Sep 30, 2020 League of Women Voters Candidate Forum

[00:00:08]

GOOD EVENING

[1. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS LA HABRA CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES' FORUM WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 5:00 P.M. The purpose of this forum is to allow City Council candidates an opportunity to address a wide-range of issues that affect our community. The forum is not intended to be a debate among the candidates, rather a platform for the candidates to share their positions on key issues with the public. The League of Women Voters is an organization that does not endorse candidates or political parties. It does encourage the informed and active participation of citizens. To be better informed, visit the City of La Habra website at: http://www.lahabraca.gov/356/Archived-Council-Videos or tune in to Channel 3 for the La Habra City Candidates' Forum on September 30, 2020, at 5:00 p.m.]

MY NAME IS FRAN.

SHEREMET THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN, VOTERS OF NORTH ORANGE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF LA HABRA, THE CANDIDATES.

AND I WELCOME YOU TO TONIGHT'S FORUM.

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IS A TRUSTED, NONPARTISAN POLITICAL ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN ACTIVE FOR A HUNDRED YEARS WHILE WE NEVER ENDORSE A CANDIDATE OR PARTY.

WE ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN SHAPING THE IMPORTANT ISSUES TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY STRONG.

AS A LEAGUE MEMBER, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE IN WAYS THAT HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON LOCAL STATE AND EVEN NATIONAL ISSUES.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT HOW YOU CAN MAKE A SIMILAR IMPACT, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT OUR LEAGUE WEBSITE@LWEANDOC.ORG.

MEMBERSHIP IS OPEN TO MEN AND WOMEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH PANDEMIC GUIDELINES.

WE ARE CONDUCTING THIS FORUM WITHOUT ANY IN PERSON AUDIENCE.

THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU ARE ALL WATCHING COMFORTABLY FROM HOME ON YOUR TELEVISIONS OR COMPUTERS EITHER AS WE BROADCAST LIVE, OR AS YOU MAKE USE OF AVAILABLE LINKS ON THE HARBOR'S WEBSITE OR A TV CHANNEL TO VIEW THE FULL RECORDING LATER.

MANY OF YOU IN THE CITY OF ALHAMBRA HAVE EMAILED QUESTIONS TO US IN ADVANCE AS IS OFTEN THE CASE.

WE HAVE RECEIVED MANY MORE QUESTIONS AND WE WILL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO HAVE TIME TO ASK THE CANDIDATES, BUT WE WILL DO OUR VERY BEST QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN COMBINED COMBINED TO AVOID DUPLICATION AND HAVE BEEN SCREENED TO ELIMINATE PERSONAL ATTACKS OR QUESTIONS THAT DO NOT PERTAIN TO THE DUTIES OF THE CITY.

COUNCIL ASSISTING US THIS EVENING.

OUR TIMEKEEPERS DEBRA BOTS AND LINDA LOCKWOOD, A YELLOW CARD WILL SHOW WHEN THE CANDIDATE HAS 30 SECONDS LEFT, A RED CARD WILL SHOW WHEN THEY ARE ASKED TO STOP, I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE THE CANDIDATES.

NOW THEY WILL EACH HAVE TWO MINUTES FOR THEIR OPENING STATEMENTS.

OUR FIRST CANDIDATE IS ROSE ESPINOSA ROSE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INTRODUCTION.

AND FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS FOR HAVING THIS FORUM.

I DO ATTENDED EVERY TIME I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL.

UM, AND AT ONE TIME I WAS A MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.

I AM A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF LAHABRA.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE MIGRAINE CAMP THAT WAS, UH, KNOWN AS COMPA, COLORADO, WHICH IS RED CAMP, UH, THAT WAS BUILT BY THE LA HARVEST CITRUS ASSOCIATION FOR THE MIGRANT WORKERS WHO, AND THAT WAS, UM, I THOUGHT VERY KIND OF THEM.

I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND, UH, THE K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS HERE IN LA BARBARA, UNLIKE SOME OF MY SIBLINGS WHO WERE NOT FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO, TO ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOL AT A YOUNG AGE, UH, THEY DID HAVE TO GO TO A SEGREGATED SCHOOL HERE IN LA BARBARA, THE WILSON SCHOOL.

THERE WERE THREE OF MY SIBLINGS THAT HAD TO GO TO THAT SCHOOLS.

AND LATER WHEN THEY, UM, UM, THE COURT, UH, DISSOLVE THIS AS SEGREGATED SCHOOLS, THEY WERE ABLE TO GO TO OTHER SCHOOLS IN FULLERTON HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE A LA HARBOR HIGH SCHOOL HERE.

UM, I AM A GRADUATE.

I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT I AM A GRADUATE.

I GRADUATED THIS MAY FROM CAL STATE UNIVERSITY FULLERTON WITH MY BA.

SO MY BRAIN STILL WORKS.

I'M STILL ABLE TO LEARN AND TAKE ALL THE TESTS AND ALL THE HOMEWORK THAT THE PROFESSORS PROVIDED TO US.

AND I ALSO HAVE AN AA DEGREE IN INDUSTRIAL DRAFTING.

I HAVE BEEN ON THE CITY COUNCIL NOW SINCE 2000.

I'VE BEEN MAYOR FOUR TIMES THE MAYOR PRO TEM FIVE TIMES.

AND I AM THE ONLY WOMAN ON THE CITY COUNCIL AT THIS TIME AND HAVE BEEN AFTER DOROTHY RUSSIA LEFT THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, BACK IN, I BELIEVE 2004, 2006.

BUT, UH, I HAVE, UH, BEEN VERY, VERY HAPPY TO BE ON THE COUNCIL AND REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE FELT THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO, UM, HAD A FEAR OF SPEAKING TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

AND SO ME BEING THERE AND BEING HISPANIC HAS HELPED AND I SPEAK I'M BILINGUAL AND I DO SPEAK SPANISH.

SO IT'S VERY HELPFUL AND, UH, I'M JUST PROUD TO BE HERE AND PROUD TO BE ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU WILL ANSWER ADDRESS TO ME.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MISS ESPINOSA.

AND OUR SECOND CANDIDATE IS TIM SHAW.

GOOD EVENING.

GREAT TO BE WITH YOU.

UM, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS ON.

UM, I GREW UP HERE LOCALLY.

I ATTENDED THE LITTLE JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, SCHOOLS AS A YOUNG MAN AND WENT ON TO THE HARBOR HIGH SCHOOL WAS PART OF THE MIGHTY CLASS OF 1995 AND THE HOMBRE HIGH SCHOOL, UH, EARNED MY EAGLE SCOUT.

AND, UM, ACTUALLY WENT ON TO BE A VOLUNTEER MISSIONARY FOR MY

[00:05:01]

UH, FOR TWO YEARS, THAT WAS QUITE AN EXPERIENCE, BUT I ENDED UP MARRYING, UM, A YOUNG LADY FROM SONORA HIGH SCHOOL.

SO I'M, I'LL TAKE BOTH SCHOOLS.

