Bill Rawlings 2020

Government Transparency

Government is at its best when our representatives are responsive and accessible to those they serve. As a councilmember, I will foster an accessible and accountable city government by:

● Hold quarterly educational town halls to discuss the various aspects of city governance and how to get issues addressed

● Engaging with residents and helping them learn how city governance works

● Establish campaign donation limits and restrictions for potential conflict of interests in city elections

● Hosting informal events for constituents to meet their representatives

Revitalize Our Business Community

● Ensure current businesses survive this crisis by continuing to provide grants and emergency aid

● Partner with the Regional Chamber of Commerce to launch a campaign that promotes shopping, dining and playing in diamond bar

● Educate residents about how spending money in Diamond Bar goes directly back to our community

● Publishing a business directory in print and online, allowing residents and other businesses to find Diamond Bar stores more easily

● Work with property owners to ensure shopping areas are well-maintained

● Explore new best-practices for business development and permitting

Preserve Open Spaces

I was born and raised in Diamond Bar and know how important open space is to Diamond Bar’s culture. That’s why as councilman I will:

● Strengthen protection of Tres Hermanos to help preserve the character of Diamond Bar

● Preserve the Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor to protect indigenous and protected species and to reduce neighborhood interactions with wildlife.

● Encourage partnerships with educational institutions for learning opportunities

● Partner with county and state for resources to protect space and support biodiversity

Enhancing Public Safety

Diamond Bar is one of the safest cities in California, and it’s important to me to keep that tradition alive, while respecting the new challenges of the time by:

● Ensure effective neighborhood efforts to prevent crime by offering consistent support and training

● Ensure service levels and funding are maintained or enhanced

● Support expansion of security infrastructure, such as parking lot security cameras and home security programs

● Working with the county for increased preventive social services

Celebrating Diversity

This pandemic has separated us from our friends, families, and our loved ones. Despite its attempts to keep us apart, Diamond Bar remains together. I am proud to see how neighbors have supported each other by holding fundraisers, delivering food to those in need and checking in on our most vulnerable. It’s that sort of service and bond that makes Diamond Bar special, and when this pandemic is over, I will continue that connective attitude by:

● Engaging the youth with inter-district events focused on civic-engagement and supporting student clubs

● Celebrating our multiculturalism by hosting a “Multicultural
Festival” and Cultural Awareness/ Ethnic Studies workshops

● Hosting allyship and antiracism workshops

Minimizing Traffic

Traffic remains one of Diamond Bar’s biggest problems. In order to create the best experience for our residents, I am committed to minimizing traffic by:

● Supporting the work of the confluence project to reduce passthrough traffic

● Reviewing project traffic mitigation plans for opportunities to accelerate improvements

● Working with transit agencies to educate residents about routes, destinations and discounts

Responsible Fiscal Policy

Our city's financial solvency is critical to the services we can provide. Without financial prudence, we cannot execute any of our other ideas. This pandemic has strained our budget, but as a councilman, I will make the budget a priority by:

● Prioritize revitalizing our business community to increase sales tax revenue

● Explore innovative solutions to reduce expenses, especially for lighting and landscaping

● Review longstanding contracts to make sure we are getting a good deal

● Provide transparency as the Council develops the city budget, as well as work to ensure that the budget is balanced

Improving Mental Health and Well-being

Our city has to play an active role in the health of our communities. We need to start prioritizing our mental and physical health by:

● Promote mental health and self-care workshops, including the connection with nutrition and exercise

● Host bullying awareness, prevention, and intervention workshops, especially in partnership with our school districts

● Partner with the county to promote supportive social service programs

Addressing Homelessness

● Partner with the county to promote supportive social service programs

● Continue engaging with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for immediate needs and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority for long-term solutions

Issues