Candidates Forum: Mary Ann Lutz

This is the second installment of our Patch City Council Candidates Forum. The five candidates for office in the April 12 municipal elections responded to questions submitted by readers and the Patch editor. A different candidate's answers will be posted each day this week. Jason Cosylion's responses . Mayor Mary Ann Lutz is running for reelection unopposed.

1. Please tell us about yourself and why you should be elected or reelected to represent the people of Monrovia.

I have had the privilege of living in Monrovia for virtually all of my adult life. I was elected to serve you on the City Council in 2003 after a long history of volunteering within our community and region including the campaign in 2001 in which we, the citizens of Monrovia, voted to purchase the foothills to create a Wilderness Preserve. In 2009 you elected me to represent you as your Mayor.

I hold several key regional leadership roles, including:

• Board Member and Chair of the Environmental, Energy, and Natural Resources Committee and Water Working Group for San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments. 
• Member Gold Line Joint Powers Authority
• Alternate Board Member Metro Gold Line Construction Authority
• Member Los Angeles County Integrated Waste Management Task Force.
• Vice-Chair of the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board, an appointment by Governor Schwarzenegger.
• Various ad-hoc committees as Mayor with Southern California Edison, So. California Air Quality Management District and many others.

Our City is stable, with the momentum to continue its success – in spite of an especially uncertain economic and political environment.

These achievements don’t happen by accident. As Mayor, I work hard to build consensus within our community and regionally. I make tough decisions based on what I’ve learned. I take special pride in knowing that the vision we have today will make Monrovia stronger tomorrow.

Please join me as I renew my commitment to direct Monrovia’s momentum. Vote to re-elect me as your Mayor on April 12, 2011.

2. How will the Gold Line benefit the city, and what should be done to best take advantage of it when it finally arrives?

The Gold Line brings many benefits to our community. Transportation opportunities for sure, but the economic opportunities are plentiful. Our community has been talking about and planning for this momentous occasion for nearly 20 years. The economic benefits will come from the Station Square transit oriented development. This development is planned to bring hundreds of residential opportunities, including low and moderate affordable housing. Bringing new residences that will live, shop and become community members of our city.

The next opportunity is business. There is planned 250,000 square feet of office space that will bring 600 or more new jobs. Not to mention all the jobs created to build this development. There is a plan for light retail shops, restaurants and service businesses. All of this economic growth and activity brings new sales and property taxes to secure our city budget. The entire community will benefit from open space and a park that has been planned in this new area.  

The Gold Line also brings the opportunity to redesign and upgrade our inter-city transportation modes.  We will be looking at various opportunities for public transportation to and from the Gold Line rail station and beyond to many parts of our community.  This will improve our public transportation within the city and compliment the services offered by the Gold Line. All and all, when it is all said and done, the Gold Line will bring millions of dollars of opportunity and benefits for our city.

3. If you had sole authority and responsibility to create a very lean budget for Monrovia, briefly tell us what items you would definitely keep, and what you would definitely cut. (Submitted by reader Charlotte Schamadan)

Monrovia’s budget is very tight, to say the least, right now. We are at a point where making these decisions becomes more difficult every year. I would not advocate raising fees, taxes or fines. I would continue to work with our employee associations to increase the employee paid portion of their health and pension benefits. I would also institute a two-tiered system to ensure the financial future of our city.

Public safety and public infrastructure must remain constant. There are many items I do not want to eliminate: Monrovia Youth Employment Service, Monrovia Area Partnership, Monrovia Reads and Plays, Summer Extranganaza, Library services and I do not want a reduction in service hours at city hall. I would advocate keeping all of these items as well as a few others; cuts will have to be made, but I would strive to save the core benefits of each.   

I would implore our staff to look for ways to save our financial resources by improving our energy efficiency, applying for more grants and developing more partnerships. We also need to reach out to our community for more volunteer opportunities. I would also advocate keeping our reserves stable.

4. What's your take on building a park on the south side or the idea of naming it after a local Latino? (Submitted by reader Ralph Walker)

Securing a park south of Huntington Drive has been a goal for our City Council and me since my first election in 2003. That is why I and other Council Members made sure the plans for Station Square has always included open space and a park. As for naming the park and/or identifying the amenities in the park; I would like to put together a group of community stakeholder meetings to make those determinations. But it needs to be said that right now the funding for a park land is predicated on redevelopment and the state of California.  

