS IMPACT HIGH RESIDENTIAL DENSITY? SO ACTUALLY, UM, WE NEED RESPONSIBLE BUILDS, AND YOU CAN SEE MY ANSWERS FULLY ON THAT, ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE CITY WEBSITE FOR THE LAST BIG PROJECT WE HAD LAST YEAR.
SO, UM, BUT NO, WE, WE NEED RESPONSIBLE BUILDS.
THERE NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE AGREEMENT, THERE NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE, UM, CAPS ON THESE HOMES.
THEY DON'T NEED TO BE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS WITH NO CAP.
CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION AGAIN PLEASE? WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION IN LAHABRA AND HOW THESE DEVELOPMENTS IMPACT HIGH RESIDENTIAL DENSITY? WELL, THE THING ABOUT, UH, HIGH RESIDENTIAL DENSITY IS THAT, UH, PEOPLE MAY NOT REALIZE, AND I KNOW FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE IS THAT IT'S A TAX ON CALLS FOR SERVICE, EXCUSE ME, A TAX, IT'S TAXING ON CALLS FOR SERVICE.
UH, I WILL TELL YOU WHAT, UH, FOR THE, UH, FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO TELL US AS A CITY ENTITY, WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT BUILD, I THINK IS ABSURD.
UH, ASSEMBLY BILL NINE, UH, PASSED A FEW YEARS AGO.
I THINK, IF ANYTHING, AGAIN, I WILL REITERATE MY SUPPORT FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION ACA SEVEN.
UM, I DO SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND I DO SUPPORT LOOKING AT THAT.
WE HAVE DONE THOSE THINGS HERE ON CITY COUNCIL.
UH, BUT, UH, AS FAR AS THAT, AND, UH, AND, UH, STATE GOVERNMENT TELLING US WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T BUILD AND, AND HOW FAR WE CAN GO, I THINK, UH, I THINK THAT THAT DOES NOT WORK FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND, UH, AND I, I STAND BEHIND THAT.
WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION IN THE HARBOR AND HOW THESE DEVELOPMENTS IMPACT HIGH RESIDENTIAL DENSITY? UM, WELL, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NEW DEVELOPMENTS, UM, SIMPLY HERE ON EUCLID.
THERE'S SOME NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND, UM, I MEAN, THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL TO THE CITY.
SO I I, WHEN NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE DONE, EVEN SMALL DEVELOPMENTS, THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH BEHIND IT.
SO I'M SURE THAT WHEN ANY OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS, THE, THE HIGH DENSITY, EVERYTHING WILL BE LOOKED AT IN REGARDS TO TRAFFIC CONTROL, AND THERE'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL, A COMPLETE FULL ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
SO I, UM, MY VIEW IS, LET'S SEE, LET'S SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WHAT CAN BE DONE, AND, AND REALLY LOOK AT THAT.
I JUST WANNA SAY THAT EVERY DECISION THIS LAVA CITY COUNCIL MAKES, WE TAKE IT VERY SERIOUS.
WE TALKED TO THE HOMEOWNERS, WE TALKED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND WE MADE EVERY EFFORT TO TRY TO MAKE THIS WORK FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS, BUT THEY WERE BEING IRRESPONSIBLE HOMEOWNERS.
AND AT SOME POINT, WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE RESIDENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY, UH, RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THAT'S WHAT ALL COMES DOWN TO.
I CAN'T SAY, UH, ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE PROJECT, BE RESPONSIBLE TO IT, SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, MITIGATE THE TRAFFIC SITUATION, UM, SEE IF IT'S A RESPONSIBLE BUILD FOR THAT AREA.
SO MANY TIMES UNDER THE CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE, IT TAKES A HAND OUT OF LOCAL, UH, CONTROL.
WE RECENTLY APPROVED A, A PROJECT ON MONTE VISTA STREET, AND BASICALLY IT WAS TAKEN OUT OF OUR HANDS, AND CLEARLY THEY NEEDED MORE PARKING IN THAT AREA, LESS DENSITY, AND IT TOOK IT OUT OF OUR HANDS BECAUSE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
AND CLEARLY, UH, IT WAS GONNA BE PROBLEMATIC OVER THERE.
SO YOU REALLY GOTTA LOOK AT EVERY, EVERY PROJECT ON A ONE-ON-ONE BASIS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING RESPONSIBLE.
I'M NOT GONNA HAVE YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION.
UM, I LOVE THE FACT THAT MY HUSBAND AND I WERE VERY NERVOUS WHEN WE HEARD THAT WAS GONNA BE THE SWAP OF THE CITY HALL AND THE, AND THE CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN WHEN WE SAW IT, HOW BEAUTIFULLY THEY INCORPORATED THE GENRE OF OUR CITY.
