My Position

I am not a politician.  I am not a lawyer. I have never been employed by the State of California.  I have never worked for or advised companies involved in construction, or the movement or delivery of goods.  I am willing to accept political donations from individual police and firemen, but my campaign will not be funded by police and fire unions. I will never seek higher political office.

I am not a rocket scientist, but merely a retired Neurosurgeon.

I am running for a position on the South Pasadena City Council because there are things which need to be done and things which need to be stopped and I will do these things.

I grew up and attended the public school system in Detroit Michigan.  I attended the University of Michigan both undergraduate and medical school.  I came to California in 1970.  I spent two years at Camp Pendleton as a Battalion Surgeon in the First Marine Division.  I trained in Neurosurgery at USC-LAC Medical Center and at the Huntington Hospital.  It was while I was at the Huntington that I first heard about the City Of South Pasadena.  I moved into my first house in 1975.  I was married in 1978 and began to work with the Kaiser Hospitals in 1979.  My wife is a nurse at the Huntington Hospital.  I have raised three children in this City and they have attended the South Pasadena Public Schools.  I retired from Kaiser in 2005.

  The 710 extension must not proceed.  I do not support the extension of the 710 by a surface route, a route underground, or a route in the air.  The 710 extension is wrong for the city of South Pasadena.  It is wrong for the cities of Pasadena, Los Angeles-El Sereno, and La Canada.  It is also wrong for the City of Alhambra even if they don’t know it.  It is wrong for the County of Los Angeles, the State of California, and the entire country.

   The SR 710 was conceptualized in 1949 by the Department of Highways under the direction of Governor Earl Warren which envisioned a state freeway and expressway system which would insure that every community in the state would be within several miles of a freeway.  The Federal Government wanted a system of roads that could move men in material to become active if the cold war became a hot war.  A lot has changed in 60 years.  They need to reexamine what purpose an extension of the 710 would serve.  The state legislatures and CALTRANS need to reexamine the transportation needs of the State of California.  Goods need to be moved and people need to move, but the 710 extension does not meet the future needs of this State.  A heavy rail system to move containers from the ports to the Antelope Valley would remove trucks from the LA highway system and conform to South Pasadena’s Multimode policy.  A recent study by the Southern California Council of Governments though seriously flawed showed that even if the tunnel were built the increase in average speed on the regions freeways would be only from 31.5 to 32.2 MPH.  That is too small a bang for our buck.   This program is just too expensive.  The Federal and State Governments cannot afford the 9-12 Billion dollar cost.  The people ultimately would pay for this white elephant.  There are more pressing needs for these billions.  Remember that the 710 extension is not to be a freeway, but a toll road.  Even if the construction costs were to be funded by private investors, the users and the taxpayers would ultimately pay the entire cost.

  There are well documented health risks to children and adults living nearby to freeway exhaust fumes.  There is one recent study that documents that there is a decrease in IQ development in children born of mothers who lived in areas adjacent to freeways during their pregnancies.

  While on the Transportation Commission I learned of the concept of “traffic calming.”  This doesn’t mean more stop signs and lower speed limits, but a redesign of our streets, roadways, and public spaces to create an ambiance of peace and tranquility, and move traffic more efficiently and safely.  A plan was offered for Fremont from Alhambra Road to Columbia and I was impressed.  This is the kind of change that we need.  This City needs change that maintains the peaceful green environment and pace of life that we all seek.  Traffic Calming to me envisions a healthy environment where we don’t breath toxic exhaust fumes.  A peaceful environment maintains home values.  South Pasadena despite this terrible recession that we are all enduring has maintained its home values.

  I have been on the Transportation Commission for 18 months and during that time we have struggled with the a vexing issue from Pine Street residents who are dismayed by the traffic down their street.  I was moved by the tearful pleas at one recent meeting.  This problem has not been resolved.  I have found city staff’s efforts insufficient.  I feel we need to make a direct effort to reach out to the Mayor and the City Council of Alhambra to find a solution to this problem.  I would like to see better relations with the

   Recreational enjoyment goes a long ways to creating a welcoming environment.  That does not only mean soccer and baseball for youths, but opportunities for enthusiasts of all ages.  I am an avid bicyclist.  There is a great bike plan that has been created.  It needs to be implemented.

  The infrastructure of the city needs up dating. This includes streets, sidewalks, curbs, sewers, water lines, and reservoirs.   This cost money-lots of money.  I would work for this in a planned orderly manner while maintaining adequate strategic reserves.  Some of these needs are being meet.  The grand reservoir has been rebuilt….  Fair Oaks will be repaved and remade in a new format.  Monterey Road-Pasadena Avenue is scheduled for repaving in the next fiscal year and there are other streets scheduled to be repaved in this and the next fiscal year.

  I am an advocate of the commission system in this City.  I see the commissions as a means for the people of the city to take responsibility and an active part in the running of our city.  There are many intelligent and energetic citizens living here who would take an active role.  I am disappointed when talented people leave the commissions when their input is disregarded.   Commission members can serve to supplement the knowledge of the overworked and overwhelmed council members and city staff.

   Elimination of empty lots and rehabilitation of deteriorating buildings is a high priority.  What does it say about South Pasadena when the first structure one sees coming from Highland Park to South Pasadena is “Ginoa’s Restaurant” which is a crumbling wreck?  The downtown revitalization project has come to a halt.  Something needs to be done so that the next reincarnation of downtown redevelopment is agreed upon by the people it will serve and is on a sound financial base.

  The police and Fire departments provide excellent service.  The city staff provides a good level of service, but it could be better.  I worked for 27 years in the health care industry.  My level of service was evaluated yearly by patients and feedback was returned to me.  My pay was affected by the excellence of the care I provided.  When users of city services leave a city office they should fill out a three question post card reviewing their interactions so that good service may be recognized and poor service improved.

  What I hope to bring to the City Council is independence, an unbiased logical analysis of issues and decisions based on reality.