Protect public safety and support Orange Police and Fire

I am proud of our public safety professionals here in Orange. They are innovative and constantly seeking to improve the delivery of services to Orange residents. I've been asked often about the 'Defund the Police' movement and I am absoultely opposed to this idea, it is simply not the answer.

 

Orange PD is part of a consortium of police departments who have been working together for the past three years to review and pilot innovative community programs that champion crime prevention and community policing. North Orange County Public Safety Task Force is a model of cooperation and committed self-improvement. OPD has also committed to "Eight That Can't Wait" which is a set of policing strategies that help minimize the potential for police brutality and focus on a department's commitment to creating a culture of accountability. This is where we should focus to see lasting improvements that protect everyone. Furthermore, our new budget authorizes 11 new officers for our growing City. This increase includes the unfreezing of 6 positions that have languished for decades.

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Orange Fire is constantly on alert to prevent fires in our community and helping our sister cities when they are called. In 2022 we will open the long-awaited all-new Station 1 in Old Towne which will increase our capacity to respond to emergencies. The new station will consolidate operations, improve service times and eliminate the seismic issues present at the current location. In addition, I approved the City's new budget that authorizes the expansion of our paramedic services and the creation of a new EMS program.

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Address homelessness with both services and enforcement

Homelessness continues to be a growing concern in our city. Petty crime, property intrusions and rampant vagrancy is impacting the quality of life for residents throughout the City but District 1 is particularly hard hit. We have to face this problem head-on and I am proud of the work I have done in this area. My work with HomeAid America, a nonprofit dedicated to building shelters with building Industry partners, and in the City of Anaheim has taught me that there are no easy answers.

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As a policy aide for Anaheim Council Member Kris Murray, I helped author the City's State of Emergency to address the massive homeless encampment along the Santa Ana River trail. Following that, we developed the Operation Home S.A.F.E. program that clearly spelled out how the City would move forward. The Council approved the program which included Services, Fair Warning then Enforcement. We scheduled a large triage day at Anaheim Stadium and brought individuals together with services and assistance from across the County. The bottom line, this multi-pronged approach met the demands of homeless advocates and Federal Judge Carter so that police and sheriff deputies could disband the encampment.

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We need to fight for how the County is dealing with these issues overall. North Orange County and Orange in particular have done more than our fair share in addressing these issues, building new shelters, and the County's brand-new Mental Health Crisis Center which will be located in our City. It is unfair that the County, and the Courts, aren't demanding the same level of commitment from our neighbors to the South.

 

As your council member, I have been working closely with the City Manager and Chief of Police to find new solutions to these issues in Orange. While there remain barriers at the state level, Orange has done its part and it is past time we start enforcing our ordinances. While we all agree that criminalizing homelessness is not the answer, if you are engaging in criminal behavior, that should not be tolerated.

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Preserve Old Towne Orange’s way of life

As a lifelong resident of Old Towne, I am intimately aware of how the area has changed over the years. Often called the 'jewel' of Orange, California's largest historic district didn't just happen. In fact, Old Towne as we know it came into being by Orange residents fighting City Hall. 30 years ago, the Old Towne area was run down, had no protections, and our historic homes and buildings were being systematically demolished to make way for shabby complexes that were incongruent with the historic charms we know today.

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Today, the Plaza and charming neighborhoods of Old Towne are joined by the utterly unique Eichler homes and historic buildings all over Orange. I was proud to be endorsed by the Old Towne Preservation Association (OTPA) PAC as the candidate who will fight to preserve and protect our City's historic resources.

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The Plaza, our historic District, and surrounding neighborhoods and buildings throughout the City are more than just lovely to look at, they are economic engines. By protecting them and enacting additional ordinances and policies, they can contribute even more to our bottom line. If re-elected to Council, I will continue to seek Certified Local Government status for Orange which requires a strong, expanded Design Review Committee (DRC) and opens the City to federal grants and additional funding sources that we will desperately need in the months/years to come. I will also advocate for the City to revisit the Old Towne Specific Plan to ensure it protects our most important asset so that we don't continue to lose historic icons like Watson's Soda Fountain.

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Grow our economy, not raise taxes on our residents, to pay for City services

As a small business owner in Orange, I could have moved my business anywhere. But I choose to bring my business to my hometown so that I do more to give back to my community. No other elected official in Orange has my business experience and that creative problem-solving at City Hall is sorely needed.

 

During my tenure change has begun to take place that was long overdue. Committees and commissions have been filled for the first time in years, a new Chief of Police was selected and the City now has a new Chief Executive in City Manager Rob Houston. These changes bring new ideas and outside experience to city government that was much needed. While we cherish our small town atmosphere, we must also embrace our responsibilities as a growing city.

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As a former community college trustee, I had 10+ years of experience managing complex budgets nearly four times the size of our City's. This experience, along with that of a business owner, has taught me how to manage revenue and expenses, how to ask tough questions, and, most importantly, how to protect taxpayers. I have advocated for better budgeting and the hiring of an advocate/grant writer. As a donor city, Orange needs aggressive advocacy at the state and federal levels to bring our hard-earned tax dollars back to the city and put that money to work for our residents.

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My record has earned me endorsements from the Orange County Taxpayer Association (OCTax) PAC and the Orange County Business Council's BizPAC. My strong stance on protecting historic Prop 13 has also earned me recognition from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and I am proud to have taken the organization's Taxpayer Pledge.

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