2004 - A Year In Review
Comments on my First Year in Elected Office
Steve Hofbauer, Palmdale City Councilman
Published January 2005

This past year as a Palmdale City Councilman has been exciting, with major accomplishments in many of the critical Quality of Life issues that were central to my campaign; public safety, neighborhood empowerment, and responsive, ethical local government. Equally exciting has been witnessing the reality of many programs and projects envisioned in my nearly 13 years as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Palmdale.

More Deputies, Traffic and Mall Cops Reduce Palmdale Crime Rate!
Public Safety is local government's primary responsibility. This past year we have added 5 additional Deputies, and reauthorized funding for 3 others. Specifically, in the Spring of 2004, I participated in discussions with the Sheriff and City Manager that identified the need and the available funds that, with the support of the Council, returned our Mall Deputy and added another traffic motor Deputy. Additionally, we directed the purchase of 2 additional radar guns and the redeployment of our radar trailer to address resident complaints of speeding. Palmdale experienced an almost immediate overall impact on serious crime. There is a perceptible difference at the Mall. And while other cities are struggling to limit increases in crime, we are experienced a 10% drop in serious crime for the latest reporting quarter, preserving our quality of life.

Expanded Vehicle Seizures Use It and Loose It!
A new ordinance that includes allowing the seizure of vehicles for certain quality of life crimes should provide an additional deterrent. This new ordinance enhances penalties, to include vehicle seizure, providing our law enforcement and prosecutors with additional tools to curb other criminal activity affecting the safety and quality of life for residents, such as: street racers, prostitution or solicitation, illegal dumping, DUI, and drug activity, and transporting illegal fireworks.

Targeting Bad Guys with Anti-Gang Ordinance, Sexual Predator Plans
A cutting edge anti-gang ordinance is in the works and should be implemented before summer '05, as well as a comprehensive rental inspection program. I am proposing our City develop a coordinated response plan to address the state's policy of releasing Sexually Violent Predators into residential neighborhoods.

Illegal Fireworks Task Force Established
My proposal last spring to establish an Illegal Fireworks Task Force for 2004 was supported by the Council, and resulted in citations and the confiscation of hundreds of illegal fireworks this past 4th of July. We will expand it in ''05 and in coming years.

Sheriff Station Under Construction
Our new full-service Sheriff station finally broke ground summer of '04, after years of anticipation and work during my tenure on the Planning Commission. Completion of this facility in an aggressive 1-year construction schedule period will bring further improvements response times and add resources to our city.

Reignite New Fire Stations Construction
During our spring '04 meeting with our County Supervisor, I helped to successfully re-ignite negotiations for additional Fire Stations to address the inadequate coverage and extended response times. A contract was recently approved for new facilities at Rancho Vista and Massarri Park areas, and more are planned. I will continue to press for a more timely construction schedule, and will persist in my efforts to gain approval of the Fire Chief's offer to provide temporary stations pending the completion of permanent facilities.

I continue to evaluate the equity of the return on our taxes, fees and charges levied for the County, State and special districts in the form of redevelopment and property taxes, developer fees, and special assessments.

Council Supports Increased Park Ranger Patrols
Maintaining a safe environment in our city parks can be a challenge in the face of explosive population growth, and the dramatic increase in our park facilities. I've long advocated an increase in the presence of Rangers in our Palmdale parks, and with the support of local residents, the Council recently agreed with me and increased Ranger patrols by 30%. Palmdale has a strong commitment to the family, evidenced by the dramatic expansion of our parks.

Park Vison Program Takes Off
We broke ground on Visions park program, and construction is well underway. We will have a 100% increase in city pools to 4 (soon 5 w/ AnaVerde). Our Equestrian Center engineering has been initiated and the PRCA Rodeo moved to Desert Sands Park, and is returning in '05. The charity Balloon Festival and Ice Skating have debuted at Marie Kerr Park, and the first of our neighborhood Bookmobiles was initiated.

Interagency Interaction
As a city, Palmdale doesn't exist in a vacuum. Our success as a city is improved on a daily basis by our regular interaction and cooperation with other political and government entities. Sometimes these are competing interests, but more often we share mutual interests. I regularly interface with neighboring City and Town Council members, our County Supervisor, State Legislators, Federal Representatives and their staffs.

Statewide and Regional Committee Assignements
As the City's delegate to the Desert/Mountain Division of the League of California Cities, I was recently appointed to the statewide Public Safety Policy Committee, with our Council's support. My nearly 30 years experience in EMS and Fire Service, including Prevention, Disaster Management and Response, will prove valuable in this endeavor. I will be monitoring and making recommendations on legislation and issues affecting law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical services and related functions.

The City of Palmdale also belongs to the California Contract Cities Association, chartered to serve the interests of cities, such as ours, that contract for specialized services. Most noticeably, we contract for police service through the Sheriff, we are served by the County Fire District, and private contractors supply a number of other services. I have a strong interest in maintaining equitable contract terms. I have been active on the legislative front, championing the recent successful Prop 1A initiative to protect local government taxes from raids by the state.