UH, SHANNON BRYANT WENT TO SONORA AND THE, WE HAVE SIX SONS.

WE ARE RAISING HERE IN THE HOMBRE.

UH, MY HOLDING ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE FROM MOUNT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE, A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, A MASTER'S DEGREE FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY.

AND I'VE BEEN AN ACCEPTED TO, UM, AN EXECUTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM AT THE KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY.

I WOULD HAVE ATTENDED THIS YEAR, BUT THE VIRUS PUTS IT BACK.

SO I HAVE TO GO NEXT YEAR.

I'M AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AT RIO HONDO COLLEGE AND HAVE BEEN DOING THAT FOR 15 YEARS.

I PREVIOUSLY WAS ON THE STAFF FOR THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA, AN ORANGE COUNTY SUPERVISOR, AND A STATE SENATOR.

I WAS ELECTED TO THE LAHABRA CITY COUNCIL IN 2008 AND HAVE SERVED CONTINUOUSLY SINCE THEN.

I WAS MAYOR OF LAHABRA IN 2012 AND 2018.

I'VE TRIED TO DO MY BEST TO PUT ON MY HEART, MY MIND AND SOUL INTO THE JOB, THE JOB OF BEING A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.

I AM LAHABRA AS REPRESENTATIVE ON THE ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

I'M ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE GROUNDWATER REPLENISHMENT SYSTEM, WHICH IS REALLY COOL.

WE TAKE SEWAGE AND TURN IT INTO DRINKING WATER.

I'M ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE LOW SAND RAIL CORRIDOR AGENCY, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE MOBILE SOURCE REDUCTION REVIEW COMMITTEE AND THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.

AND LOOK FORWARD TO ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MR. SHAW.

AND OUR THIRD CANDIDATE IS PETER CRUZ, MR. CRUZ.

HI EVERYBODY.

AND THANK YOU TO THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS FOR HOSTING US ALONG WITH THE CITY OF LAHABRA.

UH, MY NAME IS PETER CRUZ.

UM, I GREW UP HERE IN LA HOMBRE.

UH, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

UM, ONE OF THE FIRST JOBS I HAD WAS AT THE SUPER KMART WHERE THE TARGET IS AT, UH, OVER NEAR, UH, IMPERIAL HIGHWAY.

UM, UH, I WENT TO FULLERTON COLLEGE AND GOT MY ASSOCIATES DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE.

I EVENTUALLY WENT TO UC SANTA CRUZ AND GOT MY, UH, MY, UH, BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AS WELL.

UH, I'VE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK FOR A CONGRESSPERSON AS STATE ASSEMBLY PERSON AND FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

UM, RIGHT NOW I WORK FOR A NONPROFIT THAT FOCUSES ON SOCIAL SERVICES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, HOME BUILDER.

UM, I THINK A LOT OF THE, OF MY BACKGROUND CAN HELP WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THE CITY CURRENTLY.

UM, UH, CURRENTLY I'M ALSO A BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR THE LAHABRA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

UM, AND I DEFINITELY WOULD WANT TO HELP THE, THE CITY AS MUCH AS I CAN IN MANAGING THE BUDGET DURING COVID.

UM, MY BACKGROUND IS IN UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE POLICIES THAT, UH, MY, UH, MY, MY GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE HAS.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. CRUZ.

AND NOW LET'S MOVE ON TO THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE RESIDENTS OF YOUR CITY.

EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO RESPOND TO EACH QUESTION.

LET'S START WITH MR. SHAW.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE THREE MAJOR ISSUES FACING YOUR CITY AND WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS THEM? WELL, THERE'S NO DOUBT.

WE HAVE A LOOMING FISCAL CHALLENGES IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

UM, WE, UM, HAVE RISING PENSION COSTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND OF COURSE THE RECESSION THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, UH, WITH THE COVID-19, UH, UH, RECESSION.

SO WE CAN'T LOSE SIGHT OF THE BUDGET.

AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY, YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR BILLS.

SO I'LL SAY, THAT'S GOTTA BE TOP OF MIND.

I WANT TO EMPHASIZE INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, YOU FALL BEHIND ON THAT.

IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO EVER CATCH UP.

AND SO, AS A, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN THAT AT THE ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU JUST GOT TO KEEP UP YOUR STREETS AND ROADS, UH, YOUR STORM DRAINS AND, UH, THOSE ISSUES, AND IT PROBABLY JUST IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, CERTAINLY THE, UH, HOW WE'RE HELPING PEOPLE RECOVER FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

AND WE AT THE CITY WE'VE, WE CAN DO A LITTLE BIT, UM, AND WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP BUSINESSES RECOVER.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. CRUZ.

UM, I THINK COVID-19 IS STILL A RECURRING ISSUE, UM, AN ONGOING ISSUE.

UM, I THINK THAT, UH, IT'S BOTH AN ECONOMIC ISSUE AND A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY THAT'S ONGOING.

I THINK THAT THE CITY COULD DO MORE IN TERMS OF PUSHING FOR MORATORIUMS ON, UH, EVICTIONS AND FEES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.

UH, I WOULD, I WOULD TRY TO REACH OUT TO CONGRESSIONAL STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES TO ASSIST,

[00:10:01]

UM, THOSE ARE CHALLENGES THAT THE CITY CAN'T FACE ALONE.

UH, I WOULD REACH OUT TO, TO THOSE RESPECTIVE GROUPS.

DOES THOSE, UH, COUNTERPARTS, UM, I DEFINITELY WOULD ALSO TRY TO REACH OUT FOR BUSINESS ASSISTANCE IN THE, IN THE CITY OR, UH, WITH THE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY TO CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF PERMANENT BUSINESS CLOSURES THAT ARE OCCURRING IN THE CITY NOW.

UM, UH, IN TERMS OF THE CITY BUDGET ITSELF, UM, THERE'S GOING TO PROBABLY MOST LIKELY BE MORE CUTS TO THE CITY BUDGET.

UM, I WOULD, I WOULD BE MORE, OH, THAT'S MY TIME.

THIS HAS SPINOZA.

WELL, I WOULD BEGIN WITH PENSIONS.

THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE STRIVING TO ADDRESS WHEN, UH, WE WERE, UM, DISCUSSING AND APPROVING THE BUDGETS THAT WE HAVE THE FISCAL BUDGET, AND AS COVID HIT, I MEAN, WE HAD IN 2019, 20, 20, 20, A MID YEAR BUDGET REPORT UPDATE, AND IT WAS SHOWN TO BE VERY ROBUST AND A GROWING LOCAL ECONOMY.

AND WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS, UM, WE, WE WENT TO A DRASTIC IMPACT ON OUR ECON ECONOMY, COSTING MILLIONS OF JOBS, NOT HERE IN LA HARBOR PERSONALLY, BUT I MEAN, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND MANY, MANY LIVES WERE LOST AND THERE'S A MASSIVE FINANCIAL DAMAGE OF BOTH PRIVATE BUSINESSES AND OPERATIONS, BUT THAT WOULD BE ONE.

