Meet Joe Arnett
Joe Arnett pulled papers needed to run for City Council on Dec. 18. He is a potential candidate to succeed Neil Derry as the 4th Ward's representative on the City Council.
This would be Arnett's first attempt to run for public office. He's concerned that the city has gone in the wrong direction in recent years.
"I hope when I tell people this that it doesn't sound negative, but San Bernardino for a long time has been on a downslide," he said.
Arnett manages the educational support services team at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry. He said in a telephone interview that he considers San Bernardino's most pressing issues to be jobs and crime. He's concerned that the perception of the city as a high-crime area discourages business owners from coming to the city.
Describing himself as "more conservative than liberal," Arnett said that if he is elected one of his priorities would be to streamline city services. He doesn't want to lay off city staffers but wants to do more to assure that public services are delivered efficiently.
Another of Arnett's objectives is that he wants to participate in efforts to redevelop the downtown area, which he sees as a potential means to eventually improve other parts of the city.
"I hope there would be some trickle down effect," he said.
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Andrew Edwards. E-mail Andrew here.
Oh Gooody,
Someone else who wants to spend more money on the "Black Hole" of down town. More studies, More money spent on new failures to accomplish nothing more than spending scarce funds on more studies to redevelope down town.
History does repeat it self in SanBernardino, spending itself into a hole on new pipe dreams with each new administration.
Mr. Arnett is exactly the kind of balanced leader we need here. He is a conservative, I can attest to that in my dealings with him in the past. But he is equally a passionate deveotee to the community. I know he is very customer service focused and you can bet that he'd rather make sure a pothole is filled, rather than buy new chairs for city hall workers. If you get my drift, that's where his focus is... on value for residents. You're lucky he's running, he's a very good man.
I am a San Bernardino native that is disappointed to have seen the downward spiral the city has taken in the last 20 years. Strong leadership by people with vision and passion are the key to any forward progress for the city. Joe Arnett is one of these people. I have known Joe personally for almost 10 years. He has the background and life experience to guide him in making the right decisions, when he gets elected.
CB and Bates,
I respect yor comments and I hope for your benefit, his qualities come thru. I just hope he will work for his ward as well and not betray it for some cookies tossed out from downtown interests as some have in the past. At city hall, you are bait or a shark. Derry was a straight shooter and his ward deserves another good person like him.
best to you and your wishes for Joe.
As long as I have known Joe I have been aware of one thing. In the turbid waters that comprises the City Government, Joe maybe the only individual who actually knows how to fish. He's neither bait nor shark, but savvy enough to know how to bait a shark. In a climate where integrity, moxie, and progressive determination are needed Joe can deliver that. And frankly, this city deserves that. We are more than we have become and Joe knows it.