My regular presence and active participation at the Contract Cities prompted the association to ask me to serve on the CCCA's Legislative Committee and City/Contracts Committee. These positions share significant common ground, and will be a perfect fit with my role on the Public Safety Policy Committee.

Healthcare Progess
I am pursuing Health Care issues, including a return of Prop B Trauma Service funding of our Fire Department EMS Helicopter, recently cut by the Board of Supervisors. I have established contact with members of our Antelope Valley Hospital to explore policies and funding options to maintain and expand much needed services from our District hospital. I will have this topic on our agenda for our annual neeting with our County Supervisor.

We should be witnessing the groundbreaking for the new Palmdale Hospital Medical Center soon, a project I have had a personal hand in as a Planning Commissioner as well as Council member for several years.

Vision forPalmdale Transportation Center a Reality
Our Palmdale Transportation Center is about to open. This project has been especially gratifying, as I originally introduced the concept of a Multi-Modal facility as a Planning Commissioner, and got it incorporated into our General Plan, over a decade ago. This will function as a hub for local and regional transportation, eventual shuttle service to our airport, which just resumed commercial flights, and provide for adjacent commercial and residential development. Some day, high-speed rail will stop in Palmdale.

High Speed Transportation
I sit as our delegate on the Orangeline Development Authority, a joint powers agency to establish a mag-lev system from Orange County to the Antelope Valley. We recently acquired an impressive team from Lockheed Martin as a private sector partner. This system has the most momentum of all high-speed rail proposals, and is the only one with joint powers authority and a private partner, and is not seeking on-going government funding.I am regularly asked to speak to other communities on this project's merits, and I played a key role in recruiting our neighboring city of Santa Clarita to join the authority.

Civic Improvements, Senior Housing, Cablecasting
Downtown revitalization is ongoing. A facade improvement project improved a stretch of the boulevard, and the Courson Connection Senior complex near City Hall is becoming a reality. We are adding 300 affordable senior housing units, and replacing 100 sub-standard units and a new Senior Center in a park-like environment.

Responsive, Open Local Government
Residents expressed a need for a keener sense of neighborhood empowerment and improved government accessibility. In addition, residents wanted a better sense of ethics in City Government. This is being accomplished through a number of means. Cablecasting of City Council meetings, advocated by myself for many years, is finally becoming a reality. This brings increased openness to City Hall activities. I will continue to push for cablecasting of all public meetings. In addition, Neighborhood Town Hall Meetings are slated for spring/summer '05, to focus on neighborhood specific concerns. These forums will include a variety of city representatives to bring City Hall to the neighborhoods.

Neighborhood Planning Commissioners Appointed
Neighborhood empowerment and reinforcing public trust in local government lead us to revamp the Planning Commission appointment process. The old system encouraged political appointments, with planning dominated by real estate interests from the same Westside neighborhood. Now, a diverse group of individuals selected from throughout the city, with personal interest and knowledge of their neighborhoods, sit on our Planning Commission.

Improved Accessible Local Officials
The community expects its local representatives to be accessible and to participate at community functions. To that end, my long-standing push for cablecasting will increase public awareness. In addition to my informational website, I maintain an aggressive schedule of public appearances. I regularly attend Eagle Scout ceremonies, public workshops, Playhouse events, chamber, civic, school and club functions. I provide citizens with my 24 hour voice/mail pager to improve my accessibility to my constituents. I maintain an open door policy, with regular hours every week at City Hall - my "Town Hall Fridays". Here I meet with residents and members of the business community, take calls, respond to my many e-mails, and conduct Citizenship Merit Badge sessions for local Boy Scouts.

Aggressive Goals for Future
This next year I intend to continue aggressively pursuing additonal quality of life and public safety enhancements: increasing the number of street Deputies to suppress, not just respond to, crime; expansion of the Illegal Fireworks Task Force; installation of Automatic Defibrillators for our Senior Center and Recreation Facilities; development of a Sexually Violent Predator Realease Response Plan; improving Health Care access and enhancing LA County physical and fiscal cooperation. In addition, Planning issues that must be addressed include re-evaluation of our Group Home policies and their impact on single family homes; tighteningg the loopholes in our Alcohol Ordinance that favor businesses over residents. Continuing to pursue quality of life and eysore issues, such as bootleg news-stands. Enhancing our Park and Rec programs; maintaining reduced fees for city residents to city programs; providing the covers for our pols for year round use; getting the PRCA Rodeo to call Palmdale home; establishing a BMX park as well as an Off-Leash Dog Park.

Summary
This past year has been exciting, productive, humbling, and exhausting. I look forward to the continued prosperity of our city, to remaining vigilant for County, State and Federal impacts or opportunities, and to maintaining responsive, ethical representation for our residents. Call me or e-mail me wth your comments.