Council candidates' final question: Ladan Bezanson
Ladan Bezanson, learning coordinator for Montclair:
QUESTION: What issue or issues do you want to emphasize that were not fully addressed during the campaign?
ANSWER: There are four issues I want to tackle when I am elected. Firstly, I want to restore integrity to city council. The scandals of former officials have tarnished our image and the trust of Upland residents in their elected officers. Secondly, the transparency of our city government must be improved. When people are able to see into city affairs, trust is rebuilt and the lines of communication between representative and citizen reopen. Furthermore I want to work on balancing our budget by providing services for fees to local municipalities, as well as negotiating pension and benefit reforms with management. Lastly, promoting economic growth in Upland is of vital importance. Upland's economy will weaken if our businesses continue to decline or disappear. We have to entice investors to bring their companies to us. By re-establishing integrity and getting our economic affairs in order, industries will want to establish themselves in Upland.
This special election has become just like national politics...watchdog your tax money, transparancy, open meetings, tree roots and sidewalks...The name of this election needs to be STOP THE MADNESS; STOP THE CORRUPTION...who is addressing the current chief of police position?? Who has talked about how the top law enforcement officer in the City could not tell the corrupt officials that they were enlisting him to conduct illicit activities in the name of law enforcement?? Or a treasurer who watched the former city manager gouge the taxpayers and sat silent...or a former chief/city manager is now going to be the "hired gun" to clean up the graft and corruption?? I'm wondering on whose "watch" this culture was established??? I'm NOT impressed by the available candidates that I'm seeing here!