Question

By Percy "Steve" "Steve" Malicott

Frequently asked questions of interest.

1. Why are you running for public office?

I am running for the office of Lancaster City Council for several reasons:

a. My family grew up in Lancaster and we have a lifelong connection to this community. I graduated from Piute School in 1968 and AV High School in 1972. My wife graduated AV High School in 1971. Although we were out of the area due to my Air Force career for many years, we kept in constant contact with what was going on in Lancaster. As a result we came back to the community we love upon my Air Force retirement. We expect to spend the rest of our lives in this community and therefore have a vested interest in how our city is managed. b. People are the most important resource in our community. They are whom an elected official MUST listen to. Therefore, I will be accessible, visible and have open communications with the citizens of Lancaster. This is the only certain way to know what direction our community desires to go. It is critical to remember that an elected official serves the people, not special interest groups or financial backers. c. Commerce is where our fair city has been sorely lacking. I believe we have missed multiple opportunities to bring greater retail, restaurant and light industry to Lancaster. There is no reason our citizens should have to go outside of Lancaster for their shopping or dining needs. I will make increased commerce my number one priority. We must aggressively pursue new businesses while supporting our current businesses. This in turn means more dollars and more jobs within our city. I will work to bring a new position to Lancaster City government. This position will be the focal point in researching avenues of opportunity to assist current businesses with grants, financial assistance for growth, etc. It will also serve as the lead and central point of orchestration to bring new businesses to Lancaster. This will have a direct and positive impact on the quality of life of residents. d. Safety in our community should always be of great concern. Safety is the foundation of the quality of life we enjoy in our community. It includes the sheriff, fire fighters, emergency response, recreation and more. I will research additional grant opportunities to make Lancaster a stronger and safer community. e. Our city needs to take a regional outlook on building for tomorrow. It is essential that we partner with other local communities to build a better Lancaster. This is especially true in the transportation arena. I will fight to establish a regional airport and high speed rail system through our Antelope Valley. Along with these critical concerns are our highways in the Antelope Valley. Highway 14 is already over burdened because of the high amount of commuters that can not find higher paying jobs locally. Highway 138 has been identified as one of California's most dangerous highways. And if we look at the condition of our local roads, the neglect is obvious. That in turn has meant higher repair costs for residents. I will institute a road repair hotline in order to help identify needed repairs. This will be utilized to establish priorities for road maintenance.

f. Lancaster's reputation & image is tied directly to the Antelope Valley. Unfortunately our Valley has been labeled as one of the leading child abuse and drug areas in California. This is a false characterization of our community. It paints a picture to outside companies, agencies and individuals that is unfavorable and we must correct that perception. In my opinion, Lancaster has a local reputation of caring and giving second to none. We continue to support helping agencies, non-profit organizations and children's programs in order to make our community one of the best places to live, work, pray and play in California. I will get that message out in order to draw greater commerce and trade to our city. This would need to be an ongoing effort in order to present a true image of our fair city.

2. Why do you think you will make a good City Council member?

I have the education, knowledge, working experience and proven leadership abilities to be successful in this position. More importantly, I have a genuine desire to serve my community in a position that can have a major impact on the quality of life of Lancaster residents. That includes safety, education, recreation, jobs, worship, senior citizens and more. In addition, I bring a working knowledge of the importance of commerce to our city and have ideas to increase commerce. This in turn supports everything the city does for our residents.

3. What experience, background and abilities do you have that qualify you for this position?

a. Education: 1) AA from the Community College of the Air Force, Administrative Management 2) BA from Liberty University, Business Management, 3.23 GPA 3) 50% complete, Masters in Teaching from Chapman University, 4.0 GPA b. Job experience: 1) Held leadership and management positions for the past 20 years 2) Held the publicly elected position - Board of Director, Adelanto School District 3) Was the Senior Enlisted Advisor, Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards AFB and member of the Corporate Board which is basically the same position as City Council Member for AFFTC 4) Held the Executive Officer position for the Antelope Valley Board of REALTORS 5) Currently hold the President/CEO position for the Antelope Valley Chambers of Commerce c. See question 5

4. Have you attended City Council meetings in the past? If so, how often?

a. Yes. I have attended meetings in Lancaster and Palmdale. b. Whenever there is an issue that has an impact on the business community, my family and issues that will influence Lancaster overall. c. In my current position as the AV Chamber's CEO, I also meet monthly with the Mayor and City Manager to discuss issues relevant to the City, business community and redevelopment.

5. In what ways are you involved in the community?

a. Board member of local United Way b. Officer and member of AV Youth Expo Committee c. Past Board member and officer of local American Red Cross d. Current member of the Veteran's Home Citizens Committee e. Past officer and current member of AV Public Relations Officials f. Current member of Lancaster Rotary West g. Current member of Lancaster Sheriff's Boosters h. High school student mentor for NAACP Scholarship Program i. Life member of Air Force Sergeants Association j. Volunteer with Desert Haven Auction k. Volunteer with the Children's Center l. Volunteer with Lookin Good Lancaster

6. What are the three most important issues facing the City of Lancaster?

a. Commerce. We should not be satisfied with the status quo. Our city must be more aggressive in bringing new businesses to our city. This increases the city tax base, brings new jobs, has a bearing on current average pay scale, reduces commuters, and more. This should be our number one issue. b. Increase shopping and dining in Lancaster. Although a category of commerce in general, this is an important issue. It relates directly to quality of life, pride in our community and increasing convenience for residents. There is no reason why our residents should have to go outside of Lancaster for these services. c. Infrastructure will be critical to our growth. We must plan and be prepared for continued growth in a responsible manner. However, in doing so we must be aggressive in going after county, state and federal funding. We need to utilize creativity and imagination as we plan for the future of Lancaster and the Antelope Valley.

7. What could the City Council do to strengthen families in our community?

The city is doing a good job with programs to bring families together. LPAC, the Soccer Center, youth programs, the parks system, JetHawks and more all assist in strengthening families by providing wholesome venues the entire family can enjoy. I will continue to look for more opportunities to build on family traditions and values. However, I must go back to commerce as a key and essential aspect to strengthen families. Commerce is the supporting foundation of all programs for our community. In addition, reducing commuter traffic and higher paying jobs will also strengthen our families.

8. How much time are you able to commit to the City of Lancaster?

As much as necessary and more. It is critical our city have Council Members that are leaders and involved with every aspect of overall city management. Failure to keep abreast of issues, growth and planning will mean failure for our city. We can not, as responsible citizens representing our community, afford to do anything less than be committed to excellence. The involvement of our City Council