I have known Jason Gibbs for many years and I have seen his leadership skills grow stronger through each one. Leadership is not only spoken with ideas but they are serving hands as well.
Many times after a dignified event, I would see Jason offering a helping hand to clean up, carry items for others and graciously offer support into the late night hours. No cameras, no news reporters to capture the moment; yet I saw him with great admiration as to what he completed.
Jason is a very accessible communicator who takes the time to listen and explain a process that would lead community members through their concerns and direct the best approach to resolve the issue. He takes calls from anyone in the district, not just a handful of favorite selections.
I am writing about it because this valley is about to decide whether to send him to Congress, and the thing I know about him firsthand is not a policy position. He is resourceful and wise in council to find solutions.
Six years on a city council is not a glamorous credential, and I do not think he would claim it is.
It is potholes, budgets, the sheriff’s contract, water, and a lot of Tuesday nights listening to people who are unhappy. But it is the part of government people actually touch, and it is the only part where you can watch for yourself whether somebody does the work or just talks about it.
Congress is a bigger job. I am not convinced it is a more complicated one than a city budget that has to be balanced. What it seems to require is a willingness to keep showing up for the unglamorous parts after everyone has stopped watching. Putting in endless hours to reach a resolution that brings a compromise.
I would love to see the support given best for our district to the Save Act — to know that the votes counted are authentic and given only once per registered citizen.
There may have only been a few times that I did not agree with Jason, but I would still rather have a representative I can reach and know that he cares enough for a conversation about the concern.
Karen Haleen
Valencia