AND, UH, THE FISCAL CHALLENGES WE FACED THAT COVID IS ALSO, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS DRASTICALLY IMPACTED OUR FINANCES, BUT IT WOULD BE THE REVENUES AND THE PENSION.

AND COVID THANK YOU.

DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, MANY CUTS ARE BEING MADE TO THE CITY BUDGET.

IF YOU WERE REQUIRED TO MAKE ADDITIONAL CUTS, WHAT WOULD YOU CUT MR. CRUZ? UH, I WOULD PROBABLY CUT THE, UNFORTUNATELY PUBLIC WORKS.

IT WOULD BE THE TOUGHEST CUT BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT.

THAT'S THE MOST OBVIOUS PART TO IT TOO, THAT MOST PEOPLE SEE THE MOST, BUT THAT WOULD BE A TEMPORARY CAT AND IT WOULD BE THE AREA THAT THE CITY WOULD, CAN RESTORE FAIRLY QUICKLY AND WE CAN GET SOME FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FROM THAT.

UM, AND SO I WOULD, I WOULD CUT THAT MOST LIKELY.

THANK YOU, MS. ESPINOSA, BUT THE STAFF AND THE CITY AND THE COUNCIL HAVE ALREADY MADE A DRASTIC AND CUTS THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY MAKE A FURLOUGHS LAYOFFS.

UM, EACH DEPARTMENT HAS TO LOOK AT THEIR BUDGET AND MAKE THE POSSIBLE CAUSE THAT THEY CAN, THEY'VE BEEN VERY FRUGAL.

EVEN THE COUNCIL ITSELF HAS, UH, DECIDED TO, UM, UH, WE HAVE A HOUSING AUTHORITY AND WE USUALLY GET A STIPEND FOR THAT.

WE DECIDED TO FORGO THE STIPEND.

IT'S NOT A LOT, BUT IT'S STILL WORKING TO BE CONTRIBUTING AS A COUNCIL.

AND, UH, EVEN, UH, OUR MONTHLY STIPEND HAS BEEN CUT BACK.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE, THE STAFF THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO WHITTLE IT DOWN TO PRACTICALLY NOTHING.

BUT, UM, WE HAVE DONE WHAT WE POSSIBLY CAN AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

THANK YOU, MR. SHAW.

THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CITY'S BUDGET AND JUST WHAT IS REALITY, IT'S ALMOST THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT IS SALARIES AND BENEFITS TO OUR EMPLOYEES.

SO THAT'S WHY IT IS WHEN WE HAVE REALLY TOUGH BUDGETS.

IT IS PRETTY TOUGH TO NOT TAKE IT OUT ON THE EMPLOYEES.

AND AS I WAS MENTIONED, WE LAID OFF, UM, BASICALLY FURLOUGHED ALL THE PART TIME EMPLOYEES, AND EVEN THE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES WERE ALSO PUT ON FURLOUGH.

SO YOU'LL NOTICE THAT CITY HALL IS CLOSED.

UM, EVERY FRIDAY IT USED TO BE EVERY OTHER FRIDAY.

NOW IT'S JUST EVERY FRIDAY.

SO THE EMPLOYEES HAD THEIR PAY CUT, BUT THEN, UM, GET, GETS THAT ADDITIONAL TIME OFF.

WE EVEN TOOK SOME MONEY OUT OF OUR RESERVES, UH, THIS YEAR, WHICH WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HAD HAPPENED SINCE I'D BEEN ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO TRY TO SOFTEN IT.

BUT THIS IS THE BIG PICTURE WE WANT IT.

WE NEED TO BE SAYING YES TO REVENUE AND NO TO SPENDING.

UM, I'VE BEEN TRYING, I'M KIND OF A FOUNTAIN OF IDEAS.

I'M USUALLY UP HERE TRYING TO BRING UP IDEAS RELATED TO CANNABIS THAT COULD BRING US MONEY.

I BROUGHT, WE BROUGHT IN A, A WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTION CENTER.

THAT'S PRODUCED A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE JUST THIS YEAR.

I'VE TRIED TO LEGALIZE SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS, AND MY TIME IS UP.

I'LL HAVE MORE IDEAS.

THANK YOU.

DO YOU SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT'S CLAIM THAT MALIN BALLOTS LEAD TO VOTER FRAUD? AND WHAT KIND OF PROOF WOULD YOU WANT TO SUPPORT THAT NECESS SPINOZA? OH MY GOSH.

I'VE BEEN VOTING BY MAIL EVER SINCE THEY ALLOWED US TO VOTE BY MAIL AND I'VE, UH, ALWAYS FOUND THAT IT'S BEEN FOR ME THE MOST RELIABLE WAY OF VOTING, ESPECIALLY NOW WITH THE KOBE THAT YOU WOULDN'T

[00:15:01]

I, I DON'T REALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ANY CONCERN FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL TO BE WORRIED ABOUT, UH, DUPLICATIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

UM, I PERSONALLY PUT IT IN THE, IN THE BIN THAT IS THERE FROM THE, THE ROAD, UH, LET'S SEE ABOUT VOTER REGISTRATION OFFICE AND I FEEL COMFORTABLE.

THANK YOU, MR. CRUZ.

UM, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTRAR'S OFFICE DOESN'T LOCATE ANY, ANY VOTER FRAUD.

SO, UM, UH, AND THEY'RE, IN FACT, THEY'RE ASKING FOR, FOR MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ASSIST IN VOTER SECURITY.

UH, SO I WOULD SAY THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY VOTER FRAUD, UM, FROM THE PRESIDENT'S PURSE, FROM WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS SUGGESTING.

UM, AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT THERE WERE, THAT OTHERS WOULD SUPPORT WOULD REFUTE THAT, THAT ARE SAYING, THANK YOU, MR. SHAW.

THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, UM, I'VE BEEN A PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTER MYSELF FOR A LONG TIME, SO JUST CAUSE IT'S DONE THROUGH THE MAIL, I, TO FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT MY VOTE WAS CAST PROPERLY, BUT I KNOW THINGS VARY ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN DIFFERENT STATES, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE CERTAINLY APPROPRIATE, UM, TO HAVE THINGS LIKE A VOTER ID REQUIREMENT.

THAT'S NOT TOO MUCH TO ASK TO PRESENT AN ID.

ONE THING I HAVE FUN WITH MY STUDENTS WHEN WE, IN MY AMERICAN GOVERNMENT CLASSES, IF YOU LOOK ON YOUTUBE UNDER PROJECT, VERY TASK, THERE'S A, UM, PEOPLE WALKING UP TO A POLLING PLACE IN, UH, NEW HAMPSHIRE AND THEY HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE WHO RECENTLY DIED AND THEY ASKED FOR THE VOTERS FOR THE BALLOT FOR JOHN SMITH OR WHATEVER.

AND YOU SEE HOW EASY IT IS TO GET YOUR HANDS ON A BALLOT, UM, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAD.

AND IT'S, IT DOES LEAD TO THE FEELING THAT OUR ELECTIONS MAYBE ARE NOT AS SECURE AS THEY SHOULD BE.

SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THOSE WHO ARE VOTING ARE, UH, PROPERLY VOTING AND, UM, NOT MAKE SURE NOT ALLOW ANY KIND OF VOTER FRAUD TO EXIST.

THANK YOU.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON LAHABRA HIS FUTURE OBLIGATION TO MEET STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDING NEW HOUSING? HOW CAN THE HARBOR MEET THESE OBLIGATIONS WHILE LIMITING THE IMPACT TO CURRENT RESIDENTS? MR. CRUZ? UM, I WOULD SAY TO HAVE MORE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT HOUSING IN, IN, UH, AREAS THAT WOULD HAVE, UH, THAT WOULD PROV, THAT WOULD HAVE, UH, THAT WERE, THAT WOULD BE ZONED FOR THAT.

SO, UM, IT WOULD BE TOO, IT WOULD BE BETTER TO PLACE IT IN AREAS THAT WOULD, UM, BE LESS IMPACTFUL FOR, FOR AREAS THAT WOULD MAYBE NOT AS MUCH RESISTANCE TOWARDS, UH, THOSE TYPE OF, UH, HIGH DENSITY OR MEDIUM DENSITY, UH, DEVELOPMENTS.

UH, THAT CHALLENGE WILL BE FOR LA HOBBINS IS TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE RESIDENTS IN THOSE AREAS, TO BE ABLE TO, TO BUILD THAT STAKEHOLDER VALUE, TO HAVE THOSE RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S LEGALLY REQUIRED BY THE STATE AND THAT WE NEED TO, UH, HAVE, UH, A RESPONSIBLE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE HOUSING CRISIS THAT WE HAVE.

THANK YOU, MR. SHAW.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S A BIG QUESTION.

SO I'LL DO MY BEST HERE.

UM, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE STATE IS PUTTING MORE AND MORE, UH, REQUIREMENTS IN PLACE ON CITIES.

UH, WE CAN LOOK AT THE REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS.

ASSESSMENT IS CALLED RENA AND JUST WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE HANDED HERE AS ARENA NUMBER OF 803 UNITS.

AND SO THE THING TO MAKE SENSE OF THAT, WE HAVE A GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

WE UPDATED OUR GENERAL PLAN ABOUT SEVEN, EIGHT YEARS AGO.

I THINK IT WAS.

AND THEY LOOKED AT ALL THE LAND USES IN THE CITY AND TRIED TO, UH, PLAN THE FUTURE AND ADOPT A HOUSING ELEMENT THAT MEETS THOSE REQUIREMENTS AND IS THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE APPROACH IT.

I DO LIKE I AGREE WITH PETER ON THE IDEA OF MIXED USE, THAT CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

THE STATE PASSED A LAW RECENTLY ON THE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS ADU.

SO CITIES ARE NOW UNDER A REQUIREMENT TO ALLOW THOSE TO BE PART OF THE MIX.

WE COULD TALK ABOUT SB THREE 30 THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR, THE HOUSING CRISIS ACT OF CALIFORNIA THAT PUTS EVEN MORE RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT A CITY CAN AND CAN'T DO WITH REGARDS TO HOUSING WITH MY TIME'S UP.

THANK YOU, MR. SPINOSA.

YES.

UM, I WAS ON THE GENERAL ADVICE, UH, GENERAL PLANNING ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND I HAD VOLUNTEERED TO BE ON THAT COMMITTEE CAUSE I WANTED TO SEE HOW WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF THE CITY OF LA HARBOR.

SO WE DID MAKE SOME DONI CHANGES FOR MULTI MIXED YOUTH MULTIFAMILY AS WELL.

UM, AND, UH, I AM ALSO ON THE BOARD OF SCAGS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT.

AND WE DO HAVE A BIG ISSUE WITH THE RENA NUMBERS THAT THEY PROVIDE US.

UH,

[00:20:01]

I WASN'T GOING TO SAY THE NUMBER OF HOUSING THAT WE WERE REQUIRED BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE A MONUMENTAL NUMBER OF HOUSING.

THEN THEY WOULD SAY, WHY AREN'T YOU GIVING SOMETHING TO LA HARBOR? BUT WE HAVE ID CERTAINLY AREAS IN THE CITY OF LA HARBOR THAT WE SEE.

WE CAN POTENTIALLY PUT MIXED USE HOUSING AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

NOW, AS A FOLLOWUP TO THAT QUESTION, UH, THE MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS ARE STRONGLY OPPOSED.

IT'S NEW HOUSING OPPOSED TO WHAT TWO NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS REMEMBER, THIS IS FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT THE REALITY IS FUTURE STATE REQUIREMENTS WILL MANDATE MORE HOUSING.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO TO WORK WITH YOUR RESIDENTS TO LESSEN THEIR FRUSTRATION AND DISCONNECT? MR. I'M UP FIRST.

OKAY, WELL LOOK, GOVERNOR NEWSOME LIKE IT OR NOT IS FOCUSED LIKE A LASER BEAM ON GETTING MORE HOUSING BUILT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

HE'S EVEN GONE OUT AND SUED HUNTINGTON BEACH, FOR EXAMPLE, A CITY, HE THOUGHT HAD A CASE OF THE SLOWS ON A HOUSING.

SO THAT IS JUST TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH SCAG.

THEY PR SCAG HAS VENTURA LOS ANGELES, ORANGE, SAN BERNARDINO, RIVERSIDE IMPERIAL COUNTY.

THOSE SIX COUNTIES CAME UP WITH A NUMBER OF THE UNITS THAT THEY THOUGHT WE WOULD BE NEEDED IN THE REGION OF 480,000.

THEY SUBMITTED THAT UP TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

THE STATE SAID, NICE TRY.

YOUR NUMBER IS 1.3 MILLION UNITS FOR YOUR REGION.

SO EVERY MUNICIPALITY IS GOING TO BE DIVIDED OUT.

ACCORDING TO THAT 1.3 MILLION NUMBER, WE JUST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHAT THE STATE IS GOING TO BE REQUIRING OF US.

AND THERE'S GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL CONSEQUENCES PUT ON CITIES THAT FAIL TO ADOPT A HOUSING ELEMENT THAT IS COMPLIANT WITH, UH, THE STATE REQUIREMENTS.

THANK YOU, MISS ESPINOSA.

THE WEEK WE CONSTANTLY GET THIS QUESTION THAT THEY THINK THAT, UH, THE REMARK ARE THE STATEMENT THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT IT IS A CITY THAT IS MANDATING ALL THIS AND MAKING ALL THE DECISIONS, BUT IT REALLY IS TRICKLED DOWN AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, SHAW HAD SAID, UM, THAT IT COMES FROM SCAG.

IT COMES FROM THE HOUSING, HOUSING, CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT.

IT COMES FROM, UH, THE RENA NUMBERS.

AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE, WE TRY TO DEBATE.

WE TRY TO APPEAL THE, UH, OH, COG.

I'M ON A, SAW AN OAK COG ORANGE COUNTY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT.