AND I THINK THEY DID A GREAT JOB.
NOW, THAT BEING SAID, I THINK ALSO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER WAYS OF INCREASING THE DENSITY.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE WAYS THAT SOME OF OUR HOMEOWNERS ARE LOOKING AT IT IS TO GET AUXILIARY DWELLING UNITS.
AND THIS CITAS THEIR, WHAT'S CALLED MOTHER-IN-LAW HOMES.
WE'VE LIVED WITH ONE NEXT DOOR TO US FOR 37 YEARS.
IT WAS BUILT TWO YEARS AFTER WE MOVED IN.
IT COULD BE EXPENSIVE DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH THEY WANT TO DO THE, THE SPECIAL STUFF.
BUT THE RENTAL LAST, UH, TWO YEARS AGO WAS FOUND TO BE 1,050 FOR A SINGLE AND APPROXIMATELY 1375 FOR A TWO TO THREE BEDROOM.
SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT WAY TO DO THE, UM, DENSITY INCREASE.
[00:40:01]
ALLOWED FOR A LONG TIME.UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF SERVING ON COUNCIL IS THAT YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND THE NUANCE AND COMPLEXITY WITH THESE ISSUES.
CALIFORNIA STATE IS REQUIRING US TO BUILD 803 HOUSES WITHIN EIGHT YEARS.
THAT'S CALLED REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ASSESSMENT NUMBERS.
IF WE DON'T, THEY COULD PUNISH US BY EITHER SUING US OR BY TAKING AWAY STATE MONEY.
SO THEY REQUIRE EVERY STATE TO MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO BUILD THOSE HOMES.
AND I AGREE, THE NUMBER IS ARBITRARY.
I MEAN, IT IS COOKIE CUTTER, ONE SIZE FITS ALL, WHICH IS WHY ME AND THE MAYOR AND THE MAYOR PRO TOWN, WERE PUSHING BACK AGAINST THESE, THESE ATTACKS ON LOCAL CONTROL, BECAUSE WE WANNA BE ABLE TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHERE THESE DEVELOPMENTS ARE BUILT, WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE IMPACTS ARE MITIGATED.
AND, UH, WHEN CANDIDATE'S CORRECT, THERE ARE TRAFFIC STUDIES OBVIOUSLY INITIATED ONE PROJECT WAS VOTED AGAINST BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T MITIGATE THE TRAFFIC IMPACTS.
DENSITY BONUSES ARE ALLOWED BY STATE LAW.
THIS IS WHERE IT'S HARD FOR A COUNCIL, AND THESE ARE THE GRAY AREAS.
YOU HAVE TO PICK AND CHOOSE YOUR PROJECTS CAREFULLY.
TRY NOT TO GET THE CITY SUED AND STILL TRY TO MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT.
OKAY, THIS NEXT QUESTION WE START WITH MR. MADRANO, GIVE ONE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF A CONCRETE ACTION THAT YOU WOULD TAKE IF ELECTED OR REELECTED TO SUPPORT BUSINESS IN LAHABRA.
WELL, THAT ONE FOR ME IS, UH, IS PRETTY SIMPLE.
I DO IT NOW AND I CONTINUE TO DO IT.
IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA EVERY WEEK, I DO A BUSINESS OF THE WEEK, AND I HAVE DONE THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW, PRE, WELL, ACTUALLY AS A PANDEMIC STARTED AND LATE LAST YEAR, I STARTED THAT.
WHAT THAT IS, IS HIGHLIGHTING THESE BUSINESSES AND MAKING SURE THAT, UH, THESE BUSINESSES ARE ABLE TO, UH, GET SOME NOTORIETY THROUGH MY SOCIAL MEDIA, THROUGH MY SOCIAL MEDIA, ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.
I HAVE ALMOST 9,000 FOLLOWERS, AND OF COURSE, I GET A LOT OUTSIDE OF THE CITY AS WELL.
SOCIAL MEDIA, AS WE KNOW, IS A GREAT AVENUE TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR BUSINESSES, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT, AND I WILL TELL PEOPLE TUNE IN THIS SATURDAY, BECAUSE I WILL POST MY NEXT BUSINESS OF THE WEEK.
UM, SO I, MY PARENTS HAVE HAD A BUSINESS.
WE, I GREW UP IN A BUSINESS AND THE MOST, OH, SORRY.
MY PARENTS HAD A BUSINESS FOR 38 YEARS, AND NOT IN THIS CITY, BUT, UM, NOW MY SISTER, WE'RE WE ALL, WE ALL ARE IN THIS CITY.
AND I, I WOULD START BY, BY ASKING FOR THE NEEDS.
