Rebuild Our Small Business Network
Our city’s economic future depends on thriving businesses that meet the needs of the community. In the absence of a Chamber of Commerce, our small business community needs information and advocacy. Who better to fill this need than business owners themselves? I propose establishing a Business Roundtable composed of independent business owners as well as San Gabriel residents with business, finance, and employee relations experience. Funding that the council awarded to the Chamber can be redirected to this effort. The Roundtable will be a valuable resource to promote and strengthen our small business community, and it may also inform and guide council members in setting policy.
Improve Access to Smith Park pool
Nearly every neighboring city in the SGV is offering more summer recreational swim hours than San Gabriel. Families deserve greater access to this oasis especially with the unrelenting heat we are experiencing during the summer. I am committed to seeking funding to improve the facility so that it is functional for more than six or eight weeks in summer. I will also look for a solution to a shortage of lifeguards if that continues to limit swim hours.
Promote Public Safety and Healthy Neighborhoods
Thriving neighborhoods that are safe depend on us working together as a community. We must focus on all available tools to keep our city safe. It is a given that the city should fund police and fire responders adequately - that is a minimum bar for campaign promises. But creating a socially and mentally healthy community where everyone feels safe, requires open dialogue on what “safe” means to residents. It may mean seeing officers on patrol, adequate street lighting, a neighborhood watch, alarms and cameras, or simply feeling welcome and accepted. One thing that does not promote a healthy sense of safety is talking points that raise unreasonable fears about crime, and which do nothing to help us identify effective ways to mitigate the crime rate. What happens in one area impacts all others — North, South, East, and West. But what impacts the decisions affecting the safety and wellbeing of our community happens in the middle, right here at City Hall.
Develop a Civic Leadership Pipeline
We need to develop civic leadership skills program and provide opportunity, especially among youth and millennial adult residents, to create a pipeline of business, nonprofit, and community leaders. Our goal should be for them to acquire deep knowledge of the city’s history, appreciation of its diverse cultures, understanding of city governance, and effective communication skills, all to prepare them to be a civically minded individual when pursuing their education or career. This is an investment in the city’s future, to ensure the city is an attractive home for the next generations.
Restore a Council Commitment to Equity and Inclusion
The only way council members can claim to be working towards equity and inclusion in city operations and policies, is to meet regularly with residents from diverse communities within the city, and keep an open door to receive their questions and concerns. I will work with council colleagues to restore trust in the council’s awareness and understanding of the full community, with a goal of building bridges across isolated groups and neighborhoods to ensure San Gabriel is an inclusive community in which all residents feel they belong and are valued.
Ensure That Council Action Follows Thorough Study and Inquiry
The council should not make decisions in a vacuum. Staff reports, though conscientiously prepared, reflect the experience and perspective of the authors. Council members should bring more to their analysis of these reports by doing homework such as keeping up with current social and political news, comparing how other cities are addressing issues, and finding creative ways to engage residents. I pledge to dig deep, especially on how tax dollars are spent, and to apply my business, law and governing experience to make responsible, effective decisions.