The need for park space is acute in all of our community. The definition of a park, open space with the opportunity to run, play sports and the use of a play ground is fundamental. Our school yards are parks and that is why I have spent the better part of this year collaborating with the Monrovia Unified School District to open their school yards after school and on weekends as park space. In April we will have succeeded in opening all of our elementary school campuses and we hope to include the secondary schools in the months to follow. A huge thank you is owed to the school district for this effort.

5. What is your position on a tiered system of retirement benefits for city employees? How do you propose bringing the benefits in line with what the city can afford while maintaining competitive standards among "like" cities? Do you believe that Police/Fire should have a different retirement benefit than other City employees? (Submitted by reader Nancy Matthews)

As stated in the answer to question number 3, I would like to continue to negotiate with the employee associations and would like to propose a two-tiered system for city employees. Several years ago when we negotiated the last contract for our Police Department employees we eliminated the process of competitive standards for “like” cities. It has long been a tradition that public safety employees receive different benefits, specifically with regards to retirement, due to the nature of the stress level of their jobs. While I understand why that has been the tradition I believe that we need to look at all aspects of employee benefits and how they affect our city’s financial security as well as benefits the ability for us to recruit and hire effective and efficient employees.

6. How will the proposed elimination of redevelopment agencies affect Monrovia in the short term and long term?

The elimination of redevelopment for the city of Monrovia will have major short-term results. We might not be able to continue with the negotiations with the Gold Line for the sale of property, which could jeopardize the Gold Line for the entire region. Our development plans for Station Square are in question as well as for Myrtle and Huntington, Fifth and Huntington and many other plans that we have been working on for many years. The funding for successful programs such as Monrovia Area Partnership will cease. Long term affects are unknown. How can we attract new businesses to our community, new housing, and new jobs when all of our tools have been taken away? The future of reenergizing our community out of this recession is definitely in question.

7. How are you going to fight voter apathy in Monrovia? Why is voter turnout usually so low? (Submitted by reader Ralph Walker)

I feel an engaged community that believes they are being heard is the best way to fight voter apathy. During each of my campaigns for City Council and now for mayor I have tried to reach out to voters and non-registered potential voters. During campaigning I walk neighborhoods, talking to people about the issues and then after the campaign, I came back to many of those neighborhoods to continue the discussion. 

Getting youth engaged and involved is another way I feel we can build voting adults.  When putting together my campaign team for this re-election I carefully chose two individuals to assist me in focusing on the youth of our community;  a “Rock the Vote” for Monrovia. The recent Youth State of the City Address on March 24, in which more than 70 youth attended, was a direct result of those efforts. We registered 10% of the youth to vote that day and they will be voting for the first time in this election. I have and will continue to be engaged with the youth of our community, keeping them informed, listening and acting on their concerns.

8. What is your governing philosophy, and who are your political mentors/heroes? (Submitted by reader Charlotte Schamadan)

My governing philosophy is simple, listen, act and be involved. Local government is my favorite form of government because it is the only place where party politics don’t enter into the debate, where a citizen can speak directly to the elected servant. My heroes and mentors in local government are many. I have had the honor of working along side many of them and others have lead the way prior to my being elected. I have also learned a great deal from working along side elected officials in other local communities. Elected local officials all seem to have one focus in mind: to do the best for their community. That is a goal I try to subscribe to every day, which is why I believe you elected me.

9. The City Council has long been characterized by a spirit of cooperation. What about Monrovia has made the council so tightly knit, and should such a political atmosphere continue?

Monrovia has a great history of elected officials who work collaboratively and in a respectful manner.  There is not always agreement, but when we disagree on the issues we have strived to find compromise, unfortunately that is not always the case. But in every case we have always agreed to disagree without being disagreeable. I have watched many city councils in neighboring communities fight bitterly over what seems to be non-issue related items. These kinds of disagreements are personal and they lead to nonproductive city councils. The entire city suffers.   I believe that every member of our city council has been elected by the residences in our community and we owe it to them to do our best for the city, and that means focusing on the issues and the goals of our community, not on personal differences.  

10. What can you do to make Monrovia a better place? (Submitted by reader Debbie Elliott)

Monrovia is a great place to live and I wouldn’t want to live in anywhere else. Can Monrovia improve, absolutely, and I believe that is why you have elected me as your mayor, to keep Monrovia safe, continue to drive our economic development, to collaborate with the school district, and listen to you and act on your concerns that benefit the entire community.  I believe you have elected me to continue to direct the team that drives Monrovia’s momentum.