Rick Cole Hopes to Make Grand Comeback

Pasadena Now sent questions to incumbents and candidates in the competitive City Council races and the mayoral race. Their responses were edited for clarity and grammar.

Rick Cole is hoping to return to the City Council 40 years after he was first elected. 

Pasadena Now: What’s your vision for Pasadena over the next four years?

Rick Cole: Pasadena is a great city. But no city can be complacent. My vision is for us to actively engage our citizens to tackle emerging challenges: rising homelessness, violence and crime; a hotter, drier and more dangerous future because of climate change; the shrinking of office and retail demand because of remote work and e-commerce; an aging and obsolete infrastructure in need of hundreds of millions of repair and renewal; and shrinking enrollment in our public schools. These are manageable challenges if we are pro-active – but serious threats if we are not.

 What are the greatest challenges facing Pasadena right now?

Aside from the ones just cited, the biggest is the increasing disconnect between our residents and City Hall. As I’ve talked to hundreds of neighbors, they know little about their city government and feel little power over what it does. Young people especially feel that City Hall has little to do with their lives and struggles, a worrisome sign for the future. We need to actively engage residents to participate in tackling the challenges listed above.

How can we help our unhoused neighbors?

First and foremost we have to declare a Homelessness Emergency – and treat it with urgency. A key reason I decided to run was when the staff brought the new draft Five Year Strategic Plan on Homelessness. It was all about “socks and showers” — providing services that mitigate misery rather than prevent it. It’s vital to get people off the street now — and provide appropriate services to keep them off the street. That varies from individual to individual. Some just need work. Some just need enough money for first and last month’s rent deposit. Many need mental health care. Veterans need to be connected with the Veterans’ Administration – those on probation with their probation officers. Trinity Lutheran Church inaugurated a volunteer program that provides a safe place to park overnight for just six individuals living in their cars– but more importantly their congregation is helping each of them get back on their feet. We need more efforts like that – and better use of technology to get the right help to the right people at the right time. Read more here.

How can we secure more local hiring on projects?

The way not to do it is one-off deals where developers make promises and deliver excuses. We should have a standardized, ongoing effort that brings together contractors, unions, our education institutions and the local community on a long-term effort to train an available local construction workforce. Otherwise the promises made will be empty ones.

What do you think the City should do with the 710 stub?

The 710 Stub provides an historic opportunity for our city to heal the scars of a tragic mistake that has divided the southern part of our city for half a century. Last year I outlined the potential for parks, a mix of market and affordable housing and reconnecting our local transportation network with walkable neighborhoods as one of the Ten Grand Challenges for Pasadena’s future. Read more here. 

What issue would you like to see on the ballot on charter reform?

I strongly favor campaign finance reform. Unfortunately, running for office in Pasadena has become exorbitantly expensive with slick mail replacing face to face dialogue with voters. I also favor reasonable term limits for Councilmembers and a bigger role for citizen commissions. We have a part-time City Council – citizen commissioners can play a vital role in shaping policy and giving oversight to be sure programs actually produce the results we need.

Why should the voters choose you?

When I started, I would have said experience. In addition to serving 12 years on the Council representing District 2, including terms as Vice Mayor and Mayor, I have 20 years of unique experience actually running cities and having the responsibility for getting things done. That gives me a unique advantage among current Councilmembers – none have that kind of local government management background. But as I’ve talked to voters, my perspective has changed. I think the greatest advantage for them choosing me is that I will continue to engage them. Not just to hear what’s going on at City Hall – but to ensure City Hall partners with them on issues like dangerous traffic conditions; achieving affordable renewable energy sources so we don’t see the kind of utility bill spikes we saw last year; or revitalizing North Lake Avenue and sustaining healthy corridors like Washington Boulevard. I think there is a growing disconnect between City Hall and local residents that I will strive to bridge.

Define local leadership.

Too often we look to elected officials to have all the answers. I think local leadership goes well beyond elected officials. We have a wealth of thoughtful, talented and experienced community, business, faith, non-profit and educational leaders in our city. We should work across those lines on common challenges. One example is our public schools. They are better than people think, but not as good as they should be. A world-class city like ours should have world-class public schools. When I was Mayor, I reached out to Art Center to co-create a high school academy for students interested in commercial creative careers. Mayor Victor Gordo has a similar vision for reviving vocational education. Excellent public education is an issue we can all rally around – and heal the scars left by the battle over desegregating our schools a half century ago. That would be a tangible example of “local leadership.”

What’s your message to the voters?

I’ve consistently stayed positive, focusing on issues that matter. I’ve knocked on thousands of doors not just to share my concerns, but to hear theirs. I believe in One Pasadena – working together across diverse lines of race, politics and economic status for what’s in the common good. I think we could use a dose of common sense at City Hall. One example that comes up at the door over and over is the Union Street Cycleway. It’s a bike lane that’s unsafe for bicyclists – the City had to put orange cones in the street to keep cars from accidentally driving in the two-way bike lane. If City Hall had listened to the bicyclists, we could have had a safe one-way lane for a tiny fraction of the $10 million cost – and it would get more use. As it is, drivers and bicyclists are unhappy with the result. Sometimes the division and polarization that pits people against each other comes from failing to start with authentic and actionable dialogue.

We have serious issues, as I’ve stressed. So we need serious engagement. When people listen to each other and work together, great things can be achieved. My message to voters is: let’s get to work together to make Pasadena safer, greener and more affordable!