Laurene Weste was first elected to the City Council last century. Nearly 30 years is a long time for anyone to hold elected office. During that time, Santa Clarita has grown dramatically, but many of the problems facing residents have grown right along with it.
After decades of planning and development, getting around Santa Clarita has not gotten easier. For many, traffic congestion is part of our daily routine. We have built homes, but our roads and transportation infrastructure have not kept pace. I remember when you could drive across Santa Clarita Valley in under 20 minutes; I remember when we didn’t have traffic stuck in the middle of intersections — see Soledad and Sand Canyon roads. Residents deserve leadership that doesn’t simply accept worsening traffic as inevitable, but makes improving traffic a priority.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, nearly 59% of Santa Clarita’s residents leave Santa Clarita to work, which equates to tens of thousands of our neighbors leaving Santa Clarita for work. After nearly three decades of leadership, shouldn’t we be asking why so many residents still have to commute elsewhere to earn a living?
Santa Clarita needs an economic-development strategy focused on attracting and retaining well-paying jobs so that more residents can not only live, but also work here.
Most importantly, District 4 deserves a council member who will listen to its residents. Residents should not feel that decisions are made first and their concerns are not taken into account. They deserve someone who will seek their input, respond to their concerns, and hold City Hall accountable.
Santa Clarita needs new ideas, new energy, and most importantly, new leadership that listens to residents and is willing to be held accountable for results.
Michael Cruz
Canyon Country
