Federal Issues

By Mike A. Gin

More answers to typical questions asked of Mayor Mike Gin

I'm a lifelong resident of the South Bay having grown up and worked all of my life in the area. I'm an engineer by trade having received my B.S. degree in Computer Science from USC. I spent 10 years working as a software engineer at TRW and spent 10 years working as a Computer Scientist and Technical Support Manager at Infonet in El Segundo. In 2003, I left the IT profession to go into public service full time as a Field Deputy for the LA Harbor area and the Palos Verdes Peninsula for LA County Supervisor Don Knabe.

I've been an elected official for 14 years. I served two terms from 1995-1999 as a City Councilman in Redondo Beach (getting reelected in 1999 without opposition). I'm currently serving in my second term as Mayor of Redondo Beach having been reelected as Mayor in 2009 without opposition.

I'm running for Congress because I am very frustrated and disappointed by the polarization and partisanship that seems to dominate the Congress at the expense of working on broad-based solutions for the American People and our communities.

Through my work as a City Councilman, Mayor, I've brought diverse community groups together to address and solve problems facing my community.

What differentiates me from the other candidates is that as a Mayor, I've been deeply involved in helping to balance our City budgets and helping to create jobs in my community (even through the depths of the economic recession during the past two years). We have hundreds of jobs that have been saved and created with new investments in Redondo Beach with a new addition to the South Bay Galleria and a new hotel coming to our Harbor.

I'm also the only candidate that has over 20 years of experience in the local aerospace, defense, and technology industries of the South Bay. In addition, I also serve as an Honorary Commander of the GPS Directorate at the Los Angeles Air Force Base. This experience has given me intimate knowledge of the importance of the Base to our local economy and helped me to build relationships across the USAF leadership here and in Colorado. If the Base is ever threatened with relocation again, I can call on my existing relationships in the USAF as well as in our community to rally efforts to save our base again.

2. What approach would you advocate to deal with the federal deficit? How would you increase revenue? Are you for or against extending current tax cuts? If you had to make cuts, where would you look first? Is there any area that you believe should be off-limits + or at least last in line + for reductions?

The best way to deal with the federal deficit is through job creation and targeted spending cuts. I would do a thorough review of the programs in each federal department to see if there are any programs that are obsolete or no longer serve their intended purpose.

However, spending cuts alone will not cure the deficit. We must have sustainable job creation and encourage entrepreneurship throughout our Nation. Our Nation's strength and wealth was built on innovation and creativity in our communities. We must ensure that we continue to fund and support scientific research and development and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education in our school in order to get our young people excited about science and math careers.

I support extending the current tax cuts because I believe that increasing taxes, particularly during this fragile recovery period, may damage the pace and possibly the recovery that we are experiencing now. We need to ensure that businesses are able to grow and to invest in themselves to create jobs that are sustainable.

3. How can Congress help strengthen the economy?

I believe that job creation and long-term job sustainability is critical to help strengthen our national economy in the long term.

I believe that targeted one-time educational and small business grants are two tools that the federal government can use to help with sustainable job creation. LA Harbor College is currently competing for a federal grant that will allow the College to enhance its curriculum to target the local job market in the refining industry and the port and maritime industries. Community colleges are educational institutions that are closest to the needs of individual communities and regions and can best adapt to the vocational and employment needs of the local region.

In addition, I believe that the federal government needs to continue programs such as the Workforce Investment Act (which funds our local South Bay Workforce Investment Board) and Small Business Administration loan programs in order to assist individuals looking for jobs as well as making sure that our small businesses have tools available to them to assist our communities in job creation.

The federal government must also ensure that monetary and tax policies incentivize businesses to expand and create new jobs in our communities.

4. The aerospace industry, in particular, is central to the economy of the 36th District. What would you do to ensure its continued strength or encourage expansion? How would you balance a need to solicit support for local projects and people with the need for fiscal pragmatism government-wide?

The aerospace, defense, and technology industries are critical to the economic vitality of our District. These national industries were born in this District and the jobs and projects that have been created in this district have protected our national security and national technological interests to this day.

I am fortunate that I spent over 20 years as an engineer in the aerospace and technology industries here in the 36th District. I was a Senior Member of the Technical Staff at TRW for over 10 years and a Computer Scientist and Technical Support Manager for Infonet in El Segundo for 10 years. In addition, as Mayor of Redondo Beach, I serve as an Honorary Commander of the GPS Directorate of the LA Air Force Base. This professional and community experience with these industries has given me great insight into the needs and issues facing these industries.

If elected, my top two House committee assignments would be the Space, Science, and Technology committees and the Select Committee on Intelligence. These Committees have a direct effect on projects and funding that affect our local aerospace and defense industries here in the 36th District.

I would invite the House Committee chairs and ranking members of these committees as well as key members of the House Leadership of both parties to visit the 36th District to get a richer understanding of the scientific and engineering talent base and heritage of this District, and to understand the importance that these industries and the LA Air Force Base play in our national interests.

I would also work with our community leaders to revive the LA Air Force Base Alliance and ensure that we celebrate the 2005 BRAC decision to keep our Base open every May.

I also believe that we must foster and nurture the next generation of scientists and engineers who will be able to sustain the talent base that we need here in the 36th District to support the aerospace, technology, defense, and creative businesses that we have here.

5. What should be Congress' next step regarding:

a. Health care?

I believe that we need to fix healthcare reform, not repeal the legislation. Specifically, I would support legislation such as the Healthcare Advisors Act of 2011 that addresses increased cost issues on some of our small businesses here in the District to ensure that these businesses can remain competitive for consumers in the insurance marketplace.

b. Immigration?

I believe that protecting our borders must be a first priority in our immigration debate. We must ensure that Customs and Border Protection have the necessary resources and advanced technology to protect and secure our borders.

I also believe that there is a humanistic side to the immigration debate. Specifically, I supported the DREAM Act because I felt that children who have been brought into our country illegally, have been educated in our school systems, and have, in many cases, become employed and have become productive members of our communities should have an opportunity to become U.S. Citizens.

c. Environmental issues, such as oil drilling and green technology?

In Redondo Beach, I've been a strong supporter of making our City more green and sustainable. Through the work of our citizen task forces that I created as Mayor, our Green Task Force and our Water Quality Task Force, we have a roadmap for ours and future Mayors and City Councils to follow to make our Redondo Beach as sustainable as possible.

6. Is there anything else that you want to be sure voters know?

I'm running for Congress because I feel very strongly that the Congress has become very polarized and partisan and has lost sight of its duty to solve problems and address issues on behalf of the American People. Even though I have been a lifelong Republican, I consider myself to be an Independent Republican who will put the interests of this District and our Nation first before the interests of Mr. Boehner or Ms. Pelosi. As I have done as Mayor, I will always look at all sides and consider all perspectives on legislation before I cast my vote or decide to sponsor or co-sponsor legislation.

We also need a Representative that will not only address national issues, but who understands the needs and issues facing our local communities and how the Federal Government can help or sometimes negatively affect our communities. As Mayor of Redondo Beach, I've been in our District working to address the issues and needs of our communities. As a Field Deputy for Supervisor Knabe, I've worked with our LA Harbor area communities and bringing resources to the businesses and non-profit organizations in our LA Harbor communities.

From job creation, to understanding the safety net role that many non-profit and community-based organizations fulfill in our communities, I have the broad-based community, business, and executive governmental experience that this District needs in Congress.