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The Issues
Barbara Kogerman for Laguna Hills City Council 2010
25231 Mawson Drive
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Email: kogerman4council@cox.net
Phone: 949-855-9889
ID #1318852
Openness and Transparency
Laguna Hills denies our citizens easy access to information about how the city allocates its resources and makes decisions. The current City Council has done little to alleviate this situation. Barbara believes Laguna Hills needs to broadcast and/or stream meetings, publish full agendas so citizens can know specifically what is being voted on, and publish budget documents that clearly show how taxpayer dollars are spent.
Reasonable Spending Priorities
Laguna Hills should not be cutting law enforcement and ignoring our Seniors, humane animal services and related safety issues, programs for youth, business development, and other services embraced by virtually all other south Orange County cities. This is the regrettable record of the City Council majority that instead votes to spend millions on elaborate monuments and staff compensation and benefits far in excess of those paid in much larger and more complex cities--including premiums of nearly $2000 a month for medical benefits per council members and senior staff.
Citizen Participation
Increase citizen participation in the decision-making process of the city by establishing an Independent Planning Commission and commissions for Financial Oversight, Business Retention and Development, Seniors and Youth. Nearly every city in our region, with the exception of Laguna Hills, maximizes the strengths and input of its citizens to bring forward key issues and solutions. Those cities benefit by bringing in fresh perspectives and expertise and by providing training in governance for future city leaders. We need new city leadership to achieve what those other cities already enjoy.
Term Limits
Today’s City Council is the exact same council elected in 1991. Children who weren’t even born when this council was elected are now voting citizens themselves. Election to City Council should not be a “life estate” controlled by career politicians. Enough is enough!
Term Limits provide a succession plan that systematically opens the decision-making process for new leaders to serve, yet allows the balance needed for strong, experienced leadership. Our city needs fresh perspectives and practices to stimulate the government process. Barbara has plans to provide transportation for Seniors to the Senior Center and other important locations, to improve humane animal care for our city’s pets, and enhance opportunities for our businesses to be successful, all without spending an additional dime of Laguna Hills taxpayer money. If you want fresh faces and these kinds of creative new ideas in our city, support Term Limits!
Concurrent with her campaign for City Council, Barbara is leading the campaign to bring Term Limits to Laguna Hills as Chairman of the Laguna Hills Term Limits Initiative. Volunteers are needed now to gather signatures in order to qualify for the November 2010 ballot.