AND I AM ON THE ECONOMIC AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, UH, FOR THE SCAG COMMITTEE.

AND WE DID APPEAL IT AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO APPEAL IT BECAUSE WE SIMPLY BELIEVE THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE NOT THE NUMBERS THAT WE SHOULD BE GETTING HERE IN ORANGE COUNTY.

THEY KEEP DEBATING THAT THE JOBS ARE HERE.

SO HOUSING SHOULD BE HERE.

AND WE KEEP SAYING, WE'LL BUILT MORE HOUSES OUT THERE IN THE INLAND EMPIRE AND ALL THOSE OTHER AREAS.

AND THEN WE WON'T HAVE TO BE THE ONE THAT WILL TAKE THE BRUNT OF THE HOUSING.

THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS.

UM, I THINK THERE'S A, A BROADER ARGUMENT OF THAT, UH, THAT THE CONSTITUENT GROUPS THAT ARE UPSET ABOUT THIS FEEL UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE CITY COUNCIL.

AND, UM, I THINK THAT THEY'RE, THAT, THAT EVEN THOUGH THAT HE MAY BE ANTI HOUSING, UM, THERE'S A WAY THAT SOME MEMBERS, SOME RESIDENTS AND SOME LAW FIRMS THAT HAVE LIVED HERE, WHETHER THEY'VE LIVED HERE FOR A YEAR, WHETHER THEY'VE LIVED HERE FOR 10 YEARS, UM, THEY WOULD WANT SOME NEW HOUSING OPTIONS IN THE CITY.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO, HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS IT.

HOW DO WE APPROACH THOSE RESIDENTS? HOW DO WE APPROACH NEW RESIDENTS THAT ARE COMING INTO THE CITY TO GIVE THEM MORE, UM, MORE ACCESSIBILITY TO THOSE, TO THOSE AFFORDABLE HOMES? UM, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE HOMES THAT ARE SMALLER, WHETHER IT'S CONDOMINIUMS, WHETHER IT'S THE MISSING MIDDLE HOUSING.

AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT A LOT OF RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TO WITH MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND WITH MEMBERS OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT TO APPROACH THEM, UM, MORE OFTEN.

AND THAT'S, UH, I DID SPEAK ABOUT THAT IN MY PUBLIC COMMENTS WITH THE, UH, RANCHO LAHABRA COMMISSION HEARING.

SO, YEAH.

THANK YOU.

WOULD YOU SUPPORT IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAM THAT WOULD ADD A MEDIC AND A CRISIS WORKER TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ASSIST WITH COLES WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT IS NOT REQUIRED? THEREBY FREEING POLICE TO FOCUS ON CRIMINAL ACTIVITY WOULD ASSIST ASSISTANT WHAT I'LL READ THE QUESTION AGAIN, WOULD YOU SUPPORT IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAM THAT WOULD ADD AN MEDIC AND A CRISIS WORKER TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ASSIST WITH COLES WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT IS NOT REQUIRED, THEREBY FREEING POLICE TO FOCUS ON CRIMINAL ACTIVITY? I ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS INUNDATED WITH TOO MANY TASKS.

THEY'RE ALREADY JUGGLING TOO MANY RESPONSIBILITIES AND YES, MANY OF THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF THE HOMELESSNESS.

WE DO HAVE CITY NET, WHICH IS GREAT.

THEY ARE ABLE TO GO AND ADDRESS THOSE KINDS OF CITY ISSUES,

[00:25:01]

UH, WE DO HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT I BELIEVE IS ONE OF THE BEST.

I KNOW EVERY CITY SAYS THAT, BUT I TRULY DO BELIEVE THAT.

AND I WOULD, UH, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT IDEA.

THANK YOU, MR. CRUZ.

UH, I THINK IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT THE QUESTION IS ASKING FOR A CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM TO BE IMPLEMENTED WITH THE LA HARBOR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND I WOULD SUPPORT THAT IDEA.

UM, I WOULD SUPPORT IT, UH, TO INCLUDE A SOCIAL WORKER, UH, TO BE INCLUDED.

UH, I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT, UM, THE CONGRESS JUST PASSED A NINE, NINE, EIGHT EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER, UH, TO BE IMPLEMENTED TO, TO, TO THE COUNTRY.

SO IN LIEU OF CALLING NINE ONE ONE, IF YOU HAD A MENTAL HEALTH EMERGENCY, YOU WOULD CALL THE SEPARATE NUMBER INSTEAD.

UM, AND I THINK THAT'S A BETTER ALTERNATIVE WAY OF CONTACTING EMERGENCY SERVICES.

AND I THINK ORANGE COUNTY AND LAHABRA WOULD, WOULD BE MUCH IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE, WHETHER IT'S, UH, PEOPLE ARE, UH, INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING, UH, SEIZURES OR, UH, DISABILITIES SUCH AS AUTISM OR SOMEONE WITH A PARTICULAR, UH, EPILEPSY OR SOMETHING THAT HAVE THAT, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL MAYBE FEEL OVERWHELMED ABOUT DURING THEIR SITUATION.

SO, YEAH, I SUPPORT IT.

THANK YOU, MR. SHAW.

YES, I, I DO GENERALLY AGREE WITH THIS IDEA.

UM, OUR POLICE OFFICERS DO GET CALLED UPON TO, UM, PROBABLY PERFORM THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE.

THEY'RE A REAL CALL OF DUTY.

I WAS GOING TO A CITY NET ROSA BROUGHT UP, UH, IT IS A NONPROFIT THAT THE CITY HIRED SPECIFICALLY TO DO OUTREACH TO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS.

MANY OF WHOM ARE PROBABLY DEALING WITH, UH, MENTAL HEALTH OR, UH, ADDICTION PROBLEMS. AND SO THEY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, TRAINED AND PROFESSIONALS IN DEALING WITH, UH, INDIVIDUALS, UH, IN THAT SITUATION.

THANK YOU.

CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT REVENUE IS DECREASING BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC IN ALL CITIES, UM, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO ENSURE YOUR CITY'S ECONOMIC STABILITY AND WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE FOR YOUR CITY? MR. SHAW? GREAT.

ALL RIGHT, SO I GET TO FINISH MICHAEL THAT'S.

OKAY.

SO I WAS TRYING TO, I'VE TRIED ON THIS COUNCIL WITHOUT SUCCESS TO LEGALIZE SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL CANNABIS USES WE, WHETHER YOU AGREE OR NOT, WE ARE IN A STATE THAT LEGALIZED CANNABIS.

AND SO WHEN WE PROHIBIT THOSE USES IN OUR CITY, ALWAYS SUCCEED AT DOING, FRANKLY, IS MAKING THAT REVENUE GO TO A NEIGHBORING CITY THAT IS ALLOWING THEM.

WE, UM, LOOKED AT, I, WE CONTRACT OUT OUR FIRE FIRE SERVICES.

WE HAVE FOUR STATIONS IN OUR CITY.

ONE OF THOSE STATIONS RECEIVES VERY FEW CALLS FOR SERVICE IN A YEAR.

