Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)



Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

After talking with thousands of voters, we have summarized the following frequently asked questions (FAQ) and our answers.

1.      What is your vision for Irvine?
Response: Irvine is a good city; however, there is definitely room for improvement.
I am running for the mayor of Irvine to make Irvine better.  I would be honored to have your vote. In one sentence, my campaign platform is one vision with three focuses.  My vision for Irvine is for Irvine to really become a first-class city while still maintaining its unique features, such as being the safest city in the nation and having many parks and green spaces, nice architecture, a family ranch feeling, etc. My focuses are managed growth, traffic, and education.

Under this vision, I have three focuses:
a.       Managed Growth: Many voters think our development for the past 10 years was too fast.  To solve the problem, the magic phrase here is "managed growth." To stop the growth completely is too far left and is not going to work. What we really need is to manage our growth, plan our city properly, and develop in a controlled and organized manner per our updated master plan.
b.      Traffic: The city has also outgrown its infrastructure's capacities. This is one main reason for the traffic congestion we have experienced over the past decade. The Irvine city government realizes this problem, as have previous governments; as a result, they have been trying to develop a solution, such as the widening of the roads and synchronizing traffic signals. However, their solutions are passive, piece-meal, and limited to only making physical improvements. It is a good start but can be improved. As your mayor, I'll lead the effort by adopting a comprehensive and holistic approach to alleviating the traffic problems. The magic phrase here is "source reduction." We need to reduce traffic from its source. How to do it? 
1)      Spread the traffic more evenly: We can adjust the city's Master Plan to distribute the traffic generating businesses more reasonably and reduce the sources of the traffic congestion;
2)      Staggering of working hours city-wide: We can also educate and give incentive to Irvine businesses to provide the option of flexible working hours for their employees. If you drive on Culver at 8am or 5pm, you'll see bumper-to-bumper traffic, but if you get on Culver at 10 am, you'll have a free drive and maybe see 20 cars in total. If most Irvine businesses simply revise their employee manuals and give the employees the flexibility to work from 8am to 5pm, or from 7am to 4pm, or from 9am to 6pm, we may be able to cut the traffic in half for rush hours.

Measures like these will greatly alleviate the traffic congestion and improve the quality of life for Irvine residents.
c.       Education: Most people bought a home in Irvine because of its good schools. However, the class sizes for Irvine schools are too large. For example, a class often has 33 students for 4th to 6th grades. With a larger class, it is hard for the teachers to pay adequate attention to each student. The main reason for larger class sizes is because of the limited state funding for education. As your mayor, I will work with your school board representatives to start the process of class size reduction, work to increase the number of APAAS classes to meet Irvine residents' demands, and improve the libraries. I will work with other mayors as we go to Sacramento to request more funding for our schools and also work with private firms, residents and IPSF to start to raise money toward this goal. I will also have the city staff evaluate the Irvine city ordinance to require all new schools to be planned and designed to have the capacity to reduce class sizes, instead of continuing to add portables whenever we need to add a classroom.

2.      Why should we vote for you?
Response: I am an outsider and not a career politician, but that is what Irvine needs right now.
Do you know why Irvine was successful in the past? It was because my fellow architect, William Pereira, proposed the idea of incorporating Irvine as a new city, created the master plan for Irvine, and introduced his vision of a city and university (UCI) growing together.  This plan has been successful for a long time. However, after 50 years, the current population of Irvine has grown to about 250,000. We have to re-evaluate and revamp the City of Irvine's master plan to meet the needs of the current and projected population. As an architect with extensive training in urban and regional planning, master planning, architecture, and landscape architecture, I am a perfect fit to lead this effort.

3.      Why do you use "Join Our Gang for a Better Irvine!" as your campaign slogan?

Response: We use "Join our Gang for a better Irvine" as our campaign slogan for the following reasons:
  • a.       Our mayoral candidate's first name is Gang, so our campaign slogan is: "Join our Gang for a better Irvine."  This will help voters remember his name.
  • b.      "Our Gang" is a very successful movie series that is loved by older Americans. Most older voters can relate to it and LOVE it.
  • c.       Gang also means a group of people.
  • d.      Our Gang also means that our candidate, Gang Chen, is one of us, and he is OUR Gang. He knows what we are going through, and he can represent us well.
  • e.       Our slogan, "Join our Gang for a better Irvine," has been tested with many voters, and they love it. Most of the voters will smile and say: "Very smart" when we knock on their doors and say:
  • "I am helping Gang Chen to run for the Mayor of Irvine, please vote for him on November 8th. His first name is Gang, so our campaign slogan is ‘Join our Gang for a better Irvine.’  This will help you remember his name."

