Candidate Lopez releases ballot statement
The following is the ballot statement from the Web site Woodland City Council candidate Alfred Lopez:
Alfredo 'Fred' Lopez
Age: 43
Occupation: Business Owner
I am running for Woodland City Council because the many serious issues that are currently facing our city have gone unchanged by our current & past city council members. Some of the these issues are the city's budget, crime & drugs on our city streets, and not giving enough attention to our seniors & our children.
The Woodland City Council needs more fiscal accountability, transparency with the public, and better planning for our future.
When elected as your city councilman, I will enact city ordinances that will add additional support to our law enforcement so that crime and drug offenders will be easier to prosecute.
Our budget should not rely solely on property taxes to fix many of the shortfalls that we are facing right now. This can be accomplished by developing 'trendier' downtown businesses, repairing the downtown vacancy dilemma, bringing in larger recreational facilities, and promoting more activities to the Woodland area.
The senior citizens population of our city is growing and they require special needs. We need to make sure that these needs are met. We cannot forget our senior citizens for they provided the building blocks of our community by their past hard work. And we must honor that by taking care of them and providing what they need. Our children are our future. And we must do everything in our power to make sure that they have good schools that provide a safe environment, good local community colleges to provide them the next step in their education, and good local jobs.
These are only a few of the issues that I would improve or change, but these changes can only come about if you vote for me on June 3rd. I would like to thank all of those who vote for me. A vote for me is a vote for change that is desperately needed.
Click the title of this story to access alfredolopez.org
Note: This post was revised on May 2.
Posts
22 comments:
WOW this guys is going to be super(councilman) He will solve all the problems single handed. What a surprise he would get if he won. It just doesn't happen that way dude.
You don't run for office by saying the current council members are doing a great job. ddaaaaaaaaaa
WOW is right! Just wanted to post some info someone informed me that I was going to wipe out the police budget with your ideas. That simply is not true. I basically want to give them more tools to use in the fight against crime. Some of these tools require very little, if any cost to our police dept. Isn't that what our city needs? Should there be a project that requires more money I would pursue grant money before I thought of getting any money elsewhere. In a sense there is more than one way to skin a cat.
"This can be accomplished by developing 'trendier' downtown businesses, repairing the downtown vacancy dilemma, bringing in larger recreational facilities, and promoting more activities to the Woodland area."
Dear Fred,
what could you do as a councilmember to facilitate this developing? It seems that you are stating what residents want more of. Our current City staff and Council have not been able to connect with the downtown businesses.
What changes are you willing to make (in the downtown) in order to send invitations to some of these 'trendier' businesses?
Traffic:
Parking:
Signage:
Historic-vs-individual look of the facade (storefront):
JR
JR call me 668-4340 and i will glad to talk to you,fred lopez
Thank you for the offer of speaking to me on a personal basis. I have asked Martie Dote questions on this blog before. She has yet to answer my questions. You have made your presence known on this blog. I am hoping you could give some thought to answers to my questions. When you feel good about the answers, please let us all know.
This is a post about YOUR ballot statement. You desire a change in our local politics. What ideas do you have?
JR
JR, in the early 2000's I wanted to bring a redevelopment project here on paper at first to see what would happen. Most companies said Woodland did not meet population #'s. So I pushed harder and found that if the city would work with them. It was not totally clear how much work with them cost. They said they would look into it. At this point they were hopeful, but it never materialised. Even after I had good contacts for development funding from other sources. I'm not going to name names, but there were people that got cut out of the money part and did not like that. When asked what is in it for me? I simply said nothing. No money. No pat on the back. Just something for the city. It my have scared them that I did not want any money.
JR - are you "Red"? I stopped going to that string when it went into older posts. Care to restate your questions? Martie Dote
Hello Martie, here are the questions from the prior post to you:
1. What ideas do you have for bringing these new retailers to Woodland? What can the City Council or City staff do to show new retail that Woodland is "open for business"?
And 2. What are your feelings on the In-liew parking fees? Parking downtown is a real trick most of the times. Too many County, City, and retail employees use the current parking spaces.
Following is from Bobby Harris' ballot statement:
Re-invigorate downtown redevelopment program (one-way Main and Court Streets from Sixth to Cleveland; diagonal parking, 4-way stop signs and 15 mph on Main Street; event promotion banners across Main and Court Streets; successful downtown business association; redevelopment incentives and zoning to achieve goals; promotion of regular arts and community events; improved entertainment options);
Bobby has spelled out in detail some ideas for change.
I have asked you for your ideas and now, candidate Lopez.
Fred, I was hoping for some details about your redevelopement plans from the early 2000's that you write about.
PS
Yes Martie, I am also Red, I go by a few nick-names. Sorry for the confusion.
JR, details parking is needed big time! The sign issue is open. I personally like old neon, but some new signage would be nice. We have to change the way we think for downtown. Micro-businesses for the small shops, and others aimed at the 30 to 50 crowd. Woodland has so much potential and it is a shame that nothing is being done to make it what it could be. I would like to be more specific but I want to save this material for the next debate. Fred.
Hi Red- I agree with Fred that a lot of these specifics will be discussed at the League of Women Voters forum on Thursday. Their questions are focused on economic development and the downtown. I would like to reserve my suggestions to Thursday's forum. If you can't make it, I'll post a summary on Friday. Martie Dote
Save the Downtown!
Thats what every politician says. Were are all these candidates?
They aren't in the downtown. Maybe if you tripped on our sidewalks, got run over by a bicycle or had your eardrums blown out by car stereos you would have some better idea what it is like downtown.
Fred, several years ago you went before the city council and advocated for the city to proceed with eminent domain of some property so you could expand your business. Do you remenber this incident and do you still support such action?
Get your facts straight Mrs. Anonymous before you come to the table with this issue. It was simply a question that I asked of the redevelopement dept. I did not ask for eminent domain to be implemented. It was just question.
That simple. People often have a really bad habit of misconstuing facts. Especially when it benefits them to do so. This is a perfect example of that. Fred Lopez.
Fred,
You are right. Funny how it is usually the ones who don't take ownership of their comments who make things up... or are delusional.
Fred, be careful how you answer this question. Did you go before city council on this? Your memory may be little foggy.
Fred, why have you not responded to the last question? Remember there may be a written or video record of such meeting.
I asked for it the video or notes and was told that they are not keep for more than a few years ,as for the befor council thing, if you have it post it .or call me 668-4340 and talk to me about it.post you'r name to.Fred Lopez
It is a very simple question. Did you go before the council to advoate eminent domain to expand your business? If records are not kept over a year, then your memory and that of the council members should clarify the issue. Since you asked city personnel for the tapes or notes, I assume you did approached the council.
Actually, I asked Jeff Monroe on May 8th, 2008 about it because I do remember something about that, but not in the way that you are posting it on here and your continued badgering on this issue is getting very old. Post your evidence if you have anything. I have made my position on this matter very clear.
Fred, you either went before the council or you did not. What is so difficult about answering such question? Remember the truth always comes out at some point.
Please get a life.
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