Last night on the patio of Matt Denny’s Restaurant, we had our first candidate forum, which was sponsored by the Arcadia City Employees Association.

Jason Lee

I would like to take this opportunity to thank ACEA for giving me this invaluable opportunity to meet with and introduce myself to city employees, as well as the public in general, to tell them about my qualifications and professional experiences and to answer questions on important issues facing Arcadians.

I want to reiterate here that the best resources of our city are these hard working employees who have been responsible for providing the excellent public services and for maintaining the high quality of life for Arcadians. It is their hard work that has contributed to making Arcadia the best city to raise kids in California.

Submitted Feb. 19:

This past Wednesday California Gubernatorial Candidate Meg Whitman, formerly the CEO of the hugely successful eBay! online auction site, was in Los Angles rallying support for her campaign.

I was at this event and had a chance to meet with her to to discuss some of the issues currently affecting California. We both agree that in order to make California a better place, jobs must be created, spending must be reduced, and education must be emphasized.
.
(In fact, we agree on so many things and because she and her staff value the importance of my views, she and her team recorded my comments about her for a media release and one of the Meg Whitman campaign videos that you can see by clicking the previous highlighted words).
.
It is these core values which I hope to apply as Council Member of Arcadia, if elected. I will do this by stimulating business growth in Arcadia, reducing unnecessary spending by the City and making sure that Arcadia Schools remain some of the best in the nation.
.
Submitted Feb. 7:

My wife Daisy and I walked the long Highland Oaks Drive talking to the residents living on both sides of the street today, Sunday.

The Highlands is the northernmost section of Arcadia nestled against the foothills. It is probably the most beautiful area in all Arcadia, with California ranch style houses, lush landscape and big oak trees dotting the area, set against the clear azure sky, with patches of white clouds leisurely drifting. It is quiet and even secluded, except that the tranquility if broken once in a while by a speeding car racing down the street.

The speed limit for the residential area is 25 miles per hour. However, it is apparent that some of the cars are racing down the street at 40 mph. Residents have complained to us that there needs to more speed limit signs. We walked the entire Highland Oaks Drive and only spotted one or two speed limit signs.

Had the developer of the Highlands, Mr. George W. Elkins, been alive, I think he would agree with me in regards to erecting more speed limit signs because the curvy street he had designed and built does not have enough bends to deter speeders.

Submitted Feb. 5:

As a concerned Arcadia resident, a concerned parent and a concerned City Council Candidate, I had meant to raise this issue for discussion before Hon. Joann Steinmeier requested a “clear definition of the term’” in a comment (below) about my blog addressing the 210 Freeway noise.

A preliminary investigation conducted by talking to parents and students while I walked the precincts, reveals that the “over-crowdedness” of AHS means that there are too many students in the school, some 3,700. The facilities cannot meet the needs of so many students. For instance, parents have complained that their sons and daughters come home hungry because they did not eat lunch at school. They did not eat lunch at school because the lines for the lunch were too long. By the time they get their food, it is time for them to go back to class. Parents complained that very often several students had to share one portion. These high school kids need the appropriate amount of nutrition and protein to keep them function well both in the classrooms and on the playground due to the mental and physical exertions which are typical of high school kids.

We need to find a solution to this problem. We need to initiate a feasibility study about splitting AHS into two campuses, or alternatively about constructing additional facilities to meet the needs of these students.

Submitted Jan. 31 (with Feb. 11 update below):

During my recent door-to-door campaign canvassing in the Lower Rancho area, I heard complaints from a few residents there about the loud noise coming down from the 210 Freeway.

The Lower Rancho Area is probably the most desirable and prestigious residential area, along with the Upper Rancho, in Arcadia, with large lots and ranch style houses. The drawback is the loud noise coming down from the highway traffic.

I will closely work with the State Department of Transportation to have a higher block wall erected along the south side of 210 freeway to block off the traffic noise from reaching down to the Lower Rancho residences.

The noise problem will become worse when the Gold Line Extension starts operating. As a City Councilman, I will do all within my power to advocate the noise reduction cause for the Lower Rancho and the College Area residents to truly afford them “the quiet enjoyment” of their properties.