4.      What is your position on the veterans' cemetery in Irvine?
Response: I support the veterans and their wish to have a great cemetery. They fight and die for us, and they absolutely deserve it. Once the cemetery is built, it will be there for thousands of years, and we want to make sure it is done right. Currently, there are two sites available; one needs to be selected. I support the landswap presented by Bill Cook, the leader for the veterans, at the 4/12/16 Irvine City Council meeting. I was there in the meeting and spoke in public to support Bill Cook and the veterans because the new site they propose is MUCH better than the old site in every way. The new location is much better than the old location for all stakeholders; veterans do not have to spend a lot of money to do the clean-up, and  the new location is close to the intersection of the 5 and 405 freeway. It can be a very visible landmark for Irvine and remind all of us the great contribution of the veterans.

It is away from the new Portola High School and homes, and Irvine residents love the new location.

The cemetery is like a great puzzle; you cannot bring out a knife and cut all the puzzle pieces square and put them together. It takes some extra time and effort to really solve the puzzle, and now all the pieces have finally come together. We have finally solved the puzzle and worked out a win-win solution for all parties involved. Supporting this win-win solution is the right thing to do.

5.      Are you going to represent ALL people in Irvine?
Response: Yes, I will. The key to being a good mayor is to truly represent ALL your constituents and treat them all fairly. Representing and serving Irvine people is a difficult balancing act; you may not be able to make everyone happy, but you HAVE to listen to everyone and be FAIR to everyone.

As the mayor of Irvine, I'll make sure every one of the Irvine people will have NO fear to speak of their concerns. This is the essence of our democracy.

6.       What is the progress on the Great Park Project?
Response: The Great Park is actually a NOT so great of a park because of the mishandled funds.  It was a big disaster and a failure. The 251 million dollars for the Great Park was mishandled by some previous city councils and former mayor, Larry Agran. You can see all the details of the Great Park disaster at the OC Grand Jury's report at this link (pay special attention to the findings on pages 24 to 26 of the pdf):
 
Mayor Choi had to make a difficult trade-off with the developer, Five Point, and give the developer some incentive to help the city complete the project. The Great Park Project is being built by Five Point now.

7.      What are the differences between Mary Ann Gaido and you?
Response:
Several items:
Mary Ann Gaido is too far left and not right for Irvine. My platform is a middle-of-the-road approach and is what Irvine needs right now. For example, many voters think the development of Irvine for the past 10 years is too fast and too rapid. Mary Ann Gaido's solution is to completely STOP all development. Her solution will NOT work and is bad for Irvine. My solution is to manage our growth, through proper urban planning and control of our development. My solution is a middle-of-the-road approach, and it will work.

Irvine voters voted Larry Agran out of office in 2014. Mary Ann Gaido has been very close to Larry Agran for over 40 years.  She is a part of Larry Agran’s team. Mary Ann Gaido is a part of the problem and not a solution for Irvine. For example, the Great Park became one of the biggest scandals under former Mayor Larry Agran and some other city council members: 251 million dollars was mishandled, less than half of the money was actually spent on the design and construction of the Great Park, 43 million dollars were un-accounted for, and many contracts were handed out without bidding. You can see all the details of the Great Park disaster at the OC Grand Jury's report at this link (pay special attention to the findings on pages 24 to 26 of the pdf):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/25sk6mxns9fvu2l/Great_Park_Website.pdf?dl=0

On the veteran's cemetery issue, she limits the veterans' choice to the original proposed location. This is more for her own political gain than for veterans. Why? Because the original location will probably NOT work; it requires millions of dollars in cleaning costs and demo costs. Where is the money? I support the veterans, and I want to make sure the veterans have  two choices.  In fact, most veterans like the new alternate site. I support the new alternate cemetery site and support the landswap proposed by the veterans. The new site will work.


info@GangChenUSA.com
Paid for by Gang Chen for Mayor 2016 (GangChenUSA.com)FPPC# 1379051

Friday, May 20, 2016

Campaign Platform: Gang Chen for Mayor 2016: For a Better Irvine




“Thank you Irvine! Time for a Breath of Fresh Air! New Leadership, New Ideas!” 

Campaign Platform
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Irvine is a good city, however, there is definitely room for improvement. For example, Irvine's ranking on Money Magazine's "Best Places to Live" list dropped from No. 6 in 2012 to No. 14 in 2014. The main reasons for this are the traffic problems and housing prices.

I would be honored to have your vote. I am running for the Mayor of Irvine to make Irvine better.  In one sentence, my campaign platform is one vision with three focuses.  My vision for Irvine is for Irvine to really become a first class city while still maintaining its unique features such as the safest city in the nation, many parks and green spaces, nice architecture, family ranch feeling, etc. My focuses are traffic, managed growth and education.