EVERY BUSINESS HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS.
AND THAT'S WHERE I WOULD START.
I WOULD START BY CONNECTING WITH THE BUSINESSES, ASKING THEM WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, AND, UM, HELPING, HELPING THEM IN ANY WAY I CAN.
I WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT I DO.
I, UH, I GO, AS I SAY, COAST TO COAST, SHORE SHORE, WHATEVER I HAVE TO DO TO GO TO THE CITIES IF I HAVE TO, TO PROMOTE LAHABRA.
I, UH, ON MY OWN DIME HAVE GONE TO THE SHOPPING CENTER CONFERENCE OUT IN, UH, LAS VEGAS.
AS OF THAT, I WAS ABLE TO BRING OUR SECOND IN AND OUT BURGER, UH, WORKING WITH GREG JONES ON THAT, I STARTED A LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN, UH, TO BRING TRADER JOE'S TO LAHABRA.
I'M ACTIVE AS OUR MAYOR IS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PROMOTING OUR, OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
UH, YOU KNOW, I DO GO TO THE LORO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND THROUGH OUR INTERACTION WITH, UH, A BUSINESS LEADER THERE WHO WAS LOOKING FOR ANOTHER PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, I WAS ABLE TO BRING RICH TRUJILLO TO LAJA, TAKE A LOOK AT LAHABRA.
UH, SO I WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT I CAN TO BRING THE BEST OF THE BEST, UH, TO LAHABRA.
UH, AND I'M HONORED, UH, TO HAVE RECEIVED THE, UH, CITIZEN OF THE YEAR, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF MY HARD WORK WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN LAHABRA IS THE HARBOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I'M PRETTY SURE I'M CORRECT ON THAT ONE.
AND THE HARBOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT USES LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND I WOULD CONTINUE TO DO THAT BECAUSE AS A BOARD MEMBER, A TRUSTEE ON THE LAW DISTRICT, I ALWAYS AM LISTENING TO AND WANTING TO SUPPORT THE, THE, THE BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT OUR DISTRICTS.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, I HAVE BEEN HONORED TO BE SUPPORTED BY SO MANY BUSINESSES WHEN I HAD SUCH AMAZING TEAMS. THE WATER GUARDIANS, THE TREE TITANS, THE WIND WOLVES, THE CYBER, JUST UNBELIEVABLE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE.
SO WE HAVE A HUGE, UM, EMPLOYER THAT WORKS WITH OUR CITY AND FINDS RESULTS WITH OUR CITY, AND I WOULD CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
A CANDIDATE LAURA SUGGESTED THAT WE FIND OUT WHAT IT IS THAT BUSINESSES NEED.
WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT BUSINESSES NEED.
THEY NEED IN ORDER TO BE RETAINED, IN ORDER TO BE ATTRACTED TO LAJA.
THEY NEED A SMOOTH PROCESS FOR GETTING THEIR BUSINESS STARTED IN LAJA AND NO UNDUE REGULATION.
ONCE THEY'RE HERE, THEY WANT A EASY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY, AND THE CITY NEEDS TO DO, AND IS DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO FOSTER A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THAT INTERFACE BETWEEN BUSINESSES AND THE CITY.
WHAT WOULD REALLY HELP A LOT, WE'VE GOT THIS GREAT BLANK TABLETS, THEORETICALLY DOWN IN
[00:45:01]
DOWNTOWN LA HARBOR RIGHT HERE.AND THERE ARE SPECIFIC PLAN WE NEED, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THIS NOW BY HIRING AN ADVISOR.
IF WE COULD REVITALIZE LA HARBOR BOULEVARD AND FIND A WAY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TO THIS, TO OPEN THAT UP TO A DOWNTOWN FRIENDLY MIXED USE SORT OF SITUATION WITH NEW BUSINESS, NEW RETAIL, THAT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESSES TO, TO COME IN AND LOCATE IN THE HARBOR.
UM, I WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE HARBOR BUSINESS CONNECTION.
I WAS A PART OF IT FOR FIVE YEARS.
I BROUGHT SEVERAL PROGRAMS TO THE BUSINESS CONNECTION BEING THE PRESIDENT, FLAG RAISING PROGRAMS, ART PROGRAMS, YOU NAME IT.
I WAS THE CREATOR OF THE ENTERPRISE TEAM WITH THE LAHABRA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, HELPING BUSINESS CONNECT WITH OTHER BUSINESSES TO HELP.
I ALSO CREATED THE LAHABRA ART WALK, WHICH HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES, ARTISTS ALIKE.
