Glendale City Council candidates' Q&A

By law, the city must approve a balanced budget in which spending equals revenues. Because our revenues are lower than last year, the city should continue to pursue cost reductions by permitting unfilled job positions to remain vacant. Each department head should be given a target reduction number and be able to work within his own department's budget to meet the target reduction. This is what I voted to do last month to adjust the 2008-09 budget.

For the upcoming year, there will be significant vacancies due to retirement and transfers, and a gradual shrinking of budget by not filling these positions will help us meet the expected downturn in revenues to the city. We should also focus on the revenue side and the Redevelopment Agency has initiated a "Shop Glendale" program where residents are encouraged to patronize Glendale businesses.

Explain your position on Measure U.

I support the passage of Measure U because it modernizes the previous Utility Users Tax and it reduces the marginal tax rate from 7% to 6.5%.

Explain your plan for retaining existing businesses and attracting new ones amid this harsh economic climate.

The Redevelopment Agency and the council are moving forward on a program designed to focus the residents' attention on goods, services, restaurants and businesses located in Glendale. Increasing patronage of our local establishments will help keep them profitable and will help generate sales tax for the city. New businesses can be encouraged to locate in Glendale by having council members and staff attend regional marketing conferences with information about opportunities in Glendale. We need to make greater use of a city staff member to devote his efforts to working with new businesses who have expressed an interest in locating in Glendale.

Upon taking office, what would your top two priorities be, excluding the budget issue?

My top two priorities exclusive of the budget are to maintain the level of public safety of our city and to increase the amount of recreational activities available to our residents, youth and adults alike. Public safety includes crime prevention, criminal apprehension, and also pedestrian and traffic safety. I am hopeful that my Six Point Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Plan, previously printed in the Glendale News-Press, will be adopted with all due haste by the City Council.

BIO BOX

Name: Ara James Najarian

Age: 48

Education: Occidental College, B.A. in economics; University of Southern California J.D. (law)

Occupation: attorney

Family: married, two sons

EDWARD LAFIAN

Editor's note: Lafian did not respond directly to questions, instead offering the following statement.

First, council members need to have healthy working relationships; without them, they can't accomplish anything. We need to have an open house between the Glendale Police Department and Glendale residents to resolve issues.

Second, we need to have a better business-friendly approach to business, hold city employees accountable for their work and have the city manager's position be an elected office.

BIO BOX

Name: Edward Lafian

Age: 53

Occupation: business owner

Family: married, two sons