A not-so hairy job, but somebody’s gotta do it

No one ever said being a local elected was easy. And if you ask Baldwin Park Mayor Manuel Lozano, he’ll tell you the proof is in the hair.

During the city’s annual State of the City address on Friday, Lozano joked that when he was first appointed to the Planning Commission in 1992, he had a fuller head of locks.
“I used to have a lot more,” he said. “So I don’t know if being a politician is bad for your hair.”

Regardless, some might argue it’s worth it considering the strides Baldwin Park has made in the last year — and even prior to that.

The budget has a surplus, crime is down 29 percent since 2005 and millions of dollars in capitol improvement projects are in the pipeline, Lozano said.

“It’s times like these that test cities and times like these that make us stand up,” Lozano said. “In difficult times, government must be strong enough for those who are hurting.”

Longtime Baldwin Park resident Nadine Galindo summed up the address in one sentence: “I just wanted to go out the doors and yell, ‘I’m so excited to live in Baldwin Park!'”

More to come about the address in tomorrow’s paper.