The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles County, an Inter-League Organization, and constituent Local Leagues as available in communities holding elections on April 11, 2006 and asked of all candidates for this office.

See below for questions on Development, Public Safety, City Election Schedule

Click on a name for other candidate information.   See also more information about this contest.

Answer from Tom King:

The City of Walnut is currently undergoing a review of the City Master Plan. This was undertaken as one of my goals as Mayor.

The Master Plan is the blueprint for further development. It must be periodically reviewed to allow for changes in traffic and density patterns, as well as demographic or economic changes.

The Permit and Building Reveiw process is undergoing a detailed audit by the Wildan Corporation. This review will provide a clear roadmap to applicants and end the bouncing back and forth of plans and reviews. Our goal is to make the process more service orientated.

Answer from Tom King:

Under my watch, crime is down overall 9%. Violent Crime is down 26%. These are significant