Thank You for your support

I’d like to thank my friends and family, community members for your endorsement of my candidacy who have expressed support for me in this current campaign, and in past efforts.

My undertaking this effort is in large part due to years of your encouragement and counsel.

Even if you dont live in Rancho Cordova and cant vote for me, I sincerly value your support and the role you’ve played, and will continue to play, in my life and in my efforts to help make Rancho Cordova a better place for all who live and work here.

Thank you for your support, and for the opportunity to serve you to make a difference for Rancho Cordovans.

My Commitment to Elected Representation

I believe in representative government, meaning a council member represents the citizens, not their own agenda.

When an elected official can provide leadership, and convince constituents of the merit of an idea, a solution, a development project, a budgetary decision based on information and analysis present by staff or consultants,  then I believe you’ve done your job as an “elected representative”.

If what I want differs from what my constituents want, I feel that I must vote for what the people want; that my role is lead if I can, but vote for what the people want.

We may not always agree, but your trust in me to fulfill my duties, and honoring my oath of office, are not negotiable. The voters are the boss.

Its my job to get the public reliable information and analysis, and openly communicate with you, with respect as stakeholders, even if I disagree with what you want or support.

It’s also important to me to try reaching consensus, both among stakeholders and other elected representatives on the city council, but not at the expense of,  or indifference to, those who elect me to the city council.

An interesting read about this dilemma was published in a blog post from the University of Chicago Stigler Center, Booth School of Business:

Study: Politicians Vote Against the Will of Their Constituents 35 Percent of the Time 06/16/2017 – Asher Schechter
https://promarket.org/study-politicians-vote-will-constituents-35-percent-time/

Excerpt from blog quoting Professor John G. Matsusaka of the University of Southern California:

What Matsusaka finds is that most of the time, “representation” works: 65 percent of the time, legislators’ votes correlated with the positions of their constituents. While 65 percent “is better than the 50 percent rate of congruence that would occur if legislators simply flipped a coin when voting,” he notes, it is still “less than one might hope.”

The people of Rancho Cordova will be represented 100% of the time if I serve you on the Rancho Cordova City Council. I am deeply committed to this principle.

About Donald’s Top Priorities

  • Restoration of the City Planning Commission that was suspended in 2011
  • Code Enforcement Equity and Transparency
    • Create online code enforcement case mapping web site as San Diego, Pasadena, San Jose and other cities have so that citizens can see where and how the zoning code is applied.
    • Pass a parking enforcement/rv parking and setback ordinance that protects property rights, RV owners rights and balances the city’s policing authority with the city’s obligations to protect everyone’s rights
    • Assessment of impacts of clustered rehab group homes aka consistency with zoning code for medical facilities operating in residential neighborhoods.
  • Increase the number of RCPD Police Officers and Community Service Officers to address
    • traffic enforcement
    • dui enforcement
    • transit station and train safety
    • safe routes to school patrol
    • CRPD and American River Parkway safety
    • Ensuring parks are not nuisances, work with park district to establish
      • after hours on street parking restriction zones
      • ParkWatch/Neighborhood Watch groups
    • Open RCPD Service Center for Sunrise Douglas/Anatolia neighborhoods
  • Rental inspection program review
    • “2+1” rule and fire safety
    • Review Self Inspection program for Multi-Family Housing Property Managers and owners
  • Review of city/county emergency operations plans
    • Review of school emergency response plans-crisis response plans/lockdown- parent notification
  • Review of efficacy of homeless programs
  • Expansion of traffic calming, street closures, and improved pedestrian and bicycle protections/right of ways.