Together
We Can Do it!
With
a strong belief in local control over land use decisions,
Jim Alger led the fight for his constituents against a
large Wal-Mart development. Even though all the zoning
was in place, and even though other local elected leaders
said there was nothing anyone could do, Alger charged
forward. In February of 2006 he won, defeating the world's
largest corporation and giving a major victory to local
residents.
Prior to his election
as Councilmember of a Los Angeles Neighborhood Council,
Jim had represented the rights of Los Angeles Department
of Water and Power ratepayers. He successfully prevented
an unjust rate hike by assembling a diverse coalition
of community leaders from across the city. This action
saved ratepayers nearly $100 million to date and counting.
Two Los Angeles
Mayors, the City Council, the California State Senate
and numerous community organizations have recognized Jim
for his leadership. Jim has even been honored as "Outstanding
Young Californian" by the California Jaycees.
Whether he is fighting
attempts by developers to bypass the will of the community
such as the attempted Wal-Mart in Northridge, Sunshine
Canyon in Granada Hills, Home Depot in Sunland Tujunga,
or Las Lomas in Santa Clarita, or flying his personal
aircraft stocked with supplies to the Gulf region to coordinate
a civilian rescue and relief operation in the aftermath
of Hurricane Katrina, Jim has shown time and time again
that he has the ability to get things done when others
either can't or won't.
The leadership
skills that were recognized when the Mayor of Los Angeles
appointed him a Commissioner in 2004, won him the Council
Presidency in 2005 and made him a Senator to the LANC
Congress in 2006 are the same type of strength and experience
that will take Jim to Sacramento.
Jim has a history
of breaking down barriers that divide, be they geographical,
political or otherwise. It is no accident that Jims' recent
campaign represents the diversity reflected in the district.
From Santa Clarita to Simi Valley to Tujunga and across
the political spectrum Jim has built a coalition of commonality
that proves there truly is more that unites us than divides.
At his core, Jim
is guided by the words of John F. Kennedy "...in
the final analysis, our most basic common link is that
we all inhabit this small planet, we all breathe the same
air, we all cherish ourchildren's future, and we are all
mortal".
Jim's ability to
unite people from all walks of life, and political backgrounds
in order to create solutions instead of merely complaining
about the problems is one of the reasons many describe
him as a "Kennedy Democrat". He holds a vision
not of the way things are but rather the way things could
be, working tirelessly for all of us and doing what is
ultimately right, regardless of the cost.
TOP PRIORITIES:
- Local Control over land use decisions so you decide
what goes in your neighborhood
- Creating an "Economic Infrastructure" component
to major new development to ensure that residents of
new communities can afford to live there by working
there
- Ending the continuing gridlock on our local freeways
beginning with the long overdue 405 expansion project
- Adoption of "California Clean Money" ending
the stranglehold of special interest money on politics
- Universal Healthcare for all Californians
- Incentives for increased public transit use
- Restriction and ultimate closure of all urban landfills
in California
- Expanding after school care programs
- Improving our education system