AND WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS CONCENTRATE ON THE SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE ARTISTS, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE OUT OF YOUR HOME IN YOUR GARAGE, SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE ONLINE, THAT'S WHERE REALLY WHERE WE'RE GONNA HIT THIS NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND I'VE ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON IT THE PAST 10 YEARS.
SO, SO THAT WE CAN END IN A TIMELY MANNER.
UM, THIS THIS GOES TO MRS. LAURA.
FIRST, WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS FOR LAHABRA? WELL, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IN JANUARY, THERE WAS A, A BOND FOR 72 MILLION.
NOW, BASED ON THE, THE ADVICE AND THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE, UM, IT'S NOT RECOMMENDED.
UH, PENSION OBLIGATION BONDS ARE NOT RECOMMENDED BY THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE ASSOCIATION.
AND, UM, SO I WOULD LOOK FURTHER INTO THAT AND WHERE IT IS STANDS NOW.
SO I JUST DON'T BELIEVE IN, IN BURDENING FUTURE GENERATIONS WITH A, WITH DEBT.
AND SO WE WOULD NEED TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE HOW LONG THE BONDS ARE AND WHAT THE, THE COST IS GONNA BE.
AND NOT ONLY TAKING INTO AN ACCOUNT PREVIOUS DEBT, BUT DEBT THAT IS BEING ACCRUED RIGHT NOW WITH OUR, UM, WITH CURRENT EMPLOYEES.
IF WE DID NOTHING, WE WOULD GO BANKRUPT.
I COMMEND OUR CITY COUNCIL FOR TAKING THE ACTION OF, OF WHAT WE DID TO, TO SUPPORT THE PENSION BOND.
UH, WE HAVE BY FAR, ONE OF THE BEST AWARD WINNING, UH, FINANCE DIRECTORS AROUND IN ANY PART OF ORANGE COUNTY'S AWARD-WINNING RECOGNIZED, MEL SHANNON RECOMMENDED IT.
OUR, UM, CITY MANAGERS, A FORMER, UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, HE, UH, RESEARCHED IT TREMENDOUSLY.
I MET WITH SOME OF THE TOP FINANCIAL, UH, EXPERTS AROUND THERE, AND THEY ALL SAID IT WAS GOOD, GOOD, GOOD BUSINESS, UH, PHYSICAL RESPONSIBILITY.
AND I AM PROUD OF THE ACTION MY COLLEAGUES AND I TOOK ON THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO DO THIS, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS A BRIGHT FUTURE, AND THAT THOSE, UH, THAT THESE WON'T GO BELLY UP AND WE WILL NOT PROVIDE TO OUR RETIREES.
WHAT WE DID IS WE SOLD OUR DEBT TO BONDHOLDERS, AND WE ARE NOW PAYING AN INTEREST TO THOSE BOND HOLDERS.
HOWEVER, THAT MONEY THAT WE SOLD TO THE BOND HOLDER, THEY GAVE THAT, WE PUT THAT MONEY TO PERS CAL PERS RIGHT NOW, CAL PERS IS FUNDING THEIR OBLIGATION AND 72 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR.
SO THEY CANNOT FUND 28%, 28%, THEY'RE DOWN 28%.
BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THE AMOUNT THAT THE, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS SAID WE'VE SAVED BY, BY TRANSFERRING IT FROM TO LOWER DEBT? WHEN I LO LISTEN AND WATCH THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THEY SAID THEY WERE GONNA TAKE 50% TO PUT ASIDE AND THE 50% PAY THE BILL.
YOU, YOU WERE, I TURNED IT BACK ON.
SO THEY TOOK THE MONEY AND SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE PAYING DOWN THE DEBT, BUT ARE THEY PAYING EVERY AMOUNT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PAYING FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES EACH YEAR? THANK YOU.
OKAY, MR. ERIAN, THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE ABOUT THE PENSION REFORM OBLIGATION BOND ISSUE.
THE FACT IS, THE $72 MILLION ISN'T A NEW DEBT, A NEW OBLIGATION.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS OWED.
WE WERE PAYING CALPERS 7% TO FINANCE THAT DEBT.
NOW, WITH THE PENSION OBLIGATION REFORM BONDS, WE'RE PAYING 3%.
SO FOLKS IN LAW HARBOR, WE WILL SAVE 20 MILLION OR $1 MILLION A YEAR OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
ALREADY, THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE SAVED 2.6 MILLION.
NOW, OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE THIS, BUT UNLIKE LAHABRA, THEY TAKE THAT SAVINGS OF A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS AND THEY PUT IT INTO SALARIES.
WE'RE TAKING HALF OF THAT MONEY AND PUTTING IT INTO A RAINY DAY FUND, WHICH WE'RE SAVING.
