RODRGUEZ: NO RESPONSE
1. If elected, what three concerns would you prioritize for District 2?
Rangel: Infrastructure, Integrity, and working in partnership with all entities to maximize the tax dollar of our residents.
2. What sets you apart from the current District 2 Council member?
Rangel: I have never held an office, and I bring sincerity and honesty to serve our community and city. I have no hidden agenda, but do bring the promise to treat our City with much respect and the promise to work on bringing back stability and employee morale.
3. Please characterize the typical residents of District 2 and what they have told you their needs are. In what part of District 2 do you reside and for how long?
Rangel: I have lived in the original District 2 all my life; now it has been re-vamped to a NEW District 2 while only keeping Lomas del Sur. While block walking I have encountered that citizens want to have trust in city government. In order to accomplish that we must address the real issues within our City to continue to provide these services to our community. While parks are in part, quality of life, we must look at what is pressing and that is much needed infrastructure to service our City.
4. What about you do you believe invites the electorate’s trust in your ability to serve without compromising or violating their trust?
Rangel: By keeping it transparent and for the most part real. Without hiding or misusing the position is how trust is gained. Nothing to us should be given but more so gained by the electorates. First and foremost, I want to keep the promise of not having to continue to campaign (in money contributions) if elected. Re-visit the idea of having many millions of dollars in discretionary monies in a four-year term ($3.2 million to be exact) and give it back to our departments who are our backbone and for them to utilize these monies for efficiency and services.
5. It is no secret that there are morale issues among City employees who have witnessed the micromanaging of City staff and department heads, and the demoralizing practice in the past by some Council members to ask for jobs for friends and family members, sometimes at a salary higher than a skilled, experienced employee. How will you address employee morale in this and other aspects?
Rangel: By valuing who currently works for us, promoting from within our own departments and making sure we give j_u_s_t_ _raises within the bounds of the budget. City charter does not allow for us (hopefully elected myself) to hire any family members, I know it has occurred now, but I want to help with ending that and hopefully gaining the trust of our current employees to better all departments.
6. The recent instability in City government has been unsettling. The hiring and speedy exits of city attorneys, and the hiring (and exit) of an inexperienced individual as City Manager (over the recommendations of a nine member search committee appointed by the Mayor and Council in 2019) – these are telling indicators of dysfunction and a lack of leadership.
Rangel: I would welcome the unified diversity of all districts’ constituency to be part of a committee that would help us make a decision that impacts the entirety of our city government. Therefore, we must come to a decision that is based on recommendations by who we select to represent us during a very important role. Hopefully if I get the opportunity to represent the district I can promise to be true to the recommendation and NOT micromanage the City Managers’ office, but more so work alongside them with the recommendations to place our city into the future.
7. Do you use cañoneros(as)to harvest votes for you?
Rangel: No, but I do have many family members and friends who are supporting my campaign.
