- Since rejoining the council in 2017 I have consistently made public safety the highest priority. With the state releasing the criminal population due to COVID-19, the “no bail” catch & release failure and the weakened state laws, I have consistently voted to add more officers and purchase additional safety equipment. With increasing retirements, other cities recruiting from the same eligible candidates and the delay in recruits graduating from the police academy-it is crucial to keep hiring qualified officers.
- PROTECT SINGLE FAMILY ZONING – I informed the council that we needed to push back against the politicians in Sacramento with a resolution OPPOSING EVERY BILL that would destroy one lot single family homes in our City! MY proposal passed 5-0. I also notified the public to call our assembly member (Muratsuchi) and state senator (Ben Allen) to vote NO. They did and every bill that would damage Single Family R-1 zoning here failed, this time. HOWEVER, these discriminatory anti-single family bills will come back in 2021 and i will be there to fight them again!
- I was supportive of allowing our MB village mall to “completely renovate” and be able to compete with surrounding retail establishments. The prior council delayed the renovation for four years. Now, after this council voted to allow the mall to proceed, the owners committed to spend over $300 million and are over halfway complete. If not for COVID-19 our sales tax generated by the mall would surpass all other areas of the city.
- The Manhattan beach school board and this council are “true partners again”! After not meeting for four years (with the prior council) we meet monthly and have signed a new facilities agreement that compensates MBUSD fairly for the use of all school fields and Begg Pool.
- Signed off on “Extension of the MB Fire Union Labor Agreement on June 4, 2020, that extends the MOU until the State of Emergency is over or no later than January 30,2021 – when we can begin negotiations on a new fire contract.
- Voted for the approval of the new Gelsons Supermarket. It has contributed significant reduction in vehicle trips for neighbors to other grocery stores and also contributed sales tax revenue.
- In early 2019, I was successful in finding and applying for a $400,000 grant from the US Dept of Transportation (largest non public works grant in city history) to purchase four new dial-a-ride busses!!
- Made “repaving long neglected streets” in East MB a priority! Liberty Village completely repaved along with Manhattan Beach Blvd and many interior traffic streets. All streets adjacent to Meadows Elementary School to be repaved in October 2020 including Magnolia Avenue and 18th Streets!
- The Sepulveda Bridge at 35th often presents a bottle neck. Caltrans has Metro, Prop C and Measure R local monies available for use to remedy that and this council has moved that project forward with city money involved!! “I am strongly in favor of the bridge project which will enhance traffic flow.”
- We hired a new city manager without paying a “search fee” and without a multi-million dollar home loan!! We also cut $500,000 in salaries & benefits tied to unnecessary staff positions inherited from the prior council!! And no more assistant city manager or Economic Vitality positions!!