AND WE MAY LOOK AT WHAT OPTIONS WE HAVE GOING FORWARD WHEN IT'S TIME TO RENEW THAT CONTRACT.

I WILL BE LOOKING VERY CLOSELY AT THAT.

WE STUDIED YEARS AGO WITH OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES AS WELL.

UH, THE IDEA OF MAYBE REGIONALIZING SOME OF OUR POLICE SERVICES AS WELL, UH, WHETHER THAT BE DISPATCH, JAIL OR OTHER THINGS THAT WE COULD, UH, TEAM UP WITH BRAY, PLACENTIA, FULLERTON, AND BUENO PARK.

AND WE HAD STUDIED, UH, THAT IDEA AS WELL.

THIS HAS BEEN NOSA WELL.

YEAH.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOP PRETTY MUCH HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD ON ALL THAT WE DID.

UM, WE WERE A LITTLE BIT, UH, I WAS A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING SOME MORE CANNABIS DISTRIBUTION CENTERS OR EVEN A SA SALES.

I THINK THAT WE HAD, UH, BUT WE DID DECIDE THAT WE WOULD PUT IT TO THE VOTERS.

IT'S NOVEMBER THE THIRD AND SEE IF THEY ARE, WE'LL DO A RATHER MAKE THIS DECISION.

UM, AND I'M NOT A PERSON THAT REALLY CARES FOR CANNABIS, BUT I KNOW THAT IT IS HELPFUL FOR THOSE WHO HAVE MEDICAL NEEDS.

AND, UH, THAT'S WHY I APPROVED THE FIRST ONE.

BUT AFTER THAT, I COULD NOT AFFORD IT.

I COULD NOT, I COULD NOT SUPPORT IT RATHER.

AND WE DID TALK ABOUT HAVING A DISPATCH FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL FOR THE CENTER, BUT, UH, THAT FELL THROUGH.

SO I'M HOPING THAT MAYBE THIS TIME IT WILL, BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN NORTH ORANGE COUNTY THERE'S THINGS THAT NORTH ORANGE COUNTY CAN POSSIBLY DO TOGETHER.

AND ONCE WE GET TOGETHER, WE COULD HOPEFULLY TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. CRUZ.

UM, THE MOST IMMEDIATE WOULD BE TO PASS MEASURE W WHICH WOULD, UH, WHICH WOULD, UH, CREATE THE CANNABIS, UH, THE CANNABIS, UM, UH, UH, THE CANNABIS INITIATIVE THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO PASS IN NOVEMBER.

HOPEFULLY.

UM, I WOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE BUSINESS REVITALIZATION PROGRAMS THAT PERHAPS THE CITY CAN INCLUDE THAT SOME RESIDENTS ARE ASKING FOR, UM, AND THEN BUILD SOME CAPACITY FOR SOLE PROPRIETORSHIPS

[00:30:01]

I'M A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER THAT, UH, HAD DEVELOPED A NONPROFIT FOR, FOR TECHNOLOGY APPS.

AND SO, UM, I DEFINITELY WOULD SEE, WOULD SEE THE INCENTIVE TO HAVE SMALL BUSINESSES BE ABLE TO, UM, UH, STAY IN THE CITY AND, AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T TO KEEP THE REVENUES THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE CAN CREATE TO STAY WITHIN THE CITY.

THANK YOU.

HOW WOULD YOU INCREASE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD AND TO PARTICIPATE IN CITY EVENTS? NECESS PINOSA, BUT WE, I KNOW THAT I, I TRY TO GET THEM AS INVOLVED AS POSSIBLE.

UM, NOT ONLY IN EVENTS, BUT I'M ACTUALLY IN, IN, UM, WELL EVENT SESSIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT WE REACH OUT TO.

WE DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE THAT I CAN THINK OF TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WE HAD A, UH, WE, WE HAD A CITIZENS ACADEMY, BUT IT WAS ONLY OFFERED IN ENGLISH.

AND I ASKED WHY WE WEREN'T OFFERING IT IN SPANISH.

SO I ASKED THE POLICE CHIEF BACK THEN CHIEF KEYS, UH, TO SEE IF WE COULD COME UP WITH A POSSIBLE, UM, UH, BROCHURE AND TRAINING FOR THE CITIZENS ACADEMY IN SPANISH AND LO AND BEHOLD, IT IS THE MOST, UM, WELL ATTENDED, UH, CADEMY FOR THE CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE, TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND GET TO KNOW THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS A CARING COMMUNITY.

AND IT HAS JUST WORKED IN INCREDIBLE THAT, UH, I'LL HAVE TO TELL YOU THE CITY ATTORNEY OR THE CITY, UH, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IS ONE THAT LIKES TO ATTEND THIS EVENT BECAUSE OF THE GENEROSITY OF THE SPANISH COMMUNITY WHEN THEY GRADUATE.

THANK YOU.

NO, WE, OUR CITY STAFF TRIES TO GET OUT WHEN THINGS ARE NORMAL AND WE'RE HAVING THINGS LIKE THE CORN FESTIVAL AND THE CITRUS FAIR TO HAVE A CITY BOOTH MADE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND GET INFORMATION.

WE HAVE A LOVELY NEW CITY HALL HERE, AND PEOPLE ARE READY TO GREET YOU AS YOU COME IN.

IF SHOULD ANYONE WANT TO APPROACH THE CITY TO ASK A QUESTIONS OR GET INFORMATION? WE, UM, TRY, OF COURSE WE'RE WILLING TO THE 21ST CENTURY.

SO WE USED TO DO THINGS LIKE HAVE A GOOD WEBSITE AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY THAT WAY THAT WE CAN BE MAKING AVAILABLE.

AND RIGHT NOW, DURING THE COVID, UM, CRISIS, WE'VE GOT A COVID PAGE SPECIFICALLY HOW THE CITY IS HELPING AND INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.

SO I'M VERY PLEASED TO SEE THAT OUR STAFF IS DOING A GOOD JOB AT UPDATING THAT REGULARLY.

THANK YOU, MR. CRUZ.

UM, GIVEN THE SITUATION WITH COVID-19, IT'S HARD TO DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, BUT, UH, I THINK THAT THE CITY'S WEBSITE CAN BE IMPROVED WITH SOME DATA VISUALIZATION.

UM, SOME CITY MAPS, UM, INCLUSIVITY IN, UH, IN GENERAL, UH, SPANISH AND KOREAN, WHICH IS A SECONDARY LANGUAGES THAT ARE PRETTY PREDOMINANT IN OUR CITY.

UM, ACCESSIBILITY, UH, A MAJOR ISSUE DURING SOME OF THE RECENT HEARINGS PUBLIC HEARINGS WAS, UH, THAT THERE WAS NO TRANSLATION FOR SPANISH SPEAKERS.

UM, THERE IS NO CLOSED CAPTIONING.

THERE'S NO HARD OF HEARING, UH, OPTIONS.

AND SO THAT, THAT DOES LIMIT THE CONVERSATIONS THAT LA WOULD HAVE.

