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Barbara Sharp

for Burbank City Council

Accountability Prosperity Preservation

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City Business:

Government should be run like a business; that is, revenue must be responsibly collected and ethically dispersed so it operates in the "black" with the quality of services justifying the cost. Whether you run a business or a household, when times are tough, you get lean. The City cannot afford to fund under-performing and under-serving programs and services by demanding more and more taxes and fees from residents and City businesses. It's your money and you have the right to demand fiscal responsibility and accountability at all levels of City Government.

Ethical Commitment:

These years I have been living in Burbank, I have been like most of you – working, paying my taxes, paying my bills and enjoying our exceptional quality of life. I personally relate to the stresses and strains faced by all Burbank residents. My efforts on your behalf as a City Council member will come unencumbered with ties to pet projects, organizations, special interests, or select committees and boards. I will respresent you without years of bias that can come after years of political and other affiliations that do not necessarily serve your best interests. I bring to the table a common-sense, fair and equitable approach to ensure government works for you and not against you.

“Smart Development”:

We enjoy living in the economic center of the media industry and appreciate the small town personality with big city amenities that is uniquely Burbank. I support preserving the high quality of life in our neighborhoods, through the City’s continued, but measured, growth to maintain our safe and beautiful place to live. Like you and many other Burbank residents, I am concerned about the increasing density and traffic. These issues require ongoing review to ensure we can continue to maneuver our City streets. We also need to grow Burbank’s economic base to support our infrastructure by what I have been calling “Smart Development.” “Smart Development” looks at the localized impact of each proposal on a project-by-project basis in order to effectively deal with any resulting traffic and density issues while not unduly constraining the ability of owners to make appropriate and profitable use of their properties.

“Media Capital”:

Burbank is truly fortunate to have such good neighbors as Warner Brothers Studios and The Walt Disney Company, among many others, like Jay Leno, who afford us a supportive tax base, as well as give Burbank its unique character in being the “Media Capital.” Our City needs to ensure we do our best to continue to attract and retain quality entertainment and entertainment-related companies. Times change and we are not necessarily guaranteed the ongoing presence of these good neighbors in our City. I will work to ensure these quality employers remain here in Burbank. In addition, as the “Media Capital,” I believe we must be supportive of film/television/Internet production, if we are to live up to the title. I have been a producer of low budget, small scale documentary and feature productions and see no legitimate public purpose served by charging these productions a permit fee, under Burbank’s Film Permit Ordinance, based upon the mere fact that external lighting and/or audio gear is being utilized. These factors - either alone or in conjunction with other requirements of the production – do not necessarily mean the particular shoot is unsafe or otherwise burdensome to the City.

State Budget Crisis:

The State budget crisis actually presents an opportunity for Burbank to evaluate our own fiscal policies. While it would be irresponsible for me to arbitrarily cite specific programs or services, I certainly advocate taking a hard look at our expenditures. Then, under-serving and/or under-performing programs and services can be streamlined or eliminated. We need to look for ways to implement efficiencies that will save money across the board – just like all of us are doing in our own households. Also, Burbank is unique since we generate our own power and are invested in other generating facilities, such that additional opportunity may exist to sell surplus for more revenue. In general, City government needs to shift its way of thinking -- from spending everything available to creating surplus resulting from successfully implemented efficiencies.

Community Service & Volunteerism:

Everyone has something they can offer in their unique experiences and service. Community service through volunteer activities, whether in the form of ongoing programs or individual events, conveys our humanitarian spirit, promotes fellowship and improves the quality of life for others. Burbank, as well as the Greater Los Angeles area, has a tremendous selection of volunteer opportunities for anyone interested in getting involved in our wonderful community. Worthwhile organizations for whom I have participated in volunteer projects or events include The Burbank Temporary Aid Center, Union Rescue Mission, Los Angeles County Animal Shelter-East Valley, Lake Avenue Church, Shepherd of the Hills Church, Calvary Bible Church and Bel Air Presbyterian. It is important to instill a spirit of volunteerism in our children and youth in order to teach empathy and tolerance. As a child, my mother, a Registered Nurse, and my father, a General Motors’ employee, participated with us in weekly visits to area nursing homes and to disadvantaged children in neighborhoods in and around our local community. These types of experiences stay with us as adults and help remind us to be thankful for the wonderful opportunities and quality of life we are afforded on a daily basis.

Bob Hope Airport:

Presently, the voluntary curfew compliance rate is 97%. It is estimated that the imposition of a mandatory curfew will cause some cargo flights to be diverted, with one carrier’s bank courier operations relocated in its entirety. This is in addition to the expected relocation of corporate operators, as well as passenger costs for cancelled or diverted flights. As aviation continues upgrading to “Stage-3” aircraft, Burbank residents are direct beneficiaries of superior technology in terms of noise reduction, and even more so, as “Next Generation” aircraft comes online. Noise is a concern we all share, however, a curfew does not necessarily address the overall noise signature. In the end, the decision to implement a mandatory curfew is within the sole discretion of the Federal Aviation Administration. We know the airport is a huge economic resource for our City, and a recent change in legislation now allows Burbank to reap an additional approximately $500,000 in wing-tip fuel revenue. We should look at whether continuing to fund expensive studies to address a 3% shortfall is the best use of our money. I welcome hearing from residents living in the flight path with their perspective on the issue.

