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Los Angeles County, CA November 8, 2005 Election
Smart Voter

Do You Really Want to Become the Better Planned San Fernando Valley?

By Desmond Kester

Candidate for Mayor; City of Palmdale

This information is provided by the candidate
It is time for the City of Palmdale to change direction and the residents reclaim their voice in local government.
Do you really want to become "the better planned San Fernando Valley"? My wife Marta and I love Palmdale, but today, we think Palmdale is going in the wrong direction.

Are you concerned with eminent domain? The City can do it to you. More and more residents and businesses are feeling the sting of the new Supreme Court ruling concerning emiinent domain and the role redevelopment agencies play in this process.

  • It is time to get the Community Redevelopment Agency under control by limiting our use of eminent domain to last resort and emergency situations.

Are you angered your California Constitution and Proposition 13 protections are circumvented in the guise of improving your property value as a direct assessment?
  • The City did it to you. Proposition 13 requires two thirds and direct assessments require 50%+1. The parks assessment does not improve public health and safety, value, or access to your property, thus circumventing Proposition 13 protections.

Do you think it is proper for a city manager to be paid more than California's Governor, plus over $30,000 in bonuses?
  • It is time to stop making millionaires out of contracted employees paid by the taxpaying public. We need to agree on a more reasonable structure for pay and incremental raises.

Are you outraged city credit cards are used to pay family members travel expenses of local elected officials?
  • The mayor of Compton went to prison for this practice. It is time to put safeguards in place against this practice, and I will lead in the process.

Do you believe it is time elected officials stop big fundraiser dinners of appreciation sponsored by large developers?
  • Right now there are petitions being circulated to get this very issue on the state ballot. I will work to put forth legal protections against this practice immediately.

Are you tired of corporate welfare?
  • We must use our development funds to bring in real jobs that pay better than minimum wage, It is known small entrepreneurial businesses can bring in better than minimum wage jobs and provide real work stability to the community.
  • It is time to stop the abuse and misuse of the redevelopment agency, to stop condemning desert land as blight, while paying billion dollar corporations millions to bring minimum wage jobs adding to our overburdened medical facilities. Minimum wage earners are uninsured or under insured and often times must get food stamps.
  • We must start paying off the 1.6 billion plus dollar debt of the redevelopment agency and move to a development agency system.
  • We must renew our downtown, helping small local businesses and renewing our historic neighborhoods.

Are you frustrated your city ignores you and and limits your participation at the City Council meetings?
  • I propose two public comment portions for the meetings and that the meetings are adjusted to the needs of the needs of the working taxpaying public. I also think those public comments should not be limited to three minutes. I want to restore the voice of the people so they will be heard.

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