All City Council Candidates' Views Should Be Considered by Students
By Karen M. Rosenthal
Council Member

Yes, students who are registered to vote should vote, but I hope that each student will have listened to all of the candidates, not just two, and made their choices based on well-informed opinions. Jeff Horwitz wrote an article after a meeting with just two of the seven candidates in the upcoming city election. He neglected to say well-informed voters are absolutely vital in every election.

For example, Jeff's or one of the candidate's opinion that the City Council is "running the city for the benefit of rich retirees" is an absolute joke and distortion of the demographics of Claremont. The City Council makes public policy decisions that benefit the entire city not just par,ticular groups or neighborhoods.

This City Council does have access to special funds that provide funding for subsidizing the rents of senior apartments, providing low-cost loans to rehabilitate existing housing for seniors in their own homes, provides reduced rate (and delicious, with a new caterer) lunches and senior programs at two park facilities in Claremont. These are not wealthy retirees.

I came to Claremont because my husband worked at the Colleges and even though he changed jobs a few years later we remained in Claremont because it is a college community and we wanted to take advantage of raising our two daughters here and living in a special place. As an aside, when our older daughter was interviewing in the East for college several interviewers asked her why she was even considering schools other than the Claremont Colleges, and she responded she didn't want to go to school just seven blocks from home. She went to Northwestern as did her younger sister.

I have been a community volunteer for over 30 years. I opened the first restaurant to occupy the space that is now Tutti Mangia in the Village, along with a Pomona College professor and our CPA. I have lived just seven blocks from campus for over 30 years. I work part-time as a paralegal for a law firm in the Village. And I have been on the City Council for six years.

Claremont continues to be a great place to live. As a Council Member I have met with students, faculty, and staff to discuss, understand and try to come to some positive common ground on issues of concern to students. We have all learned from these discussions.

What businesses or services do students want in town? What does it take to open a business in the Village that will stay open after 9 at night? Why do neighbors (some professors, believe it or not!) protest Harwood Halloween or other noisy events? What is the role of the Claremont PD on campus? Is our community inclusive and diverse?

It has been my privilege to live, work and play in this town and I hope to be re-elected to four more years on the Claremont City Council. By the way, the election is March 4, not March 12.