Feb. 11 update to this topic:
I wish I could promise EVERYONE a reduction in freeway noise. A reduction in freeway noise for everyone would be fantastic, wouldn’t it?! However, I will only worry about Arcadia residents living on both sides of 210 Freeway. It would be ideal to have a higher sound wall built on the north side from Baldwin to Santa Anita, of the same height as the sound wall  from Michillinda to Baldwin, and to have such a higher sound wall erected on the south side stretching from Michillinda to Santa Anita.

Application statement filed with City Clerk’s office:

Jason J. Lee
Age: 47
Occupation: Attorney at Law

Education:

• * B.A. in English Literature
• * M.A. in Journalism
• * Juris Doctorate

Qualifications & Experience:
A former BBC Radio Program Producer based in London, I covered world events. I have internalized the qualities of my impartiality, objectivity, and fairness. No I spend half of my time attending hearings and trying cases in the court. I can easily transition to City the Council. I will apply my analytical skills as a mediator & facilitator to solve complex problems. I will also utilize my business management skills to manage the city’s resources. If elected I will quickly respond to my fellow residents’ questions and complaints and take actions to address them.

Past Civic Services and Community Involvement:

• * Board Member, U.S. Army L.A. Advisory Board
• * Member, L.A. County Sheriffs Department Chinese Advisory Board
• * Rotarian, Arcadia Rotary Club; Paul Harris Follow
• * Member, Arcadia Chamber of Commerce
• * Director, Arcadia Chinese Association
• * Member, Arcadia Historical Society

Goals:

• * Keep Crime Rate & Taxes Low
• * Keep Quality of Life & Property Value High
• * Improve Facilities for Seniors & Youth
• * Work Closely with School District to Resolve AHS’ Over-Crowdedness
• * Pro-Business, for Well-Planned and Controlled Development

This is one of six blogs provided by ArcadiasBest.com to the six candidates running for three seats on the Arcadia City Council in the April 13, 2010 election.

Candidates are free to submit whatever statements they want here and comment on each other’s blogs.
Readers are encouraged to submit comments below each blog, which will be public for everyone to see, and to which anyone, including the candidates, may respond.

All editiorial by the candidates and comments by readers and the candidates must be approved by ArcadiasBest.com. No profanity will be allowed. Your full name and contact information (contact information not for publication) is required if your comments involve any specific or particularly harsh criticisms or claims that are not generally known or not immediately and easily verifiable.

For many people, crime has become an issue that many want addressed immediately.

I know in our community meetings, many people ask me what they can do to prevent crime, what my position is on it, and what I can be able to do if elected to City Council.

Paul Cheng

What can one do to prevent crime?

Report all suspicious activity

Many times, crime occurs because people fail to report suspicious activity. Studies show that prior to a home invasion robbery felons have already studied your patterns, understood when one arrives and leaves the house, and whether your neighborhood is one which people call in suspicious activity.

Herein lies a serious problem. Arcadia is the Community of Homes. And yet, we are not a community of neighbors. In the past ten years there has been a huge influx of immigrants into the community. With the diverse families people do not know each other on a personal level anymore. This unfortunate circumstance makes it so that questionable activity is not reported.

Recommendation: Report anyone whose actions beg a second look. Always report someone that stays in a car over 30 minutes in a residential area.

Ethnic Signs Off

Some crimes target specific people groups. In Arcadia, many of the homes targeted are Asian owned. Asian immigrants are well known for dealing in cash and keep much of it at home along with jewelry. (In some Asian communities, cash is exchanged for gold bars that are also kept in the home).

Thieves specifically look at clues to your home. I have recommended all ethnic signs to be taken off of doors and windows. While I am happy that people have pride in their own communities, I am very concerned by the clues being given to those that are scoping out homes in the area.

Recommendation: At a minimum, take off the signs that celebrate Chinese New Year.

Overflow on Mail

Call your local postal service when you are on vacation. Even three days worth of mail can overflow your mailbox. That is a direct clue that you are not home.

Recommendation: For those uncomfortable with notifying the USPS tell a neighbor that you would like them to pick up your mail when you are gone.

