Latest Guides

Government

District 4 Candidates Make Their Cases for Your Vote

Baghdadlian, Bland, Masuda, Wheeler responded to Pasadena Now with their positions on key local issues

Published on Friday, February 21, 2020 | 5:45 am
 

Pasadena Now continues its series of candidate statements with responses from candidates in District 4. In this year’s election incumbent Gene Masuda is facing Joe Baghdadlian, Charlotte Bland and Kevin Wheeler.

District 4 residents unsuccessfully fought against a mixed-use project scheduled to include 550 apartments, 69 of them available at affordable pricing, and 9,800 square feet of space for retail businesses and restaurants on the 8.53-acre former naval weapons test site that now houses the Space Bank storage facility. Critics claim the current cleanup plan for the site will not remove all the toxic chemicals, and that local streets cannot bear the increased traffic it will bring.

Residents have been fighting mansionization, an increase in residential burglaries and new developments.

The residents also successfully staved off a “road diet” which would have repaved Orange Grove Boulevard east of Lake Avenue and restriped the Boulevard down to one traffic lane each way, augmented by a center two-way turn lane.

The District encompasses East Pasadena including the neighborhoods of Upper Hastings Ranch, Lower Hastings Ranch, Daisy-Villa, Eaton Blanche, East Eaton Wash, Eaton Canyon Wash, East Orange Grove, Fox Ridge/Canyon Close, Loma Vista, Sierra Madre Villa, and Victory Rose.
Joe Baghdadlian

Our district needs much more attention than what it’s getting right now from our city council person. We have a lot of issues created by our councilmen and we have to bring the city back to the people. Right now the city is far away from the people and we love getting the help we need for our constituents, down here, They’re all complaining about this and that and the other. I am running to solve those issues. They are very important. There’s the crime issue, there’s the homelessness issue, the space bank issue and Eaton Canyon park golf course issue and Street Diet and on and on, I mean nine years this person was in the city council and in my opinion and a lot of other people with me, I say enough is enough. It’s time for change and I am the person who can bring the change. I am the person who can do everything the way it should be done correctly for the people. I’m going to help my constituents and my beloved city of Pasadena.

 

Charlotte Bland

As a businesswoman, wife, mother and grandmother, I know that our city can do better and I’m running for city council to bring people together and create positive change that strengthens our communities. I have decades of experience in business and nonprofit organizations, I have helped assist communities and implement strategies to solve problems.

One of the big issues that we have in District 4 is that we have environmental issues, and I’m running on environmental justice. One of the things that is happening in District 4 is we have the Southern California Edison easement that runs along back of many neighbor’s yard. I am willing to ask that the city of Pasadena and Southern California Edison give us a much deserved environmental health study so that we can have peace of mind that the easement on the back of our properties is not affecting the health of the neighborhoods that we live in. My current belief is that we should live in a city that is progressive and that has development that is smart and safe, builds affordable housing, combats and protects the climate. Pasadena is a special place and it has hundreds of years of history behind it, and we just need to make sure that we maintain the character of our city, as we contemplate major developments projects.

 

Gene Masuda

For the past 8-1/2 years, I have been building relationships and working closely with my residents to solve some big issues together. I have walked my district at least five times to find out what are the real concerns and questions residents have on their minds. This has resulted in successful collaborations focused on solutions. The feedback of residents matter because they are directly impacted by decisions made by the council. This effort requires a temperament that is responsive, patient, proactive and respectful of differences. I will continue to protect our neighborhoods and promote safety. With the support and guidance of my outstanding Field Rep. Noreen Sullivan, she will provide quality city services by connecting residents with city staff professionals to help solve their residential issues.

I serve on the City of Pasadena’s Legislative Policy Committee and represent Pasadena on the Gold Line Construction Authority and Gold Line Joint Powers Authority. I have supported the highest level of responsibility with your tax dollars by building a healthy “rainy day reserve” and balancing our city budget every year since I joined the council. Challenges ahead include solutions for the homeless, affordable housing, protecting the character of our neighborhoods, fighting high density developments and protecting our open space. Please visit genemasuda.com to see the most important endorsements that really matter the most – the residents.

 

Kevin Wheeler

I guess if I have a campaign slogan, it’s from East Pasadena for East Pasadena. And I’m running to oppose the rezoning of East Pasadena and because it creates more traffic and it blocks mountain views, less traffic and better amount of views, is what I would consider progress. So I guess first and foremost, it’s all, about the rezoning for increased densities is why I’m running. I graduated from Pasadena High School. I want to improve our public schools and improve them through empowering the teachers specifically and the whole way through. I’d like to see Hamilton Park restored back to the level of quality that it was when I played there when I played little league in the seventies and eighties.

I’d like to see East Pasadena, in terms of the homeless problem, focus on first time homeless seniors first. I’m opposed to the road diet, as it as it is now. I would restripe Sierra Madre Villa, back to how it was, I would be open to trying bicycle lanes. Put the bicycle routes on streets that cut through the city that aren’t heavily traveled. So like for example, Paloma and Mountain as opposed to Orange Grove.

Get our daily Pasadena newspaper in your email box. Free.

Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m.

Make a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

 

 

 

buy ivermectin online
buy modafinil online
buy clomid online
buy ivermectin online