UM, I, I THINK THAT THIS, THAT THE CENSUS RE OUTREACH SHOULD BE ARE, WELL, IT HAS ENDED, BUT, UH, IT WOULD BE THOSE TYPES OF THINGS COULD BE MORE, UH, UH, PURSUED FOR MESSAGING THAT WOULD HELP OUT THE COMMUNITY BETTER IF IT WAS MULTILINGUAL OR TRILINGUAL.

UM, SO YEAH, THERE'S, THERE'S MANY, THERE'S MANY OPTIONS THAT THE, THAT THE CITY STAFF COULD DO.

AND I, I DEFINITELY WILL MAKE AN EFFORT IF I'M ELECTED TO REACH OUT TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY.

UM, I AM BILINGUAL AND I, I KNOW THAT MY CAMPAIGN WHERE WE'RE REACHING OUT TO KOREAN AND SPANISH LANGUAGE PEOPLE, THANK YOU.

ARE THERE ANY ZONING CODES WHICH YOU WOULD CHANGE OR MODIFY NECESS SPINOZA, ALL, ANY OF THE BUILDING CODE BUILDING CODES THAT WE HAVE AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAT I CAN RECALL? NO, THERE IS NO BUILDING CODES.

I KNOW THAT WE RECENTLY ONLY BECAUSE, WELL, BECAUSE THE STATE OF SACRAMENTO HAD SAID THAT, UH, THERE WAS A, YOU DIDN'T REQUIRE TO HAVE A PARKING FOR THE ALLOTTED RESIDENTIALS IN THE HOMES, UM, THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THE CARS THAT WERE BEING PARKED THERE, BUT THAT I CAN RECALL.

UM, NO, NOT ONE OF THEM STANDS OUT TO ME THAT I WOULD BE CONCERNED.

THANK YOU, MR. SHAW.

NO, I THINK THIS WILL GO BACK TO THE GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, HAVING A NEW, A NEW COMMITTEE, UM,

[00:35:01]

AND OF COURSE ALWAYS MAKING SURE WE'RE COMPLYING WITH STATE LAW AND, UH, UH, ADOPTING A HOUSING ELEMENT OF THAT IS, UH, BASED ON THAT AND ACCOMMODATING AND APPROPRIATE FOR THAT.

SO AS FAR AS A SPECIFIC ZONING OR BUILDING CODE, I COULDN'T SAY, I WOULD SAY THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLACES THAT ARE ZONED IN THE CITY, UM, WHERE THE EXISTING ZONING MAY ALLOW FOR MIXED USE.

SO IT COULD BE COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL, AND IT WILL BE INTERESTING GOING FORWARD BECAUSE OF THE STATE LAW, AS , YOU CANNOT TAKE AWAY ZONING FROM, FROM PROPERTY THAT WAS ZONED FOR HOUSING.

IF IT'S CURRENTLY GOT A ZONING DESIGNATION THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR HOUSING TO BE BUILT, YOU CAN NOT TAKE THAT AWAY THROUGH BETWEEN NOW AND 2025 UNDER SB THREE 30, FOR EXAMPLE.

SO I JUST HOPE EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS IF SOMEONE COMES IN WANTING TO BUILD HOUSING ON LAND, THAT'S ZONED FOR HOUSING, THE CITY CAN'T STOP THAT.

THANK YOU, MR. CRUZ.

UM, IF I WERE ELECTED, I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO WHAT, UH, WHICHEVER COMMITTEE THAT WE WOULD BE FOCUSED ON, UM, TO, TO REZONE, CAUSE THAT WOULD REQUIRE A MAJORITY VOTE TO DO THAT.

THANK YOU.

UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES, IF ANY, WOULD YOU VOTE FOR AN INCREASE IN TAXES OR FEES MISS ESPINOSA? UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES, IF ANY, WOULD YOU VOTE FOR AN INCREASE IN TAXES OR FEES? UH, IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY HARD FOR ME TO, UM, MAKE THAT DECISION.

I HAVE MADE THAT DECISION, BUT IT'S ONLY BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONLY ULTIMATUM.

UM, AT FIRST I WOULD LOOK TO SEE HOW WE COULD CUT AND, UH, OF COURSE WE HAVE THE CANNABIS DISTRIBUTION CENTER.

WE VOTED ON THAT TO GENERATE, BUT THAT WAS NOT, IT'S A USER TAX PRETTY MUCH, UM, TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX.

AND NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HOTEL HERE DOWN THE ROAD, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LOOK AT FIRST BEFORE I WOULD EVER TRY TO PASS A TAX ON RESIDENT MEMBERS.

WE HAD A USER TAX GAS TAX THAT FOR THOSE THAT DRIVE CARS AS WELL.

I MEAN, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THE CITY MADE, BUT STILL THE STATE DID.

SO IT WOULD ALWAYS BE WHAT CAN WE DO BEFORE WE HAVE TO RAISE A TAX? THANK YOU, MR. CRUZ.

UH, IT WOULD BE, UH, IF THERE WAS EVERY OTHER TAXES PRIOR TO A GENERAL REVENUE TAX FOR THE CITY.

THANK YOU, MR. SHAW.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TAX AND A FEE.

SO A FEE IS PAID WHEN YOU ARE DIRECTLY GETTING A SERVICE FROM THE CITY.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU RENT THE COMMUNITY CENTER FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY, YOU'LL PAY A FEE.

SO W IT IS PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE FOR THE CITY TO OCCASIONALLY ADOPT A, A FEE SCHEDULE UPDATE WHERE WE ARE UPDATING JUST BASED ON INFLATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THE FEE SCHEDULE, SO THAT THE CITY DOESN'T MAKE OR LOSE MONEY ON PROVIDING A PARTICULAR SERVICE.

WHEN IT COMES TO TAXES, I'VE MADE, I'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND CERTAINLY VERY CLEAR WITH OUR CITY MANAGER THAT I'M A NO ON TAX INCREASES.

UH, AND UP UNTIL THE POINT I AM COMPLETELY OUT OF IT, AND I'VE GOT A LOT OF IDEAS.

SO, UM, I'VE TOLD HIM I WILL NOT ONLY VOTE NO AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT SHOULD MY COLLEAGUES PUT A TAX INCREASE ON THE BALLOT? UH, OVER MY OBJECTION, I RUN A NO CAMPAIGN ON THE TAX INCREASE MEASURE.

UM, AND, AND IF, UNLESS I AM COMPLETELY 100% OUT OF OTHER IDEAS, WHICH IS A LONG WAY OFF, THANK YOU.

ENSURING THAT THERE ARE ADEQUATE PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL IS A CONCERN TO ALL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ALIKE.

HOW WOULD YOU ENSURE THAT LAHABRA MAINTAINS THE HIGH LEVEL OF PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES CURRENTLY AFFORDED BY THE COMMUNITY? MR. CRUZ, CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION, ENSURING THAT THERE ARE ADEQUATE PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL IS A CONCERN TO RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ALIKE.

