Changing the Course of the City - Now and for the future

By Ron M Moskowitz

A focus on the Ontrac decision making process

Our city leaders have responded to these changes, but their responses have been inconsistent at best, and at the worst haphazard. Our city leaders have operated in a vacuum, relying on the advice of a few interested persons. They do not acknowledge incorrect decisions or lapses in judgment. They offer only defensive responses to growing criticism by our citizens.

A good example of this is OnTrac. We in Placentia are affected greatly by railroad traffic. As has been explained to us by our city leaders (and their hired consultants), Placentia is a path through which important goods are delivered from Long Beach to the rest of our great nation. Therefore we must be patient and patriotic in suffering a few train whistles from time to time. Our leaders never considered teaming up with other communities in these railroad issues. Are we to believe Placentia is the only town in Orange County affected? Now we have a joint venture of the City and the Placentia Redevelopment Agency forging ahead, (and forging ahead slowly) on this $460 million dollar large public development project.

It seems misguided to allow a city of 50,000 to shoulder a financial burden like that. Yet we have been asked to shoulder this burden. We are paying millions, and yet we cannot win back our complete silence--the whistles still blow.

Holding the city hostage by promising to secure funds upon re-election is no way to run a city. The City Council should have already fought for such funds, and should be fighting for them today.

The improvements promised by on the OnTrac project will benefit Placentia, Fullerton, Brea, the rest of Orange County, all of Southern California, and (thanks to the national impact of the railroads) the entire nation. Yet in Placentia we are asked to pay for all such improvements.

As a City Council member, I will consider impacts of projects before approving them. Should immense public funding be required, I will acquire partners for us among our sister cities, and state and federal agencies. When the public offers comment, however pointed, I will consider and not turn deaf ear to it. I will put the people of Placentia first.