Tell a Neighbor

As previously stated, it is unfortunate that people do not know each other anymore. Vacations are an ideal time for people to invade your home.

In telling a neighbor, you reduce of risk of theft.

Case in point. Theft recently occurred when a family went on vacation. Two vans backed into the driveway and made off with many items. Perhaps that may not have occurred had the victim had trusted people to communicate her whereabouts and the neighborhood was vigilant in calling suspicious activity.

Recommendation: Tell a trusted neighbor that you will be gone on vacation.

Timed Lighting

This is an inexpensive no-brainer and one which every house should have.

Recommendation: Just do it.

Different Routes Going Home

Every person should have 3-5 different routes in going home. Some studies show that a person may be followed for up to one month prior to an invasion occurring. As such, taking alternative routes (which may not add additional commute time) helps in reducing home invasions.

Recommendation: Immediately find 2 routes by the end of this week and 3 others next week to go home.

Wallets are the New Purses

I notice that many women in Arcadia wear extremely expensive jewelry and purses when they go to the supermarket and the mall. The attention brought upon those women sometimes is not desired. As such, I recommend having women bring as little as possible when you go shopping. If you can fit it in a wallet, do it. Leave the purse at home.

Recommendation: Wallets are the new purses in Arcadia.

My Position on Crime

I am a former prosecutor and Deputy City Attorney. My take on crime is very simple. Realistically, police cannot be everywhere in the city. As such, we must do our part to reduce the possibility of crime in our neighborhoods and against us personally. We cannot blame the police when we have not done our part to reduce the potential crime.

What do I intend to do for Arcadia Regarding Issues of Crime

There are several, low cost and effective ways that our city can improve citizen safety

Youth Commission

I have previously spoken on this issue before and will not belabor the point. We need to have representatives of the local high school and junior highs tell us what their concerns and needs are in the City of Arcadia. I always say that although I do not know who the gangs are, where drugs are sold, and where kids race cars, our youth do. We must give youth every opportunity to speak up what they need and how Arcadians can help. That in effect benefits all of us.

Mobile Cameras

Areas of concern in the city can be monitored with mobile cameras. It an inexpensive way to help our local law enforcement to have a third pair of eyes.

24 hour tip hotline

We need to have a 24 tip hotline where one can leave tips in their native language. While I am not an advocate of catering to people that do not speak English, I believe for crime purposes, we must accommodate cultural barriers that prevent people from calling in crime.

Citizen Crime Commission

We need to develop a CCC. The commission acts as an intermediary between the citizens and police. Complaints, concerns, tips, etc., can be given to this commission to help our police become better public servants.

Conclusion

I am proud to have citizens and law enforcement that want to make this city into an even better place. I hope this small blog helps you know more about my campaign.

Submitted Saturday, Feb. 6:

Someone came up to me about a month ago. The child (and later his parent) said to me that down the street from my campaign office they sell pot. I asked the child how he learned about this and why I didn’t know. He said one thing: “Because you’re old.”

I was stunned. But it suddenly dawned on me that he was right. When I was child I knew many things that my parents did not.

That is what is happening here. Our children know so much that it is frightening. We must utilize our children’s knowledge to keep us abreast of what is going on. They are one of our last untapped resources in fighting crime.

Merely knowing the latest technologies (internet, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc.) is not enough. We must not shut the mouths of our children.

Our children know why there has been a recent stabbing, why thefts are increasing, and why youth on youth crime is prevalent.

A youth commission would be like the other commissions in the society (Historical, Planning, etc.). They would report to our police, fire and city council. They would make suggestions and tell us when they believe our civic leaders are going down the wrong path to solve youth problems.

I know that our children have a voice. They have always been speaking to us. Time for us, the adults, to listen.

Submitted Thursday, Feb. 4:

Last night I had the opportunity to go to Baldwin Stocker Elementary School.

I was touched because I saw Ms. Hillman and lots of dedicated teachers freely giving their time to help students improve their math.

We should be proud of people like Principal Hillman and the teachers that wake up every morning to work with our children. Our children spend more time with teachers than with us. Treat them well. They are molding our children for the future.