SO IN THE EVENT THAT CALPERS DOES EXPERIENCE SOME DIFFICULTY DOWN THE ROAD, AND THEY TRY TO CHANGE THE EQUATION, TRY TO ALTER THE FORMULA, ASK US FOR MORE MONEY, WE'LL HAVE THE MONEY.
NOW IS IS THERE A RISK IN ANY KIND OF BOND ISSUE?
[00:50:01]
YEAH, THERE'S A RISK CROSSING THE STREET, BUT YOU DO WHAT'S PRUDENT AND YOU DO WHAT'S RIGHT TO SAVE THE CITY FROM ULTIMATE BANKRUPTCY, AND THIS WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.THAT WILL SAVE US $20 MILLION IN THAT 20 YEAR PERIOD.
THIS IS DEFINITELY A HOT TOPIC, UH, UM, SITUATION.
IT WAS BROUGHT UP LAST WEEK, AND I THINK IT WAS JUST A CO STIR TROUBLE.
UM, I WASN'T EXCITED ABOUT THE, THE, THE PROSPECT OF A BOND, BUT I UNDERSTAND IT.
I WENT THROUGH ALL THE PAPERWORK, I LOOKED AT IT.
IT'S NOT EVEN A, SOMETHING THAT I SHOULD DO.
IT'S NOT A, AN ISSUE FOR ME TO LOOK AT, BUT I DID IT.
AND WE ALL NEED TO STEP BACK AND LOOK AT THE PAPERWORK, WATCH THE VIDEO FOR THAT DAY, AND LOOK AND SEE WHAT THE HARD DECISION WAS MADE.
SO, YES TO, UH, PIGGYBACK ON WHAT BOTH MY COLLEAGUES, UH, MAYOR PROTE GOMEZ AND, UH, COUNCILMAN X HAR WERE SAYING IS JUST THAT, JUST TO SIMPLIFY IT FOR, UH, EVERYBODY HERE IN LAHABRA, IT WAS NECESSARY WE NEEDED TO TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORN, SO TO SPEAK, AND ADDRESS THE ISSUE, AN ISSUE THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON ON CITY COUNCIL FOR WELL OVER 15 TO 20 YEARS PRIOR TO MY EVER BEING ON CITY COUNCIL.
IF, UH, IF YOU WANNA, IF YOU WANNA BLAME ANYBODY, IT'S A KE PERS ISSUE, AND THAT'S FINE.
ESSENTIALLY, YOU'RE GOING FROM A 7% INTEREST RATE SIMILAR TO REFINANCING YOUR HOME TO A 3% INTEREST RATE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THIS, SO I'LL READ IT HERE.
THE CITY'S CONSERVATIVE BUDGETING PRACTICES, FISCAL MANAGEMENT AND PENSION REFORM MEASURES HAVE BEEN VIEWED POSITIVELY BY STANDARD AND POOR'S CREDIT RATING AGENCY.
SO MUCH SO THAT AS A RESULT, AFTER THE PENSION OBLIGATION, BONDS WERE ISSUED STANDARD AND POOR SAID, THE CITY'S RECEIVING A DOUBLE A PLUS CREDIT RATING A PLUS AWAY FROM THEIR HIGHEST A, WE DID THE RIGHT THING.
SO DEAR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE, WE HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO ASK.
SO I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO NAB YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UM, CANDIDATES IN THE HALLWAY AFTERWARDS IF THEY'LL TOLERATE THAT AND GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
UM, WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD QUESTIONS AS WELL.
I REGRET WE DON'T HAVE ALL NIGHT LONG.
UH, NOW IT'S TIME FOR THE CANDIDATES TO GIVE THEIR TWO MINUTE WRAP UP.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO IN THE REVERSE ORDER.
UH, MR. MADRANO GETS TO START AND HE HAS TWO MINUTES.
GOOD EVENING AGAIN, AND, UH, I AM YOUR MAYOR, JOSE MADRANO.
UM, I NEED TO SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT LOUDER, APPARENTLY.
I'M GONNA READ YOU FROM MY, UH, CANDIDATE STATEMENT THAT'S GONNA BE ON THE BALLOT.
I WILL BE NUMBER FOUR ON THE BALLOT.
I, UH, I DO ASK THE RESIDENTS OF LAJA FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
I CAME TO YOU FOUR YEARS AGO, AND I'VE PRETTY MUCH DONE WHAT I SAID I WAS GONNA DO.
I'M LOOKING OUT FOR THE RESIDENTS OF LAJA.
I WILL TELL YOU, I'VE BEEN COMMITTED TO MAKING LOCAL GOVERNMENT MORE EFFICIENT, RESPONSIVE, AND ACCOUNTABLE TO EVERYONE.
