Jerry Martin, Candidate for District 5, Anaeli Solano Candidate for District 2, and myself, Frank Adomitis, Candidate for District 4 have formed a coalition. What this means is that if we get elected we will be successful in bring the needed changes to the city. We will be able to vote 3-2 and pass needed changes. We have agreeded these tasks must and will be achieved if elected:
1. Will add two deputies per year for the next six years. Because of my qualifications I was able to determine the city now employs 22 deputies but has not added a single deputy for the last six years. Furthermore, I was able to determine the city had a surplus of $20.5 million dollars over the last six years and wasted, at least, $9 million dollars. This means deputies can be added without raising taxes, and it would be a lie to deny this fact.
2. Will not raise taxes or fees.
3. Will eliminate anti-business laws and will implement ones that will attract and retain businesses. With more business there will be more money available to improve infrastructure, i.e. roads.
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As a side comment, the citizens of west side of the city have been disgracefully short changed. Even though they are repaying through their property taxes virtually all the $65M dollars in ridiculous RDA bonds, many of their streets lack sidewalks and street lights.
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4. Will put city employees on a 401K type retirement plan. The current plan will bankrupt the city as did San Bernardino’s plan. The current unfunded pension liability is at least $6 million dollars.
Soon the other candidates will present commitments for their respective districts. I will achieve the following in addition to the above 4:
5. Will cut expenses by at least $2 million dollars.
6. Will retain only the most qualified employees.
7. Will eliminate existing corruption and cronyism.
8. Will run for only two terms. (I'm no John Timmer!!)
6. Will retain only the most qualified employees.
7. Will eliminate existing corruption and cronyism.
8. Will run for only two terms. (I'm no John Timmer!!)
I am also considering making the city a advocate for the city's children by making sure that NONE of our children are short changed in the schools they attend. We will make sure they have the best teachers, the best resources, and the safest schools. This may not be a typical role of a city government, but the city must put our citizen's children first and that means that the schools the children attend must also put our children first.
Other concerns is the city's transparency and the citizen's request for services. We need to be world class status in these areas.
One CLEAR indication of how bad the business environment is in the City of Highland is to compare the services it provides for businesses with those of the City of Yucaipa. Again some of the city's employees live in Yucaipa include Mr. Dececio (Chief of Police).
Here is Highland's: Economic Development - Highland
Here is Yucaipa's: Economic Development - Yucaipa
On the Yucaipa site, move your arrow over the "Business/Economic Development" menu item and a large number of additional services and resources appear. Clearly if you were going to open a business where would you invest your hard earned capital? That is easy, Yucaipa. How much business was lost to the Donut Hole? Probably a lot. Would you subject your capital to the likes of Larry McCallon, John Timmer, Penny Lilburn, and city's sloth bureaucrats? H_LL NO! These folks don't even need to get out of bed because their "check in is the mail."
Per the executive director of the Chamber of Commerce for the city of Highland, there are 6 business for every 100 residence. Compare this to Newport Beach were there are around 21. This is horrific. What was scary was that the director didn't think 6 business was that bad given she thought the national average was 9. I guess being 50% below average was OK. It's NOT OK. It is disaster that we, the coalition will fix.
What We Stand For
Our goals are simple but not easy. We want to (1) ensure priorities of the citizens are always the top priorities, to (2) ensure Highland’s citizens receive the maximum benefit from their tax dollars and to (3) eliminate the taxes and regulations impeding business from operating in the city. This means our elected representatives must put the needs of the tax paying citizens first and the needs of the city's employees, special interests, and themselves last. They must understand the city's purpose is to provide public safety, transportation, and infrastructure services and to provide these services at the lowest possible cost while maintaining outstanding service levels. Finally, they must be amenable to the needs of business and promote the city as a business friendly city.
Who We Are
Frank Adomitis, MBA, CPA
President of the Friends of Highland
He has been a resident of the City of Highland since 2006. He has over 25 years work experience in the healthcare field.
Anaeli Solano, Biopsychology PreMed
Jerry Martin, Retired Business Executive
As you can see, all of us are from the private sector. Mr. Timmer receives a public pension allowing him the time to be on the council for 24 years. Mr McCallon we believe receives a public pension and works on a number of boards that pay him, e.g. LAFCO and AQMD. All the other candidates in district 4 are retired public employees.
Tony Cifuentes who is running against Anaeli is 38 years old and works at a boxing club in Highand, an organization the city sends money to monthly. The club we understand is a good organization but we question whether someone who works for a boxing club is the best person qualified for the job. Would the person who works at LA Fitness or Fitness 19 be right person to be on the council? Probably not given that Anaeli is the alternative choice.
We understand he was asked to run by the current council. We don't think he has ever attended college. He has had numerous run ins with the law over traffic issues and skipped out on loan to a finance company. He finally paid up when they were going to start confiscating his property. But he was endorsed by Larry McCallon. This means per the current council, he is perfect.
Anaeli is going to be a doctor, works very hard, and helps her parents. Mr McCallon finds her qualifications inferior to Mr Cifuentes' qualifications of working at the boxing club. We're not making this up. Or is Mr McCallon's endorsement disingenuous? Maybe he doesn't want an "outstider" on the board, meaning he is more concerned about himself than the citizens of district 2. Could this be true? YOU BETCHA!!!
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Tony Cifuentes who is running against Anaeli is 38 years old and works at a boxing club in Highand, an organization the city sends money to monthly. The club we understand is a good organization but we question whether someone who works for a boxing club is the best person qualified for the job. Would the person who works at LA Fitness or Fitness 19 be right person to be on the council? Probably not given that Anaeli is the alternative choice.
We understand he was asked to run by the current council. We don't think he has ever attended college. He has had numerous run ins with the law over traffic issues and skipped out on loan to a finance company. He finally paid up when they were going to start confiscating his property. But he was endorsed by Larry McCallon. This means per the current council, he is perfect.
Anaeli is going to be a doctor, works very hard, and helps her parents. Mr McCallon finds her qualifications inferior to Mr Cifuentes' qualifications of working at the boxing club. We're not making this up. Or is Mr McCallon's endorsement disingenuous? Maybe he doesn't want an "outstider" on the board, meaning he is more concerned about himself than the citizens of district 2. Could this be true? YOU BETCHA!!!
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Friends of Highland is an official IRS recognized 527 Political Organization. The employment identification number is 38-3986683.
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8/17/2016
Hi, I need to update this section. We now have a coalition with Jerry Martin in District 5, myself in district 4, and Anaeli Solano in District 2. If we get elected we will have the necessary votes to get the city fixed. Make no mistake, McCallon, Timmer, and Lilburn are also a coalition.
Please email me and I will answer you. I will answer every email and I will call you if you would like. I want your input. I do have a day job. I am a CFO of hospital.
The way I see it, the city is at a turning point. We can stay the course that we have been on for over a decade or we can have the courage to bring in new thinking and skill sets that will ensure the city exists only for the citizen's needs.
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Contact Information
Email: contactus@friendsofhighland.com
Phone: 909-312-3734
If you would like to help in anyway, please contact us.
