Pauline Field's Vision for Glendale

By Pauline Field

To make good decisions, we first need a vision.

Hillsides to look at, hike through and play in

Care and community for our seniors and understanding of their needs.

Youth that study and play hard, are challenged to do well and that are cared for.

A business community that is vibrant and strong and growing including flourishing retail districts

A city workforce that reflects our population's diversity and for all city workers to work in an environment of respect, with systems and programs in place that promote, advocate for and ensure that.

To achieve this we must throw open the doors of government so that everyone has the opportunity to participate from the beginning of any idea and project. Public hearings must be just that + public. We need to give people more access through phone-in lines and the internet.

We have to have financial accountability so we are not draining our reserves on lawsuits and project overruns, and so we have the revenue we need without having to add more density and with it, more congestion. We need to be able to fix the potholes! We need to help the seniors on fixed incomes and provide them with transportation. In the long range financial plan there is $238 million in expenses for which they have no plan of how it will be budgeted. On Tuesday the Council is going to consider a "band-aid" for our financial situation: advertising on bus benches, bus shelters and the buses themselves. Also advertising on trash cans. About the only thing they are not considering is advertising on the police cars!! The county has an Incubator to help small businesses get started and grow. We need to have an incubator to help non-profit agencies get started and grow. This will serve several purposes: to help provide more of the needed services to our youth, our seniors and others in need; bring more money through grants into the city and create more jobs. It will also relieve the city of the burden of providing these services.

We have to give business a reason to here in Glendale. We need to bring the best and the brightest in design and marketing and public relations to help the City and the Chamber of Commerce do their job of attracting companies here rather than other cities.

We need to make the land of the Oakmont Refuge into a wilderness park and provide hiking trails and picnic areas; ensure that Parks & Recreation has the funding for the 35 projects it currently has identified for upgrading parks and creation of new ones.

We must make future mini parks more attractive and people-friendly than the mostly concrete chess park

We have to increase our public transportation, and provide more opportunities for the public to take advantage of it: just as many people who otherwise do not ride buses do so to get to the Hollywood Bowl, so we must look at ways to get people out of their SUVs and onto buses. Financial, Social and Environmental responsibility. It takes vision. It takes common sense. It takes a vote for Pauline Field on April 5th.