I CONTINUE TO MAKE PUBLIC SAFETY A PRIORITY THROUGH MY IN PERSON CRIME WATCH MEETINGS, WHICH I HOST AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
THROUGH MY LEADERSHIP ON THE COUNCIL, I'VE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE CITY'S FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE DIRECTION, RESULTING IN BALANCED BUDGETS.
THE CITY HAS COMPLETED SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL BREWING PROJECTS AND ROAD IMPROVEMENTS.
WITH MY TIME HERE ON CITY COUNCIL, MY SUPPORT OF OPEN SPACES AND THE REVITALATION, EXCUSE ME, REVITALIZATION OF PARKS, UH, CONTINUES.
AND WITH THE PLAN OF A DOG PARK AT VISTA GRAND PARK, AND OF COURSE, IMPROVEMENTS AT OTHER PARKS.
OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, I'VE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS TRAFFIC THROUGH THE SINK SYNCHRONIZATION ON IMPERIAL HIGHWAY, LAMBERT ROAD, HACIENDA BOULEVARD, WITTIER BOULEVARD, AND TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES IN VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'VE ADDRESSED THE HOMELESS ISSUE IN LAHABRA BY SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS IN THE OPENING OF TWO HOMELESS SHELTERS IN NEIGHBORING CITIES, AND HIRING TWO HOMELESS OUTREACH LIAISONS.
I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT LAHA BUSINESSES THROUGH, THROUGH MY WEEKLY BUSINESS OF THE WEEK PROMOTION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
ONE OF MY PROUDEST MOMENTS HERE IN LAHA WAS AT THE ONSET OF THE GLOBAL 19 PANDEMIC, I WAS ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH NORTHGATE MARKET, NORTH GIG GONZALEZ'S MARKET TO IMPLEMENT EARLY HOURS FOR OUR SENIORS.
THE CONCEPT EVENTUALLY WENT NATIONWIDE AND WAS ADOPTED BY RETAILERS.
I HAD CALLS FROM DIFFERENT STATES, DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S, AT DIFFERENT CITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY BECAUSE OF THAT, I'M ENDORSED BY THE ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF, THE LAHABRA POLICE ASSOCIATION, LA COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION, TEACHERS AND COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, AND FOUR OF THE LAHABRA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT MEMBERS.
THE PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT, THAT'D BE CYNTHIA, GARY, ATHELIA HANSEN, ADAM ROGERS, AND EMILY PRUITT.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO COME OUT AND, UH, LISTEN TO ALL OF US.
UM, YOU CAN READ MY STATEMENT ON MY WEBSITE AND YOU CAN SEE MORE STUFF ON MY FACEBOOK, UM, THAT I HAVE, UH, ALL THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN, GET MORE INFORMATION.
I WILL BE PUTTING LINKS UP TO ALL THESE ISSUES, ALL OF THESE ISSUES WE'VE ALL BEEN ON.
YOU CAN SEE WHO HAS VOTED, WHAT THEY VOTED, HOW THEY HAVE VOTED, AND WHAT PEOPLE THINK IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE COMMENTS.
UM, I, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE.
[00:55:01]
NEVER EXPECTED MYSELF TO BE IN THIS POSITION, BUT I THINK AS AN ADVOCATE FOR THIS COMMUNITY FOR 20 YEARS, I THINK, UH, I GOT IT DOWN AND I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THINGS FOR THIS WHOLE TIME.UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC, I MADE MASKS, MADE OVER 6,000 MASKS, GAVE THEM AWAY TO SEVERAL HOSPITALS.
C CHOCOLATE LA C ORANGE COUNTY, KAISER PACK FOR MEALS ON WHEELS.
AND, UM, WE HELPED GET THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE VACCINATED.
THAT'S JUST ME AND A FEW FRIENDS AND MY HUSBAND AND KIDS.
SO WE'VE BEEN HERE THIS WHOLE TIME HELPING OUT THE COMMUNITY.
SO I HOPE TO, UM, GET YOUR VOTE.
I AM VERY HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE LEAGUE FOR ORGANIZING THIS.
I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO'S WATCHING.
UM, I, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ENORMOUSLY GRATIFYING EXPERIENCE FOR ME, AND I WANNA SAY THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT A RACE LIKE THIS, WHERE WE HAVE CHALLENGERS TO INCUMBENTS, THAT IMPLIES THE NEED OR THE DESIRE FROM LA HARNS FOR CHANGE.
SO LET'S TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE.
WE HAVE A TOP FLIGHT GOLD STANDARD POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THE BEST FIRE SERVICES POSSIBLE.
UH, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF ALL OUR ROADS AND ALLEYS HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY REFURBISHED.
UH, WE'RE REPLACING WATER MAINS EVERY TIME A ROAD IS REFURBISHED.
