This Tuesday April 10 is a big day! Months of knocking on doors, calling voters, participating in candidate forums, and distributing signs and mailers will come to an end, as Culver City voters go to the polls to select two new city council members. I have enjoyed meeting neighbors and sharing my vision for a more democratic, inclusive, and prosperous future for Culver City. Now I’m excited to count the ballots and move forward together.
From my experiences working for improved pedestrian safety in Rancho Higuera, and procuring grant funding to help Culver City launch innovative homelessness programs, I know that working together respectfully with people from all points of view is the best way to find solutions that enjoy the broadest support and greatest chance of success.
While, sadly, this campaign has been marked by negativity and rancor from many directions, I believe the negativity represents only a tiny segment of our community. The overwhelming majority of us value each other’s ideas and points of view, and want to move forward collectively for a better Culver City.
Our local government touches our lives more directly and frequently than any other level of government. In addition to ensuring that potholes are filled, police and fire response is fast and effective, and summer childcare is accessible, our city council makes decisions that shape our city in fundamental ways. Whether our children can safely walk to the store and to school . . . whether we embrace growth and change responsibly and invest in transit options and traffic solutions to help us move people around town more efficiently, while preserving our vibrant neighborhoods and small town spirit … whether our teachers can live in the community where they teach . . . whether we create and maintain public spaces that draw us together . . . whether we eliminate the daily health and safety dangers posed by oil drilling on the edges of our neighborhoods. City council answers these questions; and it is city council that must lead when the state and federal government will not.
With just one in five eligible voters likely to cast a ballot, your vote is also most impactful at the local level. So, please get out and vote! And then let’s all join together, respecting our differences and celebrating our shared dreams, and build a safer, vibrant and more prosperous Culver City.
Harden Alexander “Alex” Fisch
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