Beverly Hills is a great city. It is my intention to make it a little better.
I am running for City Council to improve accessibility and transparency in city government. My intention is to close the gap between residents and the civic process. No issue will be too trivial, no matter too inconsequential. As a council member I will ensure that city government will continue to serve all residents.
The Importance of Community Policing
Thanks to the hard work and persistent efforts of the City Council and the Police and Fire Departments, Beverly Hills offers world class protection to both residents and visitors. Our first responders provide unparalleled response times and an exemplary level of service.
Unfortunately there is a disconnect between the populace and those tasked to protect them. There is lack of trust which can make critical communication difficult. The residents of Beverly Hills and the Police and Fire Departments need to strengthen their partnership. Therefore I intend to expand on community outreach programs already in place to increase dialogue between the residents of Beverly Hills and our first responders.
It is important for this dialogue to go beyond community relations officers. The aim of my program is to bridge the gap between businesses, residents and the rank and file officers patrolling our community. We all need to make a concerted effort to mix it up and get to know one another. This effort will humanize our officers, lead to increased cooperation, and improve overall safety within this city.
Expanded Education
The residents of Beverly Hills benefit from the services of one of the best school districts in the country. I graduated from a school system that offers unrivaled programs in education, science, the arts and athletics. The Beverly Hills School Board, various PTA organizations and our teachers do an excellent job of maintaining these standards for our students.
The Beverly Hills School District has a proven track record of preparing students to successfully continue their education. Unfortunately there is a trend in which many of our students opt to attend community college despite being eligible for four year universities.
There are many good reasons to attend a community college. However eligible students would be better served by attending four year universities directly upon graduation from Beverly Hills High School. One reason to opt for a four year school is the quality of education. Community Colleges try and offer classes that prepare students to transfer but due to limitations of the community college system the level of competition and instruction is inherently unequal. This puts transfers at a disadvantage, particularly in their first year at a full time university because they are not prepared for the academic rigors of a large research institution.
Another reason to attend a four year university is status. Competition in today’s economy is fierce. A student that attends a full time university directly out of high school will have a slight edge over a community college transfer simply because there is a bias about the quality of education offered at community colleges. This principle also pertains to acceptance in graduate school.
Finally there are no guarantees that in today’s environment a student that attends a local community college will be guaranteed admittance to UCLA or USC. Due to a spike in applications these schools only accept the very best students applying each year. If a recent graduate is fortunate enough to receive admission to a prestigious university like UC San Diego or Santa Barbara they would be better served by seizing the opportunity instead of potentially getting lost in an overcrowded community college system.
Furthermore our schools benefit from having students attend four year colleges directly out of high school. Our ranking as a school district is tied to the amount of students attending four year universities. Therefore it is important to have eligible students make the right choice about their future so our school district can continue to recruit the best educators available.
The School District has made a valiant effort to make attendance of four year schools a priority. I plan to continue this effort as a member of the City Council. I propose to introduce programs that would preview university style academics to our students in the hope that it will encourage a smooth transition to four year schools. This plan includes creating discussion sections for students that would provide interaction with graduate students from local universities. This would give our students the opportunity to experience university style education while still in high school. This more engaged approach may provide an increased incentive for our students to branch out in hopes of achieving their educational goals.
Healthy Living Initiatives
The residents of Beverly Hills benefit from excellent recreational opportunities provided by the city. I intend to expand those opportunities and seek new ways to improve the lives of the residents of Beverly Hills. Our city has shown initiative to improve our quality of life by instituting a smoking ban at all businesses within the city. The city can continue this trend by promoting active lifestyle choices and healthy living classes to its residents by expanding adult education to include more nutrition and exercise programs.
A World Class Art Museum
While visiting the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Italy I was awed by the variety of important art on display. Upon leaving I was bothered by the fact that Beverly Hills, a world renowned tourist destination offered no cultural attractions of this caliber.
Beverly Hills is home to many of the greatest hotels, restaurants and luxury boutiques in the Los Angeles area. Unfortunately while Rodeo still remains an icon of wealth, many of the choices available in Beverly Hills are increasingly available at either the local mall or in neighboring cities like Santa Monica and West Hollywood. The name Beverly Hills provides visitors a reason to come. We need to give them a reason to stay.
Beverly Hills needs a world class art museum to reaffirm its preeminence as a major cultural destination. An art museum would give visitors a reason to stay in the city and patron local businesses. A museum would also demonstrate the city’s commitment to the sublime and enduring value of culture.
As your City Council Member, I will commit myself to making such a museum a sustainable reality by seeking partnerships with patrons and corporations who share the visions of making this great place even better.