A candidate trying to ‘keep Burbank moving’

This is the third in a five-part series where the Leader speaks to the candidates for January’s special election to get their takes on the issues.BURBANK -- Standing in his fifth-floor law office, Vahe Hovanessian gestures to the view of the Verdugo Mountains and Burbank’s Hillside District neighborhood.

Calling himself “the real deal” in next month’s special election for City Council, Hovanessian explained that he is not just another opportunistic political candidate.

If elected, the city’s residents will get the same consideration that his law clients do, Hovanessian said.

“All the residents in Burbank at that point become my clients when it comes to issues pertaining to local government,” Hovanessian said. “I look forward to representing all of them.”

Ballots for the all-mail election will go out on Jan. 3, and must be mailed back to the City Clerk’s office by 7 p.m. on Jan. 24.

The candidate receiving the most votes will take the seat former Councilwoman Stacey Murphy vacated in August after being charged with one felony cocaine possession charge and one misdemeanor child endangerment charge.

Hovanessian, 30, was raised in Burbank and educated in its schools. He currently serves as vice chairman of the city’s Water and Power Board and a member of the Noon Rotary Club. His wife, Annie, is a columnist for The Burbank Leader.

Water and Power Board Chairman Bob Olson supports Hovanessian based on his experience of how Hovanessian has operated on the board.

“He is very conscious of the public,” Olson said. “I think that he has tried to be sensitive to the rate payers, especially in making sure the board fosters good communication with them.”

The special election is Hovanessian’s third try for a council seat and his approach does not differ from those previous tries: positioning himself as a candidate who will be a consensus builder.

For Hovanessian just doesn’t want to be a council member but an effective council member.

“It is not enough to stand up and oppose or be a contrarian. That’s not enough,” Hovanessian said. “That’s not an effective council person. What’s necessary is the ability to deliberate and discuss the facts and circumstances and build a consensus.”

Like other candidates running for the vacant seat, Hovanessian recognizes traffic as being among the main issues he would face as a council member.

If elected, new development would be judged by how it affects traffic patterns, Hovanessian said, adding that the city needs to look at how signals are times at main intersections.

“One of my goals is that the residents don’t waste time at lights, don’t sit at red lights for no reason,” Hovanessian said. “Time equals money and we need to keep Burbank moving.”

Hovanessian would also like to see pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods; reasonable single-family home development with a design review committee that sets standards on how homes should be for the city’s different neighborhoods; and redevelopment dollars going toward small businesses and not just big retailers.

As he goes around talking with people during his campaign, Hovanessian said he stresses to voters that the city has a positive and optimistic future.

“I for one want to spend my time and energy toward bettering Burbank and strengthening our community and services,” Hovanessian said. “I promise the residents of Burbank will be well served by me once I am elected to the council.”

VAHE HOVANESSIAN: ON THE ISSUES

Considering the circumstances for the special election, do you think the City Council has a credibility problem and how would you address that as a council member?

I do not think that the existing City Council has any credibility problem. Actions of each councilmember do not attribute to all. Credibility issues are personal.

As a council member, I will support more open dialogue, community/town-hall forums and discussion regarding issues affecting our community.

How can the city balance financial stability yet still offer competitive salary and benefits that will attract and retain city employees?

The budget reflects economic issues and fiscal policies. With continuous monitoring and occasional revisions that reflect developments both economic and operational, we can do it.

To balance financial stability, long-term planning, more reduction of costs and higher efficiency are necessary. Budget reductions must be carefully evaluated.

Sustained revenue growth is a reasonable expectation. Burbank’s business-friendly policy will provide more tax revenue to the city. With increasing property values, the property tax revenue will increase. Sales tax revenue continues to increase.

Offering of competitive salary and benefits to attract and retain city employees requires balancing of the budget to allow for increased salaries and benefits, while ensuring the level of city services we have all come to expect remain at present levels.

Is more development needed for the city and if so what kind would you support?

Progress requires a strategic approach. Good developments make good politics, not the other way around. As such, with the many development projects approved, denied and proposed, the projects in greatest need in Burbank are moderate/affordable priced housing.

Housing is a limited resource. As demand increases, market forces come into play. The anticipated statewide shortage of affordable homes will necessitate more dense development projects. Burbank is limited by its size, available land and opportunities for development. Changes in land use and zoning laws will include higher density and mixed-use components.

The promotion of an affordable housing incentives ordinance for conformity to state density bonus law and zoning to integrate affordable units within market rate developments is necessary to address affordable housing.

Moreover, the facilitation of mixed-use and infill development must be supported. The integration of affordable units within Redevelopment Agency assisted projects should occur. Residential rehabilitation programs and ownership assistance must be increased.

The city can assist with site assembly in commercial corridors for residential infill, promote small lot development and assist in Burbank Housing Corp. participation for development of mixed income and affordable housing. Additional programs will be needed to maintain affordable housing.

I will favor projects that promote moderate/affordable priced housing while at the same time provide for more than the required number of parking spaces and are without significant impact upon existing traffic.

What is the biggest issue facing the city?

Traffic. It is forecasted to only increase. Traffic in Burbank is increasing as a result of natural population growth and increase of businesses in our community. I will address present and anticipated traffic increases to our community through traffic control modernization and strategic planningSynchronization of lights at some intersections will also lead to more efficiency, smarter intersections will result in smoother flow and stronger enforcement of traffic laws will maintain a steady flow of traffic.

To date, traffic mitigation measures have been somewhat successful at intersections where synchronization of the lights occurred. Also, the former five points has become better since the widening of the Burbank Boulevard Bridge.

However, we have a lot more to do. We need to increase funding for synchronization and other procedures to maintain efficient roadways.

The 2025 traffic forecast and growth scenarios all show that congestion will drastically increase. We must plan for additional technology and exhaustively research innovations to manage traffic more effectively.

BIO BOX

NAME: Vahe Hovanessian, Esq.

AGE: 30

OCCUPATION: Attorney at Law / Business Owner

EDUCATION: Juris Doctor, University of La Verne, San Fernando Valley College of Law; Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, UCLA; Burbank High School.

FAMILY: Wife, Annie P. Hovanessian, Esq.; father, Razmik; mother, Margaret Hovanessian; brother, Rafi Hovanessian; and grandmother, Emma Dolikhanian.

COMMUNITY SERVICE: currently vice-chairman of Burbank Water and Power Board; member of the Burbank Noon Rotary (2005); Leadership Burbank (2003-2004); member of the Armenian Educational Foundation (2002 to present); honorary Chairman of the Business Advisory Council (present); internship at Burbank City Attorney’s Office supporting the criminal prosecution department (2000-2001);

CONTACT: votevahe@yahoo.com or (818) 606-448620051221irh28tkn(LA)Vahe Hovanessian is running for Burbank City Council.