Your vote sets the foundation of our new city. Why you should vote for me.

By Christopher M. "Chris" Lopez

In this exciting and historical election, your vote will help hire 5 people to set in motion a new city. You must be careful in your voting to select the best team possible.

Residents of the proposed city of Rancho Cordova, that will be voting on November 5, should not go into the booth and vote for just a name. You should not vote for a person because you saw their name on a sign, in a newspaper, they are your friend, your neighbor, your relative, or you like the way they look. This is an important and historic election for our new city. Your vote should be for the people that you feel can do the best job.

Rancho Cordova will be a new city. When you vote for the five candidates to a four year term, you are hiring five people to do an important job. It is not a thirty day trial that if they don't work out, you thank them, and then you just go out and hire a replacement. There are no incumbents to rely on for guidance. The candidates that are elected will be a team that will start the groundwork of our new city. There can be no room for the satisfying of egos. As in any sport, you start by putting the best team on the field.

The team selected should be a mix of backgrounds. I think the team should consist of two members of the incorporation committee, one or two long time residents, who were not part of the incorporation committee, with recent residents to the community making up the balance. That is where I fit in.

I moved to city of Rancho Cordova in 1998. Some voters look down upon this, but I feel this is a benefit. When you live in an area for a long period of time, changes occur which you may not notice. They may very subtle and sneak up on you, or you lived with them so long, you may feel that it is just the way things are. If you leave a community for ten or twenty years, and then come back, those subtle changes stand out. My being a new resident of Rancho Cordova, I can compare this community to the various communities that I lived in. I was able to see what worked, or did not work . When it comes time for exchanging ideas, I feel I have much to offer.

I grew up in Richmond Hill, New York. This is a middle class community in the borough of Queens in the City of New York. Richmond Hill residents always took pride in their community. There was a block association and the occasional block parties. The residents supported their local merchants and always worked closely with the police department. When you ask a person from Queens where they are from, they will tell you their community whether it is Kew Gardens, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill or others. It was always "our neighborhood". That is the way it should be here. Some communities in the Sacramento area look down on Rancho Cordova. There are businesses within in Rancho Cordova that say they are in Gold River. I want to change that image. The diverse nationalities of our community are used as an excuse for the condition of our community and of the quality of our schools. Our diverse nationalities need to be promoted as an asset.

My working in commercial credit is important. I have worked for large international corporations as well as smaller companies. I look at the benefits or potential problems that may occur from our decisions. I know that decisions need to be made quickly, but not foolishly. Meetings do not need to be held to decide when the next meeting is to be held. There are people and businesses that are waiting for our decision.

I am a team player. The city council needs to act as a team. We all have different ways of looking at issues, but by working together, many things can be accomplished. City council members need to be able to compromise. If the votes for different issues are not unanimous, it does not mean that there is no teamwork. It may mean that one or more of the council members are not completely satisfied with an issue before it is put to a vote, or they may think it is not in the best interest of our residents. There should be only one spokesman for the city council, but a city council member should be able to answer any question on the reason for their vote, or for a personal opinion on an issue. A city council member needs to be responsible for their decisions or actions.

I feel another strong point is my diplomacy. In public office diplomacy is a necessary requirement. There will be issues that need to be addressed, and decisions made. The city council members have to work together and need to listen to our residents. There are times that a compromise will be necessary. Not everyone will be happy with some of the decisions made by the city council, but we must remember that decisions are made for the best interest of our city. We should take into consideration our neighboring communities. We must be able to explain the reason for our decisions or votes, to our residents. Our decisions should not be based on politics, or trying to appease any political groups, or organizations that supported us.

My family moved to California in 1989. Before deciding to make Rancho Cordova our home in 1998, we looked at a number of different communities in the area. We both liked Rancho Cordova, and decided to make our home here. My wife and I both work In Rancho Cordova, and both of my sons are in Rancho Cordova schools. I believe that all residents should be involved in their community.

I hope that you will vote for me.

Thank you.