A MESSAGE FROM COUNCILMAN BENJAMIN LOPEZ
A RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ALL OF MONTCLAIR!
It has been an honor serving as your Councilman. As a lifetime resident, businessman, baseball coach and community volunteer, I kindly ask for your vote to remain your Councilman.
Together, we have accomplished much.
Upon the tragic death of young Johnny Macias at Vernon Middle School, I fought for better school safety, resulting in 180 new stop signs and crossing guards hired. We hired 12 new police officers and 8 new firefighters to keep you, our streets and our neighborhoods safe. We finally voted to restore our medic squad. This will lead to quicker response times when you or your loved ones need a medic and 911. Streets have been paved in the southern portion of Montclair giving residents much needed relief from potholes. $2 million has been secured for Saratoga Park. $1 million has gone to alleyway improvements. $1.35 million has gone to street improvements. I voted for projects that saved residents $40 million by securing grants and another $84 million potentially on the way.
I am asking for your vote to continue building on this success. I will continue to advocate for public safety, seniors, veterans, homeless outreach and youth programs. I am tired of careless drivers speeding down our streets like Monte Vista and have vowed to crack down on speeding and combat graffiti that plagues our alleyways businesses. I remain committed to bringing in jobs, business and affordable housing. I pushed for commitments from businesses to agree to hire at least 10% of their workforce from Montclair residents. Thriving businesses mean more jobs for our residents. Let’s finally start construction of the Gold Line so our residents have another means of transportation and visitors from nearby areas can support and shop our Montclair businesses to help bring in needed tax revenue.
Finally, I will continue to look out for taxpayer's money as I have done on the City Council. I did not vote to give myself a pay raise. I did not vote to give the city manager a 13% pay increase. When our employees, from police, fire, parks, recreation, to public works, get the pay increases and benefits they deserve for providing excellent service to our residents, then I will consider rewarding those at the top. Until then, I will continue to fight for our employees.
Working with you, it would be an honor to continue serving you on the Council.
Feel free to contact me at 909.437.8174 or benlopez4montclair@gmail.com.
Respectfully,
Councilman Benjamin "Ben" Lopez
COUNCILMAN BEN LOPEZ ON THE ISSUES…
SUPPORT POLICE & FIRE PROTECTION FOR RESIDENTS
Ben Lopez strongly supports the men and women at our police and fire departments that keep us safe. Ben has kept his pledge never to cut police and fire staffing. Ben believes that our police and fire departments have been asked to do more with less resources far too long. Ben supports hiring more cops and firefighters and giving each department an increase in the tools, resources and staffing needed to keep our residents safe.
SUPPORT SENIOR & YOUTH PROGRAMS
For 7 years, Ben Lopez was a T-ball and Little League coach here in Montclair, coaching youth as young as 3 all the way to 12-year old’s. Ben knows firsthand the importance of sports activities and after school programs for our youth. Those kids involved in sports and programs are less likely to commit crimes or join gangs. That is why Ben strongly supports all current programs for ALL our youth and will fight to protect them on the City Council.
Three generations of the Lopez & Rojas families have called Montclair home. Ben knows how important senior programs are to many of Montclair’s residents. Ben has pledged to continue funding programs that provide meals, nutrition, and medical treatment to our senior residents. Ben will also fight to ensure our fire department has the adequate staffing and resources to respond to emergency needs of our seniors.
Ben will also use his experience working with federal, state and county officials to help Montclair get the necessary funding for current youth and senior programs and to ensure that they are not eliminated.
KEEP STREETS SAFE & CLEAN
Ben Lopez believes that clean streets and alley ways provide a safer overall community for our residents. Keeping our city clean improves property values and makes home buying desirable in our city. Ben supports the current city’s efforts that fight graffiti. Ben also supports strong code enforcement to stop illegal dumping of junk and trash in our streets and alleys.
BRING THE GOLD LINE TO MONTCLAIR
Ben Lopez has consistently supported the City’s effort to bring the Gold Line to Montclair. With the addition of the Gold Line, Montclair will reap the benefit of increased dollars being spent in our city from visitors. Businesses will thrive, the need for more jobs will increase, increased sales tax money will be collected to help pay for police, fire, street improvements and city programs.
SUPPORT ADDITIONS TO MONTCLAIR PLAZA (NOW CALLED MONTCLAIR PLACE)
Ben Lopez supports the new developments and additions taking place at the Montclair Place. New dine-in theaters by AMC and several new upscale restaurants will help to keep Montclair Place a successful location for shopping, eating and entertainment. This is key to ensuring this part of our city is a success and continues to draw thousands from outside the region and from all three surrounding counties.
FIGHT CRIME & KEEP MONTCLAIR SAFE
Ben Lopez has been a strong voice against the policies from Sacramento that have made our streets unsafe and placed our police in greater danger. Ben opposed Assembly Bill 109 which was signed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2011, Proposition 47 which passed in 2014 and Proposition 57 which passed in 2016. All three measures have let violent criminals out of jail early, lessened the crimes for drug use and possession, and lessened the penalty for serious theft, abuse, violence and sexual crimes. This has led to every city, including Montclair, experience a spike in home break-ins, auto theft, theft from local stores, and forces our cops to release persons caught with felony drugs.
Ben strongly opposes these unsafe measures and feels now is the time to increase our police officers on the street to keep us safe. Our police are doing a great job keeping us safe. But they are forced to do more with less. We cannot afford to compromise public safety.
SUPPORT BUSINESS FRIENDLY POLICIES THAT BENEFIT US ALL
Ben Lopez is a small business owner. He is co-founder of a consulting firm and president of two small businesses located here in Montclair. Ben knows that a city friendly to small business will benefit everyone. Montclair should be known for welcoming any business within our borders. More businesses in Montclair will result in more jobs and more revenue to our local economy. Ben supports cutting some of the red tape many new or renewing businesses must jump through. Ben supports relaxing restrictions on business signs and use of banners. Ben also supports reducing certain fees on businesses, so it gives business owners an incentive to invest in Montclair.