 |
 |
|
|
Issues
Public Safety We should all be safe in our homes, in our schools, in public places and on our streets. This is a PRIORITY!!! Our cuurent efforts at addressing the homeless issue needs to be supplemented with some innovative approaches (since what we've been doing isn't working). We need to address the blight caused by the homeless and the vacancies and blight that attracts the homeless. As a former councilmember, I am so proud to have been part of starting our own Police Department in 2005. We recruited top quality cops that were proud to serve our city and they worked hard to establish a positive relationship with the community. Our officers care about our city as much as we do. The cuts made to the department during the pandemic severely affected us. We are in the process of re-building the numbers, with new officers being trained. I am confident that when we restore the cuts that were made, that we will once again see increased visibility of our police. Our Impact Officers (Detetectives) have been re-assigned as training officers for our new hires but soon they will resume their regular duties and be back on the streets and in the neighborhoods. I believe we should protect our children in their schools. I'd like to pursue the idea of providing school resource officers to our schools, especially Mesa and San Juan. A great job for a retired officer or a veteran. Traffic Issues We have issues of cut-through traffic, excess noise, excess speed, dangerous driving in our neighborhoods. We have way too many collisions. We need increased enforcement., especially on our quiet neighborhood streets! But it isn't just enforcement.There are some inexpensive methods that can be implemented. Each street might need a different solution, but we need neighborhood input to make any changes acceptable and workable. I think the city still has a Neighborhood Traffic Management Program, but I sure haven't seen any traffic mitigation measures instituted in our neighborhoods for years and years. A few years ago, I participated in a "study" of Old Auburn Road. We walked from Sylvan Corners eastward, making note of needed improvements to infrastructure (sidewalks, etc) and traffic controls. Nothing has happened. I'm sure it's a funding issue, but I'd like to see neighborhood traffic management as as one of the goals for safety and quality of life. We need to reassess the protocol and guidelines used to prioritize projects for traffic management. Importantly, we must involve the neighborhood associations in decision-making. We need to have broader and stricter traffic impact considerations when we approve new developments. I am a strong advocate of the Neighborhood Ride which gives all residents the opportunity to reach shopping areas and the major medical facilities at Mercy San Juan and in Roseville. Paratransit offers "Mobility Training" (I took the training) to residents to familiarize them with the system. I support housing programs that give incentives to people who purchase homes near public transit. ROADS We need to fix our roads without new taxes. Long overdue. The monies spent on salaries have increased disproportionately to monies allocated to neighborhood streets. Restore Local Economy The pandemic hit our businesses severely and decimated our workforce. But we are recovering. I support all the effotrts the city has been making toward restoring our businesses with federal monies. The largest source of general fund monies for the City is its sales tax. Business is the life-blood of our City. We must preserve and foster a friendly business climate if the City is to remain viable. I think the City has done a great job improving our business climate. The Sunrise Tomorrow plan is bold and beautiful. Hopefully, we will see it through to its completion. I support the Marketplace in its proactive approach to be a center for community events, (the circus is in town!!). The Farmer's Market is a "must-go-to" spot for people all around our city. Birdcage and the infill projects there are great. And Auburn Blvd is the next frontier. The Auburn Boulevard Plan is being implemented and it looks great. I would like to see Auburn Blvd. be a regional destination that draws people from far and wide to its unique offerings. We need to get out of the "big box mentality" and encourgae smaller businesses, restaurants, and professional services. We have many strip malls that need revitalization. City Planning staff needs to understand the needs of the community and try to encourange those businesses to locate here in Citrus Heights. I am an avid advocate of live/work land use. This is where a person lives in, say, a loft which is over his/her business. Auburn Blvd. offers a wonderful opportunity for this type of development. The City should have a program of incentives for developers who dare to be different in our city and build these type of projects on appropriate parcels. We need a diversity of businesses as well as more professional services. Combined with the concept of a live/work community, this may perhaps be the key to interfacing businesses with residential areas. Fiscal Prudence Revenue neutrality ends this year. The city had to pay the county a "ransoor its freedom. All our property taxes were taken by the county to balance the perceived loss of revenue when Citrus Heights gained its independence. Now, after 25 years, we will recive those funds. Over $6 million !!! We need to spend these dollars wisely and with maxiumum transparency. I support joint-use of facilities and joint-funding (eg with parks and schools). Community Involvement
Other Issues I want to integrate the growing Slavic community. Eastern European immigrants constitute a significant portion of our community. Language should not be a barrier to their participation. As a second generation American, I experienced growing up in a segregated community. We need to relish the diversity. What are your issues? You can contact Jayna Karpinski-Costa: by cell phone: (916)599-DOGS (3647) |
