A major challenge to our City in the next two years will be balancing the budget. With lower-than-expected Sales Tax and Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenues, the unplanned multi-million-dollar expenditure necessitated by the mandatory arbitration award regarding police salaries, pending unexpected PERS pension fund contribution increases, State take-aways and unfunded mandates, and the general economic situation, Council must cut the budget and stretch remaining City dollars.

I am the best qualified candidate for Mayor to guide the city through the next budget process, difficult as it may be. Before becoming an attorney, I was a community college and university administrator with progressively greater budgetary responsibility. I started a branch of a community college, then was an Assistant Dean of Students at Stanford University in charge of Graduate Student Housing, and then Dean of Students at one of the Pomona Colleges. As an attorney, I ran my own successful law firm with associates and employees for seven years, before cutting back to a solo practice because of my election to City Council.  My six years on City Council have also given me ample experience in municipal finance.

When residents voted for Measure Y, the sales tax increase, they put their trust in the City to use the money generated as promised during the campaign. We have a duty to uphold those promises and maintain our 20% reserve, even as we struggle with a fiscal picture that is challenging.  We are not in danger of bankruptcy, but to remain financially sustainable over the long term, we must be ready to take creative corrective action in the next two years.