As your mayor, I will:
1.      Place Irvine and Irvine residents' interests first, as well as respect and promote cultural diversity. I have the courage to fight for you to ensure your interests are protected.
2.      Use a comprehensive and holistic approach to alleviate the traffic problems that have plagued Irvine for the past decade.
3.      Re-evaluate and revamp the Irvine Master Plan to meet the needs of Irvine's current population and create smart and sustainable growth.
4.      Use Irvine's strategic location at the Pacific Rim, and fully take advantage of the opportunities created by the current historical development trend and face any potential challenges with wisdom.
5.      Make Irvine a more business friendly city by attracting high quality investment and human resources to Irvine, and create more high-paying jobs.
6.      Support small businesses.
7.      Ensure fiscal responsibility.
8.      Ensure no new taxes are applied without voters’ approval.
9.      Continue to keep Irvine safe.
10.  Support green buildings and sustainable development.
11.  Preserve Irvine's environment.
12.  Promote a healthier lifestyle.
13.  Improve education by working with your school board representatives to start the process of class sizes reduction, increase the number of APAAS classes to meet Irvine residents' demands, and improve the libraries.
14.  Support senior services.
15.  Improve Irvine's overall competitive edge.

Let me elaborate on some of the aforementioned key points:

During the 1960s, my fellow architect, William Pereira, proposed the idea of incorporating Irvine as a new city, created the Master Plan for Irvine, and introduced his vision of a city and university (UCI) growing together.  This plan has been successful for a long time. However, after 50 years, the current population of Irvine has grown to about 250,000. We have to re-evaluate and revamp the City of Irvine's Master Plan to meet the needs of the current and projected population. As an architect with extensive training in urban and regional planning, master planning, architecture, and landscape architecture, I am a perfect fit to lead this effort.

The city has also outgrown its infrastructure's capacities. This is one main reason for the traffic congestion we have experienced over the past decade. The Irvine city government realizes this problem, as have previous governments; as a result, they have been trying to develop a solution. However, their solutions are passive, piece-meal, and limited to only making physical improvements. It is a good start but can be improved. As your mayor, I'll lead the effort by adopting a comprehensive and holistic approach to alleviating the traffic problems. For example, in addition to widening roads and synchronizing traffic signals, we can adjust the city's Master Plan to distribute the traffic generating businesses more reasonably and reduce the sources of the traffic congestion; we can also ask Irvine businesses to provide the option of flexible working hours for their employees. Measures like these will greatly alleviate the traffic congestion and improve the quality of life for Irvine residents.

Over the past 100 years, European immigration to the East Coast has largely fueled the development of the United States. Immigrants have brought investments, skills, and cultural influences to the East Coast and have helped to create some successful cities, such as Boston and Washington, D.C. During the next 100 years, the development of the United States will be largely fueled by the Asians immigrants to the West Coast. The City of Irvine cannot shut its door completely and ignore this historical development trend. As your mayor, I'll use Irvine's strategic location at the Pacific Rim, and fully take advantage of the opportunities created by the current historical development trend and face any potential challenges with wisdom; further, I will  draw on the city’s cultural diversity to improve Irvine.

I'll make Irvine a more business friendly city by attracting high quality investment and human resources to Irvine. This will create high paying jobs for the 21st century, thus increasing the average household income and property value.

People compete with each other, companies compete, and cities compete with each other too. Irvine should not lose to other cities in this global economic and the related competition.

Most people bought a home in Irvine because of its good schools. However, the class sizes for Irvine schools are too large. For example, a class often has 33 students for 4th to 6th grades. With a larger class, it is hard for the teachers to pay adequate attention to each student. The main reason for larger class sizes is because of the limited state funding for education. As your mayor, I will work with your school board representatives to start the process of class size reduction, work to increase the number of APAAS classes to meet Irvine residents' demands, and improve the libraries. I will work with other mayors as we go to Sacramento to request more funding for our schools and also work with private firms, residents and IPSF to start to raise money toward this goal. I will also have the city staff evaluate the Irvine city ordinance to require all new schools to be planned and designed to have the capacity to reduce class sizes, instead of continuing to add portables whenever we need to add a classroom.

I would be honored to have your vote. Join me in restoring the Irvine government to "government of the people, by the people, for the people." Please vote for me and ask all your friends and relatives to vote for me. Together, we can make Irvine a better city for YOU! May God bless America! May God bless Irvine!

Please feel free to contact me if you have any concern. You can reach me at info@GangChenUSA.com

P.S. -- If you have not registered to vote, do it now. Your vote and your voice are very important!

See GangChenUSA.com for the latest updates.

E-mail: info@GangChenUSA.com                                                                           
Paid for by Gang Chen for Mayor 2016, FPPC# 1379051
 

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Irvine Mayor Candidate Gang Chen's Bio (My story):



Irvine Mayor Candidate Gang Chen's Bio (My story):

My fellow Irvine residents,

My name is Gang (pronounced "Gong") Chen. I have been a resident of Irvine for 18 years. I am a Christian, a USC alumnus, a licensed architect in California, and an expert in LEED, green buildings and sustainable development. I care more about getting the job done. I am more a middle of the road guy, or a centrist.