WE'RE ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESS.
WE JUST BUILT NEW SPLASH PADS.
UM, WE'VE GOT ENORMOUS RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR ALL THE HOS AT THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE A BUDGET SURPLUS THIS FISCAL YEAR ALONE OF $460,000, WHICH WE REINVESTED INTO EL CENTRAL PARK.
SO, THE CASE I'M MAKING IS THAT WE HAVE NOT ONLY BEEN SUCCESSFUL ON THIS COUNCIL NOW, BUT WE'RE BUILDING ON THAT SUCCESS.
AND WE'RE GOING FORWARD WITH EVERY STEP WE TAKE, EVERY DECISION WE TAKE.
SO, I, THE, THE QUESTION BEGS ITSELF, DO WE NEED TO CHANGE? AND WHAT DOES CHANGE IMPLY? DOES THAT MEAN, DOES THAT IMPLY GOING BACKWARD OR NOT FUNDING THESE SERVICES AND THESE RESOURCES AS EFFICIENTLY AND AS EFFECTIVELY AS WE HAVE, OR HAVE THE GUYS THAT ARE HERE AND THE, AND THE, AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ESPINO HAS BEEN DOING A PRETTY GOOD JOB.
SO I'M GONNA STATE THE CASE THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
WE'VE BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
IS THIS THE TIME FOR CHANGE I WOULD SUBMIT TO THE VOTERS.
I WANNA THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I'M ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE VERY HUMBLY.
I'D LIKE TO KEEP ANSWERING MY PHONE AND TAKING YOUR REQUEST FOR SERVICE AND TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT I SAID THAT WAS MISSPOKEN AND SAID AFTERWARDS BY MR. NEER.
AND I DON'T THINK HE MEANT THAT, BUT I WAS ASKING FOR THE COUNCIL TO TAKE THE 4% DIFFERENCE OF THE AMOUNT THAT THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY'RE SAVING ON THE DEBT, AND BE, BE MINDFUL THAT THIS IS A DEBT.
IF WE DON'T PAY THAT DEBT DOWN OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS, WE'RE KICKING THE CAN DOWN TO OUR GENERATION WHO ARE NOW KINDERGARTNERS RIGHT NOW IN OUR SCHOOLS, LOW JOINT, THE HARBOR CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT 20 YEARS WORTH OF DEBT ON THEIR SHOULDERS.
THEN LET'S TAKE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF WHAT WE SAVED, PAY DOWN OUR DEBT.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE HAVE PEOPLE OUT OF JOBS RIGHT NOW.
WE DO NEED TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
I WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CALIFORNIA SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
I WAS ONE OF 12 TEACHERS OUT OF 330,000 TO BE ON THE CALTECH, WHICH IS THE CALIFORNIA TEACHERS ADVISORY COUNCIL.
I WORKED WITH BUSINESSES, I WORKED WITH LEGISLATION.
I WORKED WITH THE CALIFORNIA, UM, COUNCIL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
I'VE SPOKEN IN FRONT OF AGENCIES.
I'VE SPOKEN IN FRONT OF 2,500 PEOPLE IN AN AUDIENCE AT THE CONFERENCE.
I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO PUT THINGS TOGETHER.
I AM HUMBLED BY THE FACT THAT I WAS ELECTED TO THE, TO THE CITY CO TO THE, UH, SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE, FOR THE CITY OF LAHABRA WITHOUT SPENDING A PENNY.
I I WAS AMAZED WHEN I HAD ONE RESIDENT RIGHT, AND SAY, I'M GONNA VOTE FOR YOU BECAUSE I RESEARCHED YOU.
AND I TURNED TO MY HUSBAND AND SAID, NOW I'VE GOT FIVE VOTES.
IT WAS AMAZING EXPERIENCE AND I WANT TO WORK HARDER FOR THE CITY.
YOU'VE NOT HAD A TEACHER OF 33 YEARS WHO'S THEN SERVED ON THE SCHOOL BOARD ON CITY COUNCIL.
I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE DO THAT.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, THANK THE, UH, LEAGUE OF WOMEN'S CITY, UH, LEAGUE OF WOMEN'S VOTERS, UH, FOR HOSTING THIS WONDERFUL EVENT.
LIKE TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, AS WELL AS TAKING TIME OUTTA YOUR VERY BUSY SCHEDULES, UH, FOR BEING HERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE ON THE AUDIENCE, ROSE SPINOZA AND STEVE SIMONIAN.
AND THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW THE TYPE OF COUNCIL WE HAVE.
WE HAVE A COUNCIL WITH A LOT OF CHARACTER, TRULY CARING FOR OUR CARING COMMUNITY, AND ALSO MY COLLEAGUES, JOSE MADRANO AND DARREN NICKER.
