Ron on the Issues
Placentia is a safe place to live. We owe this to the efforts of our local firefighters, police officers, community organizations, and neighborhood watch groups.
We must not ever sacrifice the safety of our city to any political agenda. All of the candidates running for City Council certainly agree on this point.
However, in the recent past, problems have arisen in the City Council’s administration of Placentia’s public safety.
Last year, the City Council considered a proposal to contract out police services for the City, planning to eventually scrap our local police department. Surely, local police protection is not something to be outsourced.
It was a troubling reminder of this City Council’s eagerness to hire contractors and consultants prior to considering other alternatives.
Thankfully, we retain the Placentia Police Department, and they are offering their historically excellent public safety service. As a member of the City Council, I would work with the Placentia police to further safeguard our neighborhoods and streets.
Our local firefighters need our help to get the monies promised them by Proposition 172 in 1993. The present City Council has not helped the firefighters achieve the 10% of the public safety funding promised in 1993 (of which the firefighters presently get 0%).
Each year, nature promises us in Southern California a summer of wildfires. Our firefighters expect to battle fiercer fires each summer, both in our city and all over the Southland, and beyond.
The firefighters must replace their outdated technology, and buy new helicopters and trucks. We must keep faith with all of our first responders, including our local firefighters.
As a City Council member, I will work with our firefighters to safeguard our homes against the dangers of fires, and will work to get for them the funding they have been promised.