Like many Americans, I worked hard and realized my American Dream. I am one of you. America is the greatest place, and it has given me so much.

As a citizen who was given such a great opportunity to achieve the American Dream, I now have the desire and responsibility to give back and serve our community.

I believe public service is one of the best ways to give back, and I believe I can best do so by serving as the Mayor in my own city, the beautiful city of Irvine.

I graduated in 1987 from South China University of Science and Technology (SCUT) with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture.  In 1990, I was honored to receive a scholarship from the University of Southern California (USC) to come the United States to study. I earned a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the School of Architecture in 1993 and also enrolled and studied for one year in the PhD program of the USC School of Planning, with a Research Assistantship focusing on traffic studies.

I am a licensed architect in California, and a LEED AP BD+C. I have extensive training and experience and made substantial contributions in Urban and Regional Planning, Master Planning, LEED, Green Building and sustainable development, Architecture, and Landscape Architecture.  Many of the projects I was in charge of, or participated in, have been published extensively in Architecture, Architectural Record, The Los Angeles Times, The Orange County Register, etc. I played a leading role in many unusual projects, including a number of regional and neighborhood shopping centers in Southern California. My books on green buildings and LEED have been consistently ranked as the #1 bestsellers in the world on the subject.

I have been actively involved in community services and activities.  As early as 1990, I was a board member of a student association in USC.  In Irvine, I have also been involved in many community activities and have led the efforts of Irvine residents to call, write and send e-mails to city, county and state governments to express their concerns on critical issues that affect the quality of life of Irvine. I have the courage to fight for you and the desire to serve the community.

Irvine started as a ranch with a family. I am lucky enough to be blessed with a family of my own: a wonderful wife of 25 years, Ellen, and four beautiful daughters, Alice, Amy, Angela and Athena. I am thankful for my many blessings.

As a father, I want a better education not only for my children but for all children of Irvine.

Irvine is a great place to work and live. Irvine was one of the first great master planned cities in America. As an experienced architect, I desire to bring Irvine back to its roots and to ensure that the feeling of "a family ranch" is never lost as we become a modern international destination. I will lead the effort to re-evaluate and revamp the original Irvine Master Plan, prepared by my fellow Architect, William Pereira, to meet the needs of Irvine's current and projected population, and create smart and sustainable growth.

The issues that Irvine faces are complex but there are solutions. See my campaign platform for my specific solutions to Irvine's unique issues and challenges.

I would be honor to have your vote. Join me in restoring the Irvine government to "government of the people, by the people, for the people." Please vote for me and ask all your friends and relatives to vote for me. Together, we can make Irvine a better city for YOU! May God bless America! May God bless Irvine!

See GangChenUSA.com for latest updates.




Endorsements:

MR. CHEN is a hardworking professional and very trustworthy.
I endorse Mr. Chen's efforts for a better IRVINE.  Consider your vote for CHEN.

PAUL Merritt [charter LAGUNA NIGUEL CITY COUNCILMEMBER]
FORMER planning commissioner
President LAGUNA BEACH TAXPAYERS [oldest volunteer tax group in O.C]
Deputy reserve sheriff/  REAL ESTATE BROKER
Two term NIGUEL parks director
Registered Independent
---Paul  Merritt *[Christiansen]

Seldom in today’s political environment does one meet a person running for office that is truly a man, “of the people”. Gang Chen is “one of us.” Mr. Chen immigrated, “the right way,” earned his citizenship, and is living the American Dream. But he has not stopped there. Mr. Chen is so grateful for what America has given him that he wants to give back and serve “the people.” I travel across the world and interact with many leaders and one can see when there is a champion that rises that is truly, “an advocate for all.” I have had a chance to see a sample of the body of work, scholastic and personal background of Mr. Gang Chen. In my opinion Gang Chen has made a commitment that will fill the void “of the voice of the people” and restore Irvine back to being the safest family community and workplace in America. It is my belief that Gang Chen would be a quality Mayor and an asset to the Irvine community. I highly recommend Gang Chen for Mayor of Irvine.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Professional Regards,

---Dr. Mark A. Rafter, Ph.D.
Ambassador Golden Rule International
Registered with the United Nations Global Peace Initiative
International Professor
CEO and Executive Producer
Marco Polo Entertainment
The Modern Day Marco Polo

Also Endorsed by:
Samuel Kang, Mayor Pro Tem, Alcalde Interino, City of Duarte

E-mail: info@GangChenUSA.com                                                                           
Paid for by Gang Chen for Mayor 2016, FPPC# 1379051