AND THE QUESTION IS, YOU HAVE, GOING FORWARD, DO YOU WANT US TO CONTINUE, CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HERE AT LABRA? OR DO YOU WANNA CHANGE? DO YOU WANT SPECIAL INTEREST TO COME INTO THIS COMMUNITY AND TAKE IT OVER AND CHANGE THE DIRECTION THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING?
[01:00:01]
UH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO DR.HER NUMBERS ARE OFF, AND I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO, TO, TO, TO DEBATE THAT.
THEY CALL ME MR. LAJAN BECAUSE I LOVE LAHABRA WITH ALL MY HEART AND ALL MY SOUL.
I, UH, I WAS AGAIN, UH, AWARDED THE ELECTED OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR, AND I'M SO HONORED, UH, TO, TO BE ENDORSED BY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIFFERENCES LIKE, UH, FORMER CENTER, LINGLING CHANG, AND, UH, SENATOR JOSH NEWMAN, WHO ARE VI VI BITTER RIVALRIES, HAVE BOTH ENDORSED ME.
AND I HAVE BEEN ENDORSED BY OUR POLICE FIRE DEPARTMENT, TWO FORMER CHIEFS, STEVE STALEY, UH, DAVE HEED BECAUSE, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY IS A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY WITH ME.
I WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK THE BEST OF THE BEST QUALITY BUSINESSES TO LAHABRA.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE LAHABRA THE CITY THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF AS WE ARE TODAY.
AND I WILL ASK YOU HUMBLY, UH, VOTE FOR ME AND MY COLLEAGUES THAT ARE RUNNING HERE TODAY.
I AM SO HONORED, UH, TO SERVE WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM.
THEY WARM MY HEART, THEY TRULY CARE FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, LET'S NOT CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF LAHABRA.
I HAVE A SPECIAL NEEDS DAUGHTER, AND I AM DEVOTED.
AND I, I KNOW THEY'VE SAID SOMETHING ABOUT CHANGE.
LET ME TELL YOU, CHANGE IS INEVITABLE.
UH, IF YOU HAD TO NOTICE, CHANGE IS INEVITABLE.
IT'S A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE JUST NEED TO PREPARE FOR THAT CHANGE.
AND I THINK IT'S CRITICAL TO PREPARE FOR THAT.
WE SAW THAT WITH THE, WITH THE, UH, PANDEMIC.
I, IF YOU LOOK AT ANY ADVICE, ANY BUSINESS ADVICE, I TAUGHT BUSINESS, I TAUGHT ACCOUNTING, UH, BUSINESS FINANCE, DEBT IS NO GOOD.
SO DEFINITELY GETTING RID OF DEBT, EVEN AS A COMMUNITY, AS A CITY, AS A PERSONAL, PER MY PERSONAL FINANCES, I GET RID OF DEBT.
UM, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, TO STAY AFLOAT.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, I ALSO NOTICE, I MEAN, TRANSPARENCY, I THINK IS KEY.
SO TRANSPARENCY IN ALL AREAS, NOT JUST, OH, IT'S ON THE, IT'S ON THE CITY WEBSITE.
NO, REALLY COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND GETTING INPUT.
UM, I KNOW MR. MADRANO HIT ONE OF HIS CLAIMS WAS TO IMPLEMENT A MORATORIUM ON HOUSING.
WELL, I'VE SEEN WONDERFUL BUILDINGS BEING BUILT DURING THIS TIME.
UH, SO THAT CLEARLY WASN'T TRUE.
AND I JUST, SO I BELIEVE IN TRANSPARENCY.
AND AS A, AS A MOTHER, I APPRECIATE TRANSPARENCY AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER.
AND AS FOR, AS A CITY COUNCIL, I THINK YOU WOULD APPRECIATE TRANSPARENCY AS WELL.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL GET FROM ME.
SO NOW ON BEHALF OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, I WANNA THANK EACH AND EVERY CANDIDATE FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.
AGAIN, DEMOCRACY DOESN'T WORK WITHOUT PARTICIPATION.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR TALKING TO YOUR PUBLIC.
I WANNA REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT THE WHOLE POINT IS TO VOTE.
SO VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE.
UM, THERE'S VOTERS EDGE ONLINE AND THERE IS BALLOTPEDIA AS WELL.
THOSE ARE TWO GREAT RESOURCES WHERE YOU CAN LOOK UP NOT JUST WHO'S RUNNING IN YOUR CITY, BUT PROPOSITIONS AS WELL.
UM, ON THAT NOTE, AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND, UH, HAVE A GREAT EVENING, ADJOURN.