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This is the speech given at the Police Forum held
on March 25th, 2009. My original copy.
I am here today to seek the endorsement of the Pasadena Police Department,
its affiliated unions, and the citizens of this great city.
I have more in common with the 150,000 people who call Pasadena home than both my opponents combined. I
grew up at a time when dinner was served at 5:00 every day. If you weren’t there, you didn’t
eat. My siblings and I all had jobs throughout high school. On payday, half of the check
went to the household for groceries and utilities. My mother needed us and we were proud to help.I am also proud to stand in this chamber as a candidate for
Mayor of Pasadena. My candidacy is about the citizens of Pasadena. I was compelled to
run because our current administration represents only the elite in our community. Our city has been divided
into two sections, one that is vibrant and growing. A shining example of what private enterprise can do
to enhance a particular area with modern buildings and a solid dependable tax base. On the other hand we
have the north side identified by this study, the North Pasadena Redevelopment Plan. 23 square miles of
older homes, outdated buildings, declining rental units, and huge percentage of foreign born residents. Reading
this plan, the recurring theme seems to be that we need more studies. I am told that
this “study” cost the taxpayers $
260,000.00. Our city council just passed another ordinance to pay a local company $
85,000.00 to do a study on the properties that the city owns and what to do with them. Since the early
90’s this city has commissioned or conducted 4 other studies, one, the RUDAT study cost the city over $ 300,000.00 dollars.
Our city council approved a ordinance for about $ 350,000.00, to repair the roof at the permit building
on Curtis, which, at this time, cannot be occupied. Hopefully this building is included 85,000.00
study. A comprehensive inventory of the properties to be studied was not part of the award.
Fellow citizens, the money in the accounts of the City and the Second Century Corporation, belong to us, not to the
Mayor or his campaign contributors.I am convinced that the
starting point for the redevelopment of the focus area begins right across the street. It begins with the
brave men and women at the Pasadena Police Department.It is
evident from these various studies that this work does not begin with our elected officials. In order to attract investors, private enterprise, and partnerships to invest in
this focus area, we must first pursue and enforce a zero tolerance policy towards crime and litter. Homebuilders,
commercial investors, home-flippers, need to have the confidence that their supplies with not be stolen from the jobsite.
They must be assured that their projects are safe after hours, on weekends, and between inspections. The
Police department is the backbone of this community. Your service and dedication allows us to sleep at
night. Your service gives us confidence that when we leave our homes to go to work, that our lives will
not be violated while we are away. Without a principled, honorable police force this city cannot operate
or prosper.As Mayor, my first order of business will be to
immediately hire a police chief. Next will be to drastically increase funding to the Chief and his department,
by steering the millions of dollars wasted by this administration and the ones before it, directly to the Chief.
It will be his responsibility to disburse the funds to the appropriate departments. Salaries, overtime
pay, equipment, tools, staffing, insurance benefits, and more. Unlike our current Mayor, it is not my intention
to micro manage the Police Department. I am convinced that this city needs a Point Man, not a Point at
you man. A Mayor that will lead the city and its citizens by the hand, taking short measured steps.
Unlike the current mayor who has the city in a choke-hold, dragging it through the mud, as if it were the spoils from
a hunt. As Mayor, I will work tirelessly
to promote this city with particular focus on the north side. I will immediately begin work on the most
important artery in this focus area, Southmore. I will commission a program to remove abandoned and delapidated
buildings. The city will assist property owners with whatever compliance problems that they may encounter.
How can we possibly ask others to partner with us if we are unwilling to partner with our citizens and business owners.
I will lift the moratorium regarding automobile dealerships in this focus area, inviting these owners to build new
facilities bringing with them jobs and prosperity. Your
endorsement and the endorsement of the citizens will give me the opportunity to prove myself. I owe everything
I have to this City. I would love the opportunity to show you what a full time mayor, using only common
sense and dedication, can do to revitalize this focus area. If you give me the chance, I will become the
best Mayor that this city has ever had.
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