Torrance City Council Race: Leilani Kimmel-Dagostino

Leilani Kimmel-Dagostino

Budget analyst and Commissioner on Seniors and against Leilani-Kimmel-Dagostino also answered questions about her campaign and candidacy.

1. Why are you running for city council this year? Did you ever plan on running for office before?

 

With 16 candidates running for City Council, this is the biggest change in council membership in city history. We have to elect people with experience and vision. I felt I had the experience in four key areas: Finance, Business, Government, and Community Service.

 

I had never planned on running for elected office before. I had planned to be selected as a City Commissioner which I was 6 years ago.

 2.  You are a registered Republican. Why?

 

I believe in adherence to the Constitution, small government, and a balanced budget which are the tenets of the Republican Party.

 

3. Tell us about your prior professional/political experience and how they can help the City of Torrance.

 I became involved with the Republican Party while living in Houston, Texas when Congressman Bill Archer from Harris County asked for volunteers to become poll watchers in elections to combat voter fraud in certain districts. Because of what I observed in Texas, when we moved to California I became an Election Inspector to ensure a fair and honest voting experience in the precincts that I was assigned to.

 For my professional experience, I have been a Registered Financial Consultant for 10 years serving the needs of senior citizens. Prior to that I worked as a Budget Analyst for the Western Division of American Airlines Aircraft Maintenance. I hold an MBA in Quantitative Analysis from Pepperdine University which means that I can analyze large quantities of data and make sense of it.

 Please tell us about your commission work with senior citizens.

 The purpose of a city commission is to bring forth items that the City Council can take action on. I was Chair of the Commission on Aging for 4 years and have been the Vice Chair for 2 years. Under my watch we saved the Commission from elimination at the Ad Hoc Review Board, negotiated the dial-a-ride taxi program rates, and saved the funding for the Senior Tour program. Since I attend all the City Council meetings I am able to speak for the Commission on any items that affect the senior community. I am out in the community attending meetings and events at the Bartlett Senior Center, the YMCA senior center, and various residential care facilities. In order to find out what is on the minds of senior citizens you have to hang out with them at a multitude of venues in order to tap their brains. I use the knowledge that I have gained to bring back to the Commission various concerns that we can address. Seniors can call me at any time with questions and I address them all on a timely basis.

 

What plans do you have to assist seniors while also making Torrance a vibrant city for young people and future families moving it?

I would like to keep pushing for affordable senior housing as that is the number one request that the Focal Point on Aging receives. I am especially monitoring a project by the Mehta Housing Company on Cabrillo Avenue that was to have been funded by the now defunct Redevelopment Agency. It is a workforce housing development and may yet come to fruition if grant money can be found to complete it.

I would also like to see the $100.00 a month space rental subsidy for low income senior citizens living in mobile home parks reinstated. That was discontinued because of the demise of the Redevelopment Agency.

Torrance is an expensive city to live in. The only way young families can afford to live here is if they inherit a house from their parents or if they have a good job. We must develop and keep good jobs in Torrance. We can do this by fostering vocational education through SCROC, El Camino College, or vocational education offered through our high schools. Many of these vocational skills lead to high paying jobs. For example, Robinson Helicopters in Torrance hires most of its employees from SCROC.

 Viable candidates have to discuss the future of SCROC. Without proper vocational training, students may face few employment prospects.

 

4. What measures, reforms, and policies would you implement on a city level to bring in more business and increase economic activity in the City of Torrance?

 

We need to get the word out about the South Bay Entrepreneurial Center in Torrance that helps nurture entrepreneurs and small businesses. Large businesses can come and go but small businesses are the lifeblood of the city. The Chamber of Commerce and the Office of Economic Development are all working together to attract new businesses to Torrance.

 

Last year my Leadership Torrance group developed a free mobile application called “Discover Torrance” which lists all the hotels, restaurants, and attractions in Torrance for use in developing tourism in the City. The Discover Torrance Office is currently working on programs to encourage more people to visit Torrance for pleasure and for meetings and conventions.

 

5. What concerns do you have about crime and public safety in Torrance?

I am very concerned about the increase in burglaries since the passage of AB108. As a CERT DSV volunteer I have been a part of 3 “Operation Outlook” operations with the Torrance Police Department where we target various neighborhoods and educate the public on burglary prevention and neighborhood watch programs. If at all possible in the next budget I would like to see at least two more police officers hired to help the task force. We still are the 10^th safest city in the nation and the citizens of Torrance demand a safe and secure city.

 6. There are growing revelations about the city's massive pension liabilities -- $400 million, an online reports confirm that at least 600 city employees out of 200 are earning at least $100,000 a year in total compensation (per 2012 data). What reforms or steps do you support to deal with these massive pension liabilities?

I attended the City Council meeting on February 25, 2014 with the presentation by the Actuary as to the pension liabilities. Two things have come to light from the presentation. The first thing is that that Governor Brown has signed a law that states that all unfunded pension liabilities must be shown on the balance sheet of all city budgets. The second thing is that GASB68 which was approved on June 25, 2012 and effective 2014/2015 changes the unfunded pension liabilities from an actuarial asset value to a market asset value. That means that we have $116,200,000. more in unfunded liabilities rather than the $44,200,000.00 that we thought we had or $392.1 total. This is still significant. However, the City of Torrance took measures on June 30, 2011 to implement cost sharing and raising the retirement age for new employees hired after January 1, 2013. This should result in savings (in millions) of $.5 for miscellaneous employees, $.4 for Police, and $.3 for Fire Safety. Savings materialize gradually over 20 to 30 years due to the PEPRA impact assuming a 7% expected return on the discount rate on bonds. This will need to be monitored closely because if the return is not sufficient to pay benefits then further changes will need to be made. Employees on these plans are not eligible for social security benefits when they retire unless they choose to work in private industry and pay into the plan.

 Dagostino knows the numbers and the figures involved with the pension issue. A strong financial background is essential to good fiscal management.

 

7. How have residents and prospective voters responded to your campaign?  

I have been having a very positive response to my campaign especially from senior citizens. Most of my contributions have come from individual donors and I have received no union money or PAC money even though I have been endorsed by both the Torrance Police Department and Torrance Fire Department. People know me through my volunteer efforts and my Commission work. I have always been accessible and my record speaks for itself.

 

Receiving union endorsements  is one thing, but as long as a candidate turns down their money, then voters can rest assured that the candidate will represent every interest, not just the special interests.
Private interest plus public investment in city commissions, Leilani's background and vision would suit the city of Torrance very well on the City Council, too.

On June 3, vote for Leilani for City Council.