Terry Tornek and family (Photo – Facebook)
I love Pasadena! That’s why I care about the decisions made under the big dome on Garfield Ave.
By Jonathan Edewards
It’s clear that Jacque Robinson has the support of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and the unions, but the people like me who spend hours and hours watching City Council meetings know that Councilmember Terry Tornek is infinitely more knowledgeable about the things that are necessary to run a city (which are—except for the union issues—generally unrelated to Democratic/Republican politics).
And, for the last 6 years, Tornek has already been treating his position as a FULL-TIME JOB. His door-knocking and pavement-pounding has been much discussed, but less well-known is the fact that Terry actually attends in-person just about every civic event and meeting—events that no other councilpersons attend—imaginable. And when he attends, he actively engages to listen and learn—he’s not there to glad-hand and rack up networking chits.
Jacque has been less involved, and unless she’s planning to quit her job with the school board, she simply has less available time to do the Mayor’s work.
In terms of the issues, while he has served as a council member, Terry Tornek has demonstrated a willingness to take principled stands, even when it’s not popular. Most recently, on Monday, he cast an unpopular vote in regards to the 710 Freeway tunnel.* Whether or not Tornek was correct, it was undoubtedly a courageous act only 3 weeks away from the election.
During the campaign, Tornek has been more specific and detailed than any other candidate about what he’d accomplish as Mayor. He indicated solid support for Complete Streets and the Playhouse Parklets Pilot and a more realistic view of affordable housing (no Rent Control). Jacque has hemmed and hawed on those and many other issues, consistently taking a pass by just saying, “I’ll consider it.”
Some have claimed that Terry is arrogant and autocratic, etc. My opinion is that Terry is just a typically assertive ex-New Yorker, whose sport as a youth was boxing, who brings real intellectual firepower and intensity to his work. I’ve disagreed with Terry on many issues—specifically the Pasadena General Plan—but he has always been eager and available to actually discuss the issues with me and with any other constituent who asks for a meeting. In those discussions, he examines the arguments thoroughly and is willing to consider new facts and alternative viewpoints. Then, he makes a thoughtful decision, fully informed by his extensive knowledge and homework.
The importance of experience and knowledge cannot be understated, because the city actually runs on 1,000+ paid staff, and the council relies on the information that Staff delivers. In general, City Staff are competent and well-intentioned, but the office politics that Staff has to deal with breeds a “Keep your head down—don’t make waves” complacency that inhibits creativity and vision unless it’s demanded of them. Therefore, we need elected officials with a capacity for firm leadership and a long-term view of what’s best for Pasadena. It takes knowledge and experience and a penetrating interest in the details to see through the smoke that staff occasionally blows in their ears, and the will and strength to forcefully demand more and better.
Jacque is not-unqualified to be mayor, but it is Terry Tornek who has the intellect, experience, and forcefulness to resist the complacency and make Pasadena a better city.
Jonathan Edewards is a professional Health & Home/Auto Insurance Agent and is a co-founder and past president of the Downtown Pasadena Neighborhood Association.
*710 Vote on Monday, officially opposing the Tunnel option: At issue was disagreement over a legal opinion, and also respect for the will of the people as displayed in the extraordinary act of a public referendum. In the 1990s, the people of Pasadena held a special referendum (Measure A) in which they forbade the council to oppose the 710 extension. During Monday’s discussion, Tornek suggested that, since Measure A was a referendum by the people of Pasadena, and since the City Attorney—and a 2nd attorney that the City hired just to double-check—deemed Monday’s action as an illegal contradiction of Measure A, then therefore the City needs to hold another referendum to reverse Measure A. Tornek, and also councilmembers Margaret McAustin and John J. Kennedy preferred to err on the side of caution and respect for the referendum, while the majority felt secure (or rightfully threatened by the prospect of the tunnel) enough to go against the legal advice they received.
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