Caring for those who take care of La Verne
In La Verne, many of the people who work to make La Verne better cannot afford to live in La Verne. They also accept lower pay to serve us.
Planning for the Future of Our Great City
I had an informative meeting with the directors of the city’s departments. Our directors report relative high morale in their departments. However, one thing that came up over and over again is many of the people serving La Verne do not actually live in La Verne. I would like to see our key employees have the option to relocate to the City of La Verne if they so desire. While our city already reflects the diligent and amazing work of our staff, I want to make sure we continue to attract top talent, while at the same time recognize that as a small city, we have a smaller pool of public funds.
As a council member, I would urge serious discussion around how we compensate our staff. I would want investigation of the following:
City-run downpayment assistance program for key positions in the city. The city would offer down payment assistance at a far-reduced interest rate so that the city does not lose money, but also our key employees have expanded opportunities to live in the city they serve.
Equitable Pay: It is important to me that we ensure that our staff do not carry the burden of offsetting the costs of our services. As a council member, I will ensure we are striking an appropriate balance between fiscal responsibility, revenue generation, and equitable compensation so that our city becomes a mainstay of top talent, not a training ground for people who will move on to other cities to become top talent.