Did you know . . . ?

Also built in Burbank . . .

Sustainability:

Environmentally-sound development with consideration of issues such as water conservation, energy efficiency, waste reduction, renewable energy and recycling deserves our attention. We can encourage building lean, green businesses, and even residences. In so doing, we will be making good decisions about our City's growth and inevitable change that will help ensure our high quality of life continues for generations to come.

Public Safety:

We are fortunate to literally "have it all" here in Burbank. Our City is truly a wonderful place to live, work and play. One of the primary reasons I committed to Burbank with the purchase of my home in the Media District was due to how safe I feel here. Late night jogs with my dog are not uncommon thanks to the wonderful service of Burbank’s Police and Fire Departments. I support strong and well-funded Police and Fire so that we can continue Burbank’s fine history of public safety. While the City has reported that the greatest impact on the budget is rising costs associated with salaries and pensions, I do not support raising additional revenue through increased fees and taxes on Burbank residents for City services. Rather, in conjunction with reviewing the budget to trim excess, I advocate obtaining grants and other responsible funding to cover appropriate expenditures. In so doing, our traditional high standard of public safety will be maintained wthout further straining residents and City businesses in these challenging economic times.

Chandler Bikeway:

It is always good to be prudent and avoid potential safety hazards, however, implementing restrictions on usage or diverting resources to monitor every possible problem on the Bikeway is likely unduly reactionary and expensive. The fact that the Chandler Bikeway is such a popular venue speaks to its success. As with all outdoor activities, conflict and risk are inherent. Placing signage that addresses these potential hazards, such as is successfully utilized along the Strand in the beach cities, would assist users in better understanding and following safety guidelines for the benefit of everyone.

Rancho District:

The City of Burbank, in its Land Use Element, has recognized the Rancho District as a unique neighborhood with a character that is consistent with lower intensity development. Future devlopment will be based upon existing development and assumes intensity in the area will increase only minimally. While this does not mean properties will not recycle with new development, the City expresses its commitment that, on the whole, any new development will generally be of an equal intensity to what currently exists. With respect to horse-keeping, I support obtaining variances for otherwise required set-backs when homeowners build-out their properties and thereby threaten their neighbors’ ability to stable horses. I strongly believe in private property rights, such that improvements your neighbor may choose to legally implement in order to enhance his/her property should not operate to extinguish your own property rights, including horse-keeping.

Burbank Water & Power:

Burbank Water and Power (BWP) continues to be on the cutting-edge of innovation by investigating and investing in water and power projects. These include utilization of Burbank’s naturally-occurring landfill gasses to create renewable electricity; installing a solar water heating system for the McCambridge Park pool; and building the state-of-the-art Magnolia Power Plant –- a 310-megawatt combined cycle generating unit that serves the Cities of Burbank, Anaheim, Glendale, Pasadena, Cerritos and Colton. In 2002, BWP began an industry-first with its installation of an innovative Reclaimed Water Treatment System for the on-site power plants, which produces ultra-pure water that displaces the need for potable water in BWP power plants. We must continue to be self-sustaining, energy-wise, and supportive of BWP’s efforts to innovate and invest in renewable energy sources via partnerships with other communities. Since we do not currently generate at capacity, I advocate investigating opportunities on the wholesale market for Burbank’s untapped power generation in order to create additional revenue streams. As for water service, we receive our supply from the Colorado River and Northern California; however, water is increasingly becoming a contentious issue –- not just in California but throughout the western states. We are told that without dedicated water conservation and serious implementation of efficiencies, we will experience severe shortages. Burbank should continue to educate residents and businesses regarding conservation and efficiency, and look for ways to reward measurable efforts in this regard. New development and redevelopment in Burbank should be analyzed not only with respect to traffic and density issues, but also with regard to water supply and availability. Did you know . . . ?

Paid for by Committee to Elect Barbara Sharp, FPPC ID #1314659, 1212 S. Victory Blvd., Burbank, CA 91502

http://www.sharpforburbank.com 818/260-0657 (fax)

bsharp7@earthlink.net

Accountability Prosperity Preservation

Thank you to the Troops!

Pictured here is Barbara's cousin, Ryan Weaver, with his son, Max. Private First Class Weaver is currently serving in Iraq.

Barbara with business associate, Jeff Wolff, in front of a Burbank home near Chandler Bike Path that they renovated from a blighted condition and installed energy efficient appliances, windows and HVAC.