HOW WOULD YOU ENSURE THAT LAHABRA MAINTAINS THE HIGH LEVEL OF PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES CURRENTLY AFFORDED BY YOUR COMMUNITY? UH, THE CURRENT BUDGET CUTS ONLY 3.3% FROM THAT, FROM WHAT I READ.

SO, SO FAR IT'S BEEN MAINTAINED, UH, WELL, CONSIDERING WHAT'S GOING ON.

UM, I WOULD, I WOULD JUST SAY TO KEEP THE BUDGET THE WAY IT IS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST HOPEFULLY THAT THEY CAN TRY TO FIND A WAY TO RENEW THE, UH, THE SALES TAX MEASURE IN THE COMING YEARS.

THANK YOU, MR. SHAW.

WELL, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING THE BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK.

SO, UH,

[00:40:01]

WHEN THAT CONTRACT IS UP FOR RENEWAL, WE COULD EXPLORE IDEAS LIKE, UH, CONTRACTING PERHAPS WITH, UH, THE FULTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, IF, UM, AND GET, HOPEFULLY GET THEM IN A BIDDING WAR WITH EACH OTHER.

AND WE, THEREFORE WE GET, UH, THE BEST, UH, THE BEST PRICE THERE.

YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS, UH, POLICE, YOU KNOW, IT IS, UM, KIND OF HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE TO KEEP, CONTINUE TO HIRE, UH, QUALITY OFFICERS.

UH, WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WORKING IN OUR, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB, BUT KEEPING THEM WELL-TRAINED AND, UH, HAVING PAYING THEM A SALARY THAT THEY WILL STAY HERE, YOU KNOW, AS A CHALLENGE, WHEN WE HAVE OTHER CITIES OUT THERE THAT MIGHT BE, UH, OFFERING A HIGHER SALARY.

SO IT IS JUST A MATTER OF HAVING A SOLID, UH, FINANCIAL BASIS FOR THE CITY THAT WE LOOK AT, THINGS LIKE ANYTHING THAT CAN EXPAND OUR REVENUES TO THE CITY, BECAUSE ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE BUDGET DOES GO TO PUBLIC SAFETY BETWEEN THE POLICE AND FIRE.

THANK YOU, MISS ESPINOSA.

YEAH.

IT'S ABOUT 46% OF OUR BUDGET GOES TO A PUBLIC SAFETY IF WE'RE THAT.

BUT, UH, I, I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.

I MEAN, ONE OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS, ONE OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS JUST RECENTLY, UH, HAD A FAREWELL PARTY BECAUSE THEY WERE NOW MOVING ON TO BECOME A CHIEF OF ANOTHER CITY.

SO THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE DOING WELL HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

WE'RE TRAINING THEM WELL.

UM, AND THEY ARE PERFORMING WELL.

SO I, I, UM, DON'T HAVE ANY, I THINK IF WE CAN JUST KEEP THE BUDGET THE WAY IT IS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE TRAINING AND THE POLICE CHIEF THAT WE HAVE PRESENTLY STAYS HERE.

I THINK WE'LL BE IN GOOD HANDS.

UH, AS A FOLLOWUP TO THAT QUESTION, UM, A RESIDENT IS ASKING IF YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY, NECESSA NOSA.

I, I KNOW THAT POLICE CHIEF KEEPS US ENGAGED.

HE, UH, TELLS THE REPORTS TO OUR CITY MANAGER.

I THINK IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT NEEDS TO CONTACT US IF THEY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE I AM READING THE STAFF REPORTS.

THEY'RE VERY TRANSPARENT.

UM, AND IF, LIKE I SAID, IF THERE IS AN ISSUE THAT A RESIDENT MEMBER HAS A CONCERN OF, THEY SHOULD ABSOLUTELY CONTACT ONE OF US.

SO I CAN BE AWARE OF IT AS WELL.

BUT NORMALLY WHEN I AM, WHEN ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS IS TOLD, WE ARE ALL TOLD ABOUT WHAT IS TAKING PLACE.

SO I, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE TRANSPARENCY AND I'M COMFORTABLE WITH IT.

I JUST WISH THAT IF THERE WAS RESIDENT MEMBERS THAT DO HAVE CONCERNS, PLEASE CALL US AND DISCUSS IT WITH US, MR. SHAW.

YES.

UH, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES A FANTASTIC JOB AND I, I REALLY COME TO LOVE AND APPRECIATE THEM.

AND I THINK CHIEF PRICE DOES DO A WONDERFUL JOB.

HE, UH, GREW UP IN HIS CAREER, UH, HERE IN THE LA HARBOR PD AND BECAME OUR CHIEF.

UM, I KNOW THEY DO.

I THINK THEY DO A GREAT JOB AT COMMUNITY POLICING, UM, AND DOING THINGS LIKE COFFEE WITH A COP IS A PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN KIND OF COME AND HAVE COFFEE WITH OUR POLICE OFFICERS, ASK THEM QUESTIONS.

UM, AND THIS, I BELIEVE WE'RE AS TRANSPARENT AS, AS, UH, CAN BE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MEAN WE STOP LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE AND BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MR. CRUZ.

UM, I'VE MET SOME OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT DURING, UH, EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINING THAT I TOOK, AND I THINK THEY'RE DOING IT.

THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.

UH, I WOULD SAY THAT MAYBE THEY CAN PROVIDE SOME MORE DATA TO THE PUBLIC AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON LOCALLY.

UM, AND OTHERWISE, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM LAW SOVEREIGNS AS TO WHAT THEY, WHAT, WHAT THEY FEEL ABOUT THE LAW, WHAT, UH, WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S DOING AND, AND HOW THEY FEEL, YOU KNOW, THEY SHOULD COMMENT AS TO WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE EXPECTING, BUT THE, UH, THE LA HARBOR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A ROBUST SOCIAL MEDIA PROGRAM AND THEIR PLATFORMS ARE PRETTY RESPONSIVE.

SO THEY DO A GREAT JOB, UH, TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD.

SO THANK YOU.

WE TALK ABOUT CONGESTION, TRAFFIC AND A REDUCTION IN OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT, ASIDE FROM MASS TRANSIT, HOW WOULD YOU PROPOSE TO IMPLEMENT, IMPROVE AND OPEN SPACE WITHIN OUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE? MR. SHAW? OKAY.

CAN YOU, I'M SORRY.

FORGIVE ME.

COULD YOU REPEAT THAT LAST PART ONE MORE TIME? WELL, LET ME READ THE WHOLE THING, KEEP IT IN CONTEXT.

WE TALK ABOUT CONGESTION, TRAFFIC AND A REDUCTION IN OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT, ASIDE FROM MASS TRANSIT, HOW WOULD YOU PROPOSE TO IMPLEMENT IMPROVED AND OPEN SPACE WITHIN YOUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE? OKAY, WELL, I MEAN, AS FAR AS CONGESTION GOES AND TO KEEP CARS, YOU DON'T WANT CARS SITTING AT RED LIGHTS, IDLING, AND PUTTING OUT YOUR GREENHOUSE GASES THERE.

SO YOU WANT TO OF COURSE