Burbank Council Candidate: Juan Guillen
At a Glance:
Age: 35Occupation: CFO, True Integrity Insurance and Payroll Services
Political affiliation: Democrat
Education: Leadership Burbank
Cal State University Northridge -- Bachelor’s of Science degree in Sociology
Glendale Community College
La Cañada High School
Online resources:
Facebook Page
1guillen@sbcglobal.net
Questionnaire:
Have you run for office previously?
Yes:
Burbank City Council 2013 - lost
Why are you running?
It seems that when people get elected they forget that they are there to serve. I hope to bring back the “Servant” to public servant. I believe we must never stop listening to those that we promised to represent. Lastly and most importantly I promise to always listen to the concerns of our residents and never turn a deaf ear to them. Our hands are not tied! If elected, I will Serve, Listen & Represent.
What is the most important issue facing the city?
Preserving the quality of life in our neighborhoods and throughout our city should be at the center of every decision we make. We must ensure that we engage our residents and not simply wait for them to come to City Hall when a problem arises. Burbank is a community where neighbors know one another and work together for the good of their neighborhood and our overall community. Residents are the biggest assets that our city has and our quality of life is something that we must protect.Name a recent issue or policy the current City Council has decided that you agree with. Why?
The city has recently engaged in bringing workforce training to our city and our schools. I fully support the workforce training as a way to better prepare our citizens and our community for the future.Name a recent issue or policy the current City Council has decided that you disagree with. Why?
The approval of overly dense developments. How can the Council base the approval of projects using a term that has no defined definition? How can we say we are being fair to all when some have to comply to standards and others can be approved without any clear standards? Some projects get traffic counts, some get traffic studies and some do nothing. Where is the equality for all?
What is the best thing about how the current city government is run?
The best thing about our current city government is our city employees -- those city employees that do a little extra to help our residents, who may not be able to do for themselves. Those employees that are connected and love our city more then some residents do, is what helps make our city a special place.
What is the worst thing about how the current city government is run?
The worst thing in our city government is the disconnect between those who help shape the decisions of council and the residents who are directly affected by the decisions made. I believe that it is the residents that are the experts of their own neighborhoods and their input should be considered equal, if not greater, than that of “experts.”
Is the city doing enough to be transparent about its negotiations with the airport regarding the replacement terminal and/or the so-called “opportunity site?” What, if anything, could be done better?
No they are not, they speak of transparency and they do nothing to be open and honest with the community.
When City Manager Mark Scott was hired in 2013, his salary was more than the city managers of Glendale and Pasadena, as well as the mayor of Los Angeles. Has he earned it?
Burbank is a well-run city, but as Burbank we should always strive to do even better. The city manager has done a good job, however I suspect even he would agree that there are always opportunities to do even better. The city manager needed time to adjust to our city and to become familiar with everything. I feel that he has done this and it is now time to begin taking opportunities to become even more responsive to residents and seize every opportunity to do even better.
In light of the legal issues the city has been involved in, including the water transfer suit, is City Attorney Amy Albano providing the council sound legal advice? Why or why not?
No, I think the decisions we’ve made and continue to make have only continued to lead us into further legal expenses. At what point do we stop treating taxpayers’ money as a bottomless legal fund? The council should be given the full pros and cons of every legal issue and the full facts of every case. Decisions should be made based on each situation with full knowledge of all the issues involved.
Open Response:
None received.
Public Records & Legal Information:
Candidate Response: None received.
Endorsements:
Mayor David Gordon
Former Mayor Mary Lou Howard
Save Burbank Neighborhoods
* Current elected officials in bold