Together We Can Make Yuba City Better!

I have always sought to be aware of what is going on politically in our nation at all levels, not only have I become somewhat of an authority to friends and family when they are seeking to learn more about an issue, more and more I have felt compelled to become not just a citizen who seeks to understand the world around me, but a person who can affect change. Seeking this position is a call to action for me and put simply, is ‘the right thing to do’. Moreover, I am a high school government teacher. I genuinely believe that today’s youth desperately need to have role-models, especially those in leadership, who insist on maturity and respect in discourse and who will work to be problem solvers versus leaders who further division in an already fragmented society. There are far too many potential leaders with strong values and great minds who have lost all interest in civic participation and that cannot be our new reality. I feel I have a duty to my community and my nation to step up. What happens to this great nation if we all stop caring? Lastly, logically speaking, I have the time to prioritize a position such as council and have the desire to be the voice for constituents in Yuba City who do not have the time and who are truly the backbone of our economy: small business owners and working families.

In a general sense, my goals are to contribute to decisions in ways which focus on strengthening philosophic and economic American values: life, liberty, property rights, capitalism, work ethic, growth, education, family, faith, patriotism, health, safety, etc. Focusing on these values will inevitably raise the standard of living for all. Specifically, if elected to council, I will act in good faith in the budget making process and focus on safety through infrastructure improvements, including the vital need for road repairs; ensure adequate funding to address the impacts vagrants and squatters have on our small businesses and public spaces; and work with Sutter County to ensure that the sheriff and district attorney have the funding needed to keep serial criminals behind bars. Ultimately, my biggest immediate goal is to help Yuba City remain a safe city that attracts families and businesses that share our small-town values.

I am well qualified for this office because I believe success on a city council is related significantly more to inborn leadership ability, character, and demeanor; I am a person of integrity and I am diplomatic, always. I also believe that being a critical thinker who is well read and researched is an essential qualification for this office- I offer those skills and am confident that I can bring eclectic views and new perspectives to the council.

Three things that enhance my viability as a candidate immensely are the following: I have a deep understanding of representative government and federalism- one must know and respect what it means to be a representative and act in ways that result in the greatest benefit to the greatest number of citizens; I am not guided by ego or self-serving aspiration- I seek this position out of humility and a positive sense to serve versus having the need for validation or having a negative personal agenda; and finally, I am extremely well traveled- travel to all fifty states and fifty countries have massively broadened my scope for understanding the complexities of this world. My knowledge of history plays a role in this understanding as well, and I recognize just how urgent it is for us to act now at the local level to help prevent some of the humanitarian and existential threats that plague nations around the world.

While I don’t believe taxes should be the first option as a source of revenue nor are taxes the only solution to bringing in revenue at any level of government, certain municipalities, especially in a state like California, are economically at the mercy of terrible state level policies and the rising cost of living. Frankly, putting together a budget that will keep a municipality running smoothly in California is nearly impossible in our current economic situation. I absolutely hate the idea of raising taxes on those who already contribute the most to our community, but also understand the inevitability of attempting to run a city and maintain a high quality of life for citizens if we do not. The fact of the matter is that city leaders cannot fix the problems created by federal and state policies that destroy the economy. Sometimes implementing taxes is necessary in order to prevent bigger challenges later.

Upon speaking with Yuba City City Manager Diana Langley, and other department managers of our city, there are not places to pull from the budget; the bulk of our city’s budget is assigned to public safety and public works and those two departments must be financial priorities for us. The City actually has fewer employees now than it did 10 years ago. Unfortunately, the short term needs of our city cannot be met by finding alternative ways to raise revenue. Ideally, Yuba City continues to grow in order to bring new businesses/residents/jobs and therefore revenue, but this growth is not keeping up with the effect that the ills plaguing California society are having on us. It is crucial that we address our crumbling roads, homelessness, and in my opinion and the most important part of this potential local tax: punishing criminals properly so that potential wrongdoers are deterred from committing them. That is where this local tax comes in. Our city needs the funds right now.

I am a strong supporter of Prop 36, which if passed with help us locally with criminalizing drugs. This, along with the passage of the 1% local sales tax will inevitably help deal with homelessness because anywhere from 50%-80% of homelessness is partially due to drug addiction. Drug crimes need to come with heavy consequences, period. Also, because poor mental health also contributes to homelessness, I am in favor of various projects that will help address the needs of those homeless people who have mental health issues. Project Minor and Project Major (former Fremont Hospital) are being executed to help address these needs. What I do not support is long-term handouts to the homeless, this is counterproductive and does not help them. Homeless people are already entitled to over $1,000 SSI benefits per month, so regardless of shelter circumstances, if used correctly, this money could help those who want to get back on their feet do so if they desired. My fear is that in our immediate future in this area we will see an influx of homeless as so many are being moved out of the San Francisco and the Bay Area as a result of the Medford decision. We need to implement a plan that will immediately return these people to their hometowns.