Also, I was so happy to see the large number of fathers that took their children to the math session. It’s so important to have parents involved; especially fathers. I did not have the opportunity to have father-son time with my own dad. He was a hard worker and I accept that. But I cannot tell you how much I wish I could have five minutes to work on math problems with my father. And last night, I missed him more than anything.

Application statement filed with City Clerk’s office:

Paul Cheng
Occupation: Former Prosecutor/Attorney

As a former Deputy City Attorney and Prosecutor, Paul Cheng brings the experience it takes to continue making Arcadia a safe and prosperous city for all residents. Paul Cheng is committed to PRESERVING THE PAST AND PROTECTING THE FUTURE. And during these tough economic times, Paul Cheng has the courage to bring necessary fiscal reform to city spending, and fight for our fair share in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.

As City Councilmember, Paul Cheng has a clear vision for Arcadia based on the PRIDE we all have in our city:

P reserve Arcadia’s General Plan
R educe traffic congestion
I ncrease Public Safety
D ecrease Unnecessary City Spending
E ncourage Citizen Participation

Arcadia was recently named “The Best City to Raise a Child” in California. As City Councilmember, Paul Cheng will make sure that Arcadia continues to be a great city to raise a family. Working closely with Police, Fire, and local schools, Paul Cheng will work to preserve our city’s quality of life.

Paul Cheng earned a B.A. in Philosophy from UCLA and a J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law. Paul Cheng is honored to earn your trust and support for City Council. For more information visit: www.FriendsofPaulCheng.com

(Jan. 18, 2010)

This is one of six blogs provided by ArcadiasBest.com to the six candidates running for three seats on the Arcadia City Council in the April 13, 2010 election.

Candidates are free to submit whatever statements they want here and comment on each other’s blogs.
Readers are encouraged to submit comments below each blog, which will be public for everyone to see, and to which anyone, including the candidates, may respond.

All editiorial by the candidates and comments by readers and the candidates must be approved by ArcadiasBest.com. No profanity will be allowed. Your full name and contact information (contact information not for publication) is required if your comments involve any specific or particularly harsh criticisms or claims that are not generally known or not immediately and easily verifiable.

I would like to thank Gene Glasco who will be hosting a campaign rally on Monday, March 8 at C-21 Ludecke. If you are interested in attending this great event please contact Gene at 626-456-4366 or email him at Gene.Glasco@gmail.com. There will be a buffet and refreshments. I look forward to seeing everyone there!

Submitted Feb. 20:

I am very honored to announce that the Arcadia Police Officers Association and Arcadia Firefighters Association have chosen to endorse me as a candidate for Arcadia City Council.

Sho Tay

As a council candidate and concerned Arcadia resident, I am devoted to maintaining safe streets and neighborhoods. The men and women of our police and fire department put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.
.
An endorsement by both the APOA and AFD means that they have chosen me as a candidate they believe they can best work with. With my prior background as a police officer, I know that I will be able to not only relate but also communicate and work efficiently with our police and fire. Together we’ll keep Arcadia safe!
.
Submitted Feb. 18:

Planting and gardening is one of my hobbies. I especially enjoy planting trees that bear fruit.

I have been planting fruit trees in my yard since I’ve moved to Arcadia over 25 years ago. My kids have grown especially fond of the orange tree we have in our back yard that is as old as they are. Every spring they look forward to the big juicy oranges that grow from that very tree.

I take pride in the trees that I’ve planted and the fruit they bear. I have planted many different types of fruit trees in my average sized yard and it is fun to watch them grow and bear fruit. I love watching the fruit ripen, then harvest the fruit and share them with my friends and neighbors. Year after year, my family and friends still enjoy the fruits. However, I only wished that I had a bigger yard so I could plant more.

I remember a few years ago I went to visit a good friend of mine. I remember taking a tour of his yard and was amazed by all the different species of fruits and plants he had grown. One thing I remember that shocked me was the trees in his yard that were producing multiple types of fruit. My jaw nearly dropped when I saw that one citrus tree was able to bear oranges, lemons, tangerines, and grapefruits. I observed another pear tree with several species of pears hanging from its branches. It was unbelievable; I had never seen anything like it. In his average sized yard, through a technique known as grafting, he was able to grow more species of fruit than I was in my yard.

