Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide
Name: Wendy Grose
Current job title: Doctor/Nurse Practitioner
Political party affiliation: Non-Partisan
Incumbent: No
Other political positions held: Planning Commissioner
City where you reside: Los Alamitos
Campaign website or social media: wendygrose4losal.com
How can the city best meet the demand and mandates for more housing, including at lower prices, while also preserving the quality of life for existing neighborhoods and residents? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
We face many challenges with the raising cost to build homes while maintaining affordable housing as mandated by RHNA. Since 1969, areas of our town are included in the RHNA numbers (government-owned property) that we can not develop, yet these two square miles are included in the RHNA numbers. We need to work with the state to readdress our RHNA numbers based on buildable land in our community, not land that is part of the military. At that time, we should be able to readdress our RHNA numbers and look at how we can actually meet the RHNA numbers for affordable housing based on actual land use.
California is working toward achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2045. Where does climate change fall in your list of priorities? How, if at all, would you address this as a councilmember? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
I support our environment and the desire to provide clean living for all of us. I have concerns about the impact lithium batteries have on our environment, yet I also understand the desire to work toward reducing carbon emissions. As a councilmember, we need to support the needs of those we work for as councilmembers. We need to reach out to our residents to understand what works for them and how we can all work together with the state for positive outcomes. I hope to see better development of affordable and safe methods to meet the needs of the majority while working toward a safe environment. This should be a top priority especially as we update our city building and transportation.
How should the city balance paying off debts, such as pension liabilities, and building reserves all while meeting residents’ needs? Should a solution involve finding new revenue, trimming the budget, or something else entirely? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
Our priority should be to pay off our debts and pension liabilities first, but this must be balanced with repairing items that are in great need of repair first such as pot holes, etc. Our City Council increased taxes 1.5% which should be to focus on these issues before investing into pay increases or adding additional staff. Transparency and accountability is critical in assisting under where their tax dollars are spent and the reason for the expenditure. What we are currently seeing is small business owners are closing shop when customers can go to other cities for the same item for less so besides paying off debts we also need help businesses stay open since the tax dollars they bring us also help reduce debts.
In your opinion, what is the biggest need your city faces, and how would you address it? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
We need to repair our streets and address residential speeding zones. Safety first is critical especially with the increased electric bikes that our children are enjoying. We need to work with the police department, fire department, city commissions and residents to find solutions with the realization that nothing is perfect and it will require frequent reevaluations.
Why would you make a good leader, and how would you represent the diverse communities of your city? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
A leader is someone who knows how to work with others to get the job done. This is a person who encourages a team approach to make things better for everyone. A leader promotes those individuals for their accomplishments while stepping back. I have worked with many people over the years, allowing them to receive the recognition for their work, which it the way it should be. It is the team that gets the job done and the team that makes it successful, never just one person. I want and encourage commissioners the opportunity to work with the community for solutions or ways to make our community better. Allow these volunteers along with city staff the opportunity to make a difference. It is not my town; it is our town and they deserve recognition and opportunity.
Sourcing & Methodology
The Orange County Register sent questionnaires, based on current events and questions from readers, to candidates on the ballot in Orange County via email, phone and/or mail in August. Answers have been lightly edited only to correct spelling or grammar or to remove offensive language and hate speech.
