Cerritos City Council

Cerritos population: 53,240

Election: April 14

On the ballot: Seven candidates for two at-large seats

INCUMBENT

Paul W. Bowlen

Age: 51

Occupation: Civics teacher, Cerritos High School

Remarks: “My contribution is the openness of City Hall. I’m very responsive, have kept office hours, been to hundreds of homes and visited every church in town to show my support for their teaching values. The personal touch is my thing.” Bowlen worked to create the senior citizens center and to provide city funds for two gymnasium construction projects in the ABC Unified School District. He also supports upgrading the mall, opening a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department substation at the Civic Center and reducing gangs, graffiti and crime. He favors a sports club or YMCA at Towne Center. “I’ve never missed a meeting, or been late, in four years.”

CHALLENGERS

Prestell F. Askia

Age: 43

Occupation: Aerospace manager, Northrop Corp.

Remarks: “My goals include conservative fiscal management. At this point, Cerritos is at a stable and sound level, and I want to ensure we stay that way.” The city is nearing the end of its development stage and must enhance and improve services in such areas as senior citizen housing, transit for seniors and the disabled and cable television, she said. Business must be supported and the mall upgraded, she said. “I offer my leadership experience and background, which is what the city needs most.” Askia serves on the Planning Commission and formerly was city representative on the Los Angeles County/Cerritos Regional Park Authority and a member of the city Let Freedom Ring Committee, which stages the Fourth of July program. She ran unsuccessfully for the ABC board in 1989.

Thomas Swailes Brachko

Age: 38

Occupation: Administrative assistant, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works

Remarks: “I’m trying to be fair to all the people. Our needs are not being met in this area.” Brachko contends that the City Council and ABC school board are indifferent to the condition of school property next to a large condominium tract where he lives. “It’s not landscaped, weeds are growing--it’s a fire hazard and is used for dumping.” He wants to provide supervised after-school activities for youths using senior citizens, and advocates traffic medians for left-turn lanes at Bloomfield Avenue and 166th Street and textured bricks at intersections to slow traffic. “I have 11 years of experience in government with the city of Los Angeles and the county.” He ran unsuccessfully for the ABC board last November.

Grace Hu

Age: 46

Occupation: Owner, Manna Realty Co.

Remarks: “I’ve been living here 16 years. I know the city very well. I’ve raised my family here and have my business here, too. Now is the time to contribute my time and energy to serve the city. I want to keep Cerritos a beautiful, clean and safe place to live.” She advocates more police protection and faster police and paramedic responses in emergencies. “We have to improve security of the city for homeowners.” Hu opposes any city taxes or special assessments and favors city cooperation with ABC schools on after-school academic and recreation programs. “I want to prevent crime and start at the very bottom, which is education.” She serves on the city Property Preservation Commission.

Michael (Mike) Polak

Age: 46

Occupation: Financial analyst, Northrop Corp.

Remarks: “I’m a 25-year resident and have enjoyed the benefit of the city. I want to get into city government and give something back. The city is going out of the growth cycle and the question is how do we be a mature city now? I want to be involved in helping Cerritos do it right.” He advocates assigning a city worker to supervise completion of Towne Center and the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. “I’ve gotten tired of seeing this drag out,” he said. He favors a youth advisory board and opening a youth center with a gym, library, computer and reading rooms, and space for counseling. “If you get youth involved in a good way, you help minimize and avoid letting them get involved in a bad way.” He has served on the Let Freedom Ring Committee.

Angel L. Soto

Age: 55

Occupation: Aircraft technician with United Air Lines

Remarks: “We need to be a people-oriented community. We’ve been more a business-oriented community. I would like the city to be more responsive to the needs of our citizens.” The Redevelopment Agency should help renters and first-time home buyers obtain affordable housing. Condominium units for senior citizens should be built. The council should hold public hearings before increasing spending on capital projects such as the arts center, whose cost has grown from $17 million to $50 million, he said. Soto favors a city multicultural week celebration and educational programs with neighboring cities to fight gangs. “Gang members cross borders,” he said. He ran unsuccessfully for council in 1982 and 1986 and worked to pass a council term limitation initiative in 1986.

Marshall H. Story

Age: 55

Occupation: Maintenance crew chief, Trans World Airlines

Remarks: “As vice president of a local union that represents TWA employees, I’ve been involved in dealing with people. Having dealt with legislation in the politics of the union and outside the union, I understand how the City Council runs and functions. It’s good for the city to have new direction and someone that understands problems within the city.” Story advocates a one-year construction moratorium at Towne Center and opposes having Wal-Mart as an anchor store for the shopping mall. “With economic conditions as they are, Wal-Mart will take away from the mall and drive smaller businesses out of existence,” he said. He supports upgrading the mall, helping low-income homeowners, and opening a youth center to keep young people out of gangs. He ran unsuccessfully for the Assembly in 1984 and the City Council in 1990.