It was exciting to learn and see something new; I was impressed that my friend had taught grafting in the past. Since I had the perfect teacher right in front of me, I was eager to learn from him the technique of grafting. With the technique he taught me I was able to grow more types of fruit in the same yard then I was able to before.

It’s amazing how nature works. God created different species of plants, yet they are able to adapt and grow together on one tree. Just like our community, we have different people of different creeds, ethnicities and backgrounds, living in the same city. How are we able to live together in harmony? Through communication and education, and by working together to make our community a better place.

I’m proud to be running for a seat on the Arcadia city council. I hope through my campaign, and by acting as an example, I can encourage all the residents of Arcadia to work together as a community. Let’s all work together and make Arcadia the biggest “tree” with the best “fruits”!

Submitted Saturday, Feb. 6:

I would like to take this opportunity to show my appreciation by thanking each and every one of you who attended my campaign kick off party at the Arcadia Masonic Center on Friday, February 5, 2010.

This event was successful because of the support and kindness of all of you, even on this rainy day.

This is just the beginning of my campaign and I am looking forward to meeting all of the residents of Arcadia. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact my personal cellular phone: 626-447-2935. Of if you like, you can e-mail me at shotay@arcadiacity.com.

Submitted Tuesday, Feb. 2:

I am honored to be endorsed by past Mayors of Arcadia: Ed Butterworth, Jack Saelid, Floretta Lauber, Barbara Kuhn, Jim Helms, George W. Fasching, and Gail Marshall.

I truly appreciate their endorsements. Along with these distinguished mayors, I am also grateful to have received today, another endorsement from past Arcadia Mayor and former California State Senator, Bob Margett. I want to take this opportunity to thank them all for their vote of confidence. I also wish to thank all of my endorsers and supporters for giving me the opportunity to serve Arcadia.
-
-
Submitted Saturday, Jan. 30:

Arcadia, “The best city to raise kids in California.” Doesn’t that title sound nice? It’s no surprise to me that Business Week magazine rated Arcadia as the best city to raise kids in California two years in a row.

I believe that one of the reasons why Arcadia is such a great city is because of its residents. Our community is fortunate to have residents that take ownership and pride in Arcadia. Many years of volunteer efforts have been invested into our community to make it what it is today. I truly believe that volunteers are what sets Arcadia apart from other communities.

I was enlightened many years ago when I first decided to get involved with the community. The first organization I decided to be a part of was the Arcadia Chinese Parents Booster club. At the time, both of my children were going to Arcadia schools and I thought it would be the right thing to do to get involved.

I enjoyed helping newly immigrated parents with English translation, selling scrip, helping in school days and grad nights as well as planning fundraisers to help purchase equipment for our schools. Through that organization I met neighbors and friends with whom I shared a common goal, making Arcadia Schools better. That’s when I first realized that community volunteers are crucial to a great community.

Since then I’ve joined many other organizations such as The American Red Cross—Arcadia Chapter, Rotary Club of Arcadia and Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, just to name a few. I’ve met many community leaders that I’m proud to be able to call my friends. We enjoy working together to make our schools better, our streets safer and our neighborhoods cleaner.

That’s why I strive to promote community unity, an inspiration where our youth, seniors, and community members of all ethnic backgrounds come together to create a better future. I believe that volunteering betters the self, the community and society. After all, “We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

Submitted: Tuesday, Jan. 26 – 11:20 p.m.

One of the main focuses of my campaign as outlined in my candidate statement is to promote balanced budgets and adequate reserves. The best way to balance our budget and increase our reserves is by decreasing unnecessary spending and increasing our revenues.

Our sales tax revenue has dropped 15% in the last year, which is approximately $1.5 million dollars. When businesses in Arcadia don’t generate as much business as they did the year before, the city loses sales tax revenue.

Whenever residents of Arcadia spend money outside of Arcadia, the city loses revenue. It’s very simple; the money that is spent outside of Arcadia could be spent within the city to increase the sales tax revenue so that it can be used to for our city services, fire department and/or police department.

As a city, we need to understand where our income sources come from. The majority of Arcadia’s income is from sales tax rather than property tax. But if sales tax revenue continues to drop, our main source of income will be property taxes. Nobody likes increased taxes, so wouldn’t it be nice if we could generate more income for our own community through sales tax revenues?

If we shop in our own city, Arcadia, we would be able to increase our sales tax revenues. I know that with the lifestyles some of us have, it may not always be possible to spend in Arcadia. But for those that are able to, it is something that could be very easy for many of us. The next time you feel like shopping, shop in Arcadia! Or maybe the next time you feel like dining out, try a new restaurant in Arcadia! Need to buy groceries? Try Arcadia! Need gas? Fill up in Arcadia! Let’s all promote “SHOP ARCADIA!”

Application statement filed with City Clerk’s office:

Sho Tay

Age: 52
Occupation: Businessman

My wife and I have lived in Arcadia for 25 years. Our two children were born and raised in our beautiful city. I firmly believe that strong family values build the foundation of a great community such as ours.

With 30 years of successful business background and expertise, I am uniquely qualified to serve the city. My experience will be especially valuable for the city budget and improving efficiency in city services.

I am committed to providing safer streets and neighborhoods, improving traffic in school areas, and monitoring sensible growth for our city while safekeeping our rich history.

I will work closely with our schools to provide greater educational opportunities for our children. We need to protect our seniors and I plan to attend to their needs.

I strive to promote Community Unity, an inspiration where our youth, seniors, and community members of all ethnic backgrounds come together to create a better future.

I pledge to be your voice and bring a fresh image to our city government with integrity, dedication, compassion and transparency.

I am not just another candidate, but an experienced community leader who serves all the citizens of Arcadia.

www.electsho.com

This is one of six blogs provided by ArcadiasBest.com to the six candidates running for three seats on the Arcadia City Council in the April 13, 2010 election.

Candidates are free to submit whatever statements they want here and comment on each other’s blogs.
Readers are encouraged to submit comments below each blog, which will be public for everyone to see, and to which anyone, including the candidates, may respond.

All editiorial by the candidates and comments by readers and the candidates must be approved by ArcadiasBest.com. No profanity will be allowed. Your full name and contact information (contact information not for publication) is required if your comments involve any specific or particularly harsh criticisms or claims that are not generally known or not immediately and easily verifiable.

by Scott Hettrick

You can share my experiences in the two 3-minute videos below:

by Scott Hettrick

Her fans ranged from students and teachers at Arcadia High School to friends and loyal patrons of her parent’s Kiyosuzu restaurant on Baldwin Avenue, to Arcadians who packed Matt Denny’s Ale House and restaurant on both nights of her performance to share the experience and cheering with others.

Mirai let no one down, most importantly herself. She skated with grace, confidence, and elegance, jumping all the way from 6th after the short program to 4th place, three spots ahead of U.S. national champion Rachel Flatt and ahead of two of the three more highly-favored and experienced skaters from Japan. Former gold medal skater-turned-announcer/analyst Scott Hamilton said that for Mirai, her future is now, declaring that she represents the best hope for American ladies figure skating for many years to come.
Through it all it was terrific to see that she maintained her charming sense of humor and her independent spirit.

Matt Denny’s Ale House Restaurant

Mirai's publicity photo for the Stars on Ice tour of champions.

Best of all, Mirai appeared to thoroughly enjoy the experience (based on her Twitter and Facebook entries and her appearances on programs such as The Today Show and Access Hollywood).

But the hectic pace continues for Mirai now. The 2010 World Figure Skating Championships begin in less than three weeks in Turin, Italy, from March 20-29.

And then she will be one of the featured performers in the Smucker’s Stars on Ice exhibition tour from April 1 – May 30. Arcadians will have two chances to see her in that program at Staples Center downtown L.A. on Thursday, May 20 and at Honda Center in Anaheim on Friday, May 21.

Wherever her new road takes her and whether she notches more wins in her sport, here’s hoping she continues to hold on to her winning personality.

– By Scott Hettrick