New Leadership, New Ideas!
We need a vision, otherwise, we haven't been focused for the past decade and a half. That's why there is no growth. I hear a lot of "much more for us to do" from the other candidates, but what, how, how do we measure our success? I'm sure in JPL, Raytheon, Kaiser, Nestle and other SP 500 etc. all have a vision statement, their values and their mission. That's how we move things forward, that's how we measure ourselves. Many cities do too!
VISION:
To increase city revenue, establish a sustainable Bio-medical Corridor in the “City of Health”; create 21st century well-paying jobs; introduce world class education and establish Duarte as a premiere city for health in Los Angeles County.
At The Future Goldline Station: "Next Stop, City of Health where you can find all kinds of cure in Duarte!"
VALUES: Integrity, Compassion, Relationship, Innovation, Performance
I value this at my work and I truly believe that's why UnitedHealthcare is so successful. Duarte should have something similar.
MISSION:
Proactive Economic Development: Main Foundation to be built upon Biotech firms, Medical Convention Center, popular Four-Star & Five-Star Hotels and Mixed-Use buildings located near the Goldline. This will generate additional revenue for the city.
No New Taxes: when necessary; reduce taxes as necessary to promote growth. Because of the 20 years of status quo and non-proactive economic growth, the citizens should not be TAXED as this is NOT their fault. We must find ways to increase revenue immediately and NOT TAX our people.
Create Better Jobs: Increase desirable, entry level jobs for the 21st Century, with starting salaries of approximately $50,000. According to Los Angeles Economic Development Commission, the next 10 years will be about Healthcare, Information Technology and Hospitality Jobs. We will have all these high paying jobs in the future.
Support Small Businesses: Competitive & comparable to adjacent cities. Reduce City Fees and support growth. Create a new corridor that would entice people to come to Duarte to find healthy food, events, medicine, entertainment, etc.
Reduce Red Tape: Decrease expensive business restrictions and fees. The entry point for doing business in Duarte is too high. An average wage income person would have to decide if they would like to start a business or pay the mortgage.
Reduce restrictions to beautify the homes. Many Duarte homes have a one car garage. If residents would like to expand their garage size, let them do it in a reasonable manner.
Increase Efficiency and Increase Technology to Decrease Operational Spending – Implement LED lights, solar panels, install hardy green grass that consumes less water.
Beautification: Dirt Roads – pave them; No curbs? Make them...Have Greener grass, increase easy to maintained lush trees at residential areas, upkeep roads and signs - anything reasonable to help beautify the city in an elegant way.
Vulcan issue: I graduated from UC Irvine with Chemistry and Pre-Med. I know these rock particles/silica floating around our neighborhood is absolutely unhealthy and it is going against our City of Health Vision. It is unethical and immoral to think that people would seek monetary benefit before humanity. They need to stop the mining and move it out to a remote area NOT right next to the San Gabriel Valley and 1 mile from Valley View Elementary. I am 110% OPPOSING to the demolition of our beautiful mountains and we will fight with facts and science. Together, we can overcome extreme capitalism.
Create an "Old Town Duarte with fine dining" after the establishment of the Bio-Tech Park. Publicize the Trail to promote healthy living & lifestyles. Have summer symphony concerns. Improve neighboring streets south of Huntington. Create "Home Beautification Awards"
Improve Education: We are living in the City of Health, why not cooperate with one of the best health facilities in the world - City of Hope. Create a world class place to live in and raise children. Create ROP classes that cater to Healthcare, Math, Science and Engineering. I've heard many great things about our Duarte Teachers. Let's continue to support them and make Duarte School System more competitive to Rio Hondo League Schools.
Healthcare and Information Technology are the way of the future. 4% of the Information Technology sector are unemployed. Only 2% of the Healthcare IT are unemployed. The wave is here and we need to be at the center of the 21st Century Biotech industry and the Technology Boom. We should teach our children the skills they will need to better their lives in the 21st Century.
Promote Healthier Lifestyle: Give advice/instruction on how to live a healthy & balanced lifestyle that still leaves room to enjoy fine cuisine & activities in Duarte. Have an "Outdoor Symphony Concert" up on the hill.
If a leader is saying, "No, good restaurants will not want to come to Duarte, then we need that person to stop serving as a leader immediately and let someone else that has a vision to make us better!" Can you imagine if you are the CEO of a company and you tell your stakeholders that "That is it! Can't do any better! This is what it is!" That CEO would be fired the next day! Let's install a fresh person with fresh ideas and help us grow our city! If our leaders don't have the vision, then where is the town going?
In addition, let us create a bike path for all the bicyclists that ride and enjoy Duarte weekly.
Do you know we have sand volleyball courts? Lets create some semi-professional tournament to increase Duarte's athleticism. Maybe we can get ESPN3 to televise it!
Support Senior Services: making sure we support our aging and special needs population. Why is it that we cannot have a dial a ride program and/or have a "electric van" to take people around town?
Reduce traffic at needed areas by widening streets and synchronizing street lights.
Reduce Parking Issue: I am going to think outside the box on this one. Perhaps all of the non-operating vehicles that are parked on the streets should be parked at one of our many empty lands (Just pave the lot nicely to be a temporary parking lot) so residents and their friends can have more parking spaces.
Safer Place to Live: Reduce Crime, increase patrols and increase neighbor watch groups (We have awesome neighborhood groups! Let's keep it up!),
We must maintain & improve our medical and fire service. Perhaps when the city has a surplus, the city can help rebuild Station 44 to accommodate an additional paramedic unit.
Furthermore, create speed bumps, stop signs and speed monitoring signs at the needed areas.
Improving Living with Higher Wages: encourage commercial & residential to up-keeping and promote & support home improvements. Increase after school programs, education and counseling.
Pet Friendly Neighborhood – Create a Dog Park for the Local Residents. There is no Dog Park other than the ones in Pasadena and Arcadia. Let’s create one and have all dog lovers benefit this establishment.
Improve Duarte’s Visibility: Want people from the Goldline to visit Duarte to seek better health and cures for their ailments. "Next Stop, City of Health where you can find all kinds of cures in Duarte!"
Unfortunately, most people in Southern California don't even know where Duarte is located. I tell them Monrovia or Pasadena! Im sure you do too!
Work with Adjacent Cities: i.e. Arcadia, Bradbury and Monrovia to increase interoperability and beautification.
