Why I am running for a seat on the Hercules City Council

By Hector Rubio

Solving Hercules' fiscal problems can be achieved by actively pursuing new businesses and more retail development. This is the only reasonable way to reduce the City's alarming structural budget deficit without burdening residents with higher taxes.

I am running for a seat on the City Council because I want to help solve Hercules' financial problems that had resulted in major cuts to public safety and services for residents. I care deeply about our City and want to restore its financial solvency and the quality of life that we Herculeans enjoyed prior to this crisis.

I believe that my strong financial management experience as a Project Manager and an MBA graduate, my active involvement in community service, and my understanding of the development process through my professional work as an Architect have prepared me to lead Hercules out of its financial mess.

I will focus on increasing the retail options in Hercules and the corresponding sales tax receipts. More retail through active pursuit of new businesses is the only reasonable way to reduce and eliminate the City's alarming structural budget deficit.

As Chair of the Hercules Citizens' Finance Advisory Ad-hoc Committee, I realized that cutting City services alone will not balance the General Fund. City revenues have to be increased, but not by levying more taxes and fees on already burdened residents. Neither a parcel tax, nor a higher Utility User Tax (UUT) will solve the financial crisis.

I support more retail within Hercules because a higher volume of sales directly results in more income to the General Fund; furthermore, this cost is not borne solely by Herculeans, but it is also shared with visitors and out of town shoppers.

I support the creation of an Economic Development Taskforce comprised of resident experts and members of the Chamber of Commerce to identify suitable retailers and to actively contact them with lifestyle and demographic data showing that building a store in Hercules is a sound investment and their store will attract customers from the surrounding area.

I pledge to bring teamwork, leadership, and responsiveness to community concerns to the City Council, and to actively seek out the opinions and advice of residents on issues that impact the community. Hercules is a small town with a large number of educated and concerned residents. I strongly believe that their expertise, creative energies and goodwill should be utilized, not dismissed as interference.

With your help and support, we can solve today's financial problems, bring back our public safety officers and community events, and provide a stable government that meets the needs of our diverse community.

I respectfully ask for you vote on November 6, 2012.

For more information about me, please visit my website at http://www.HectorRubio.net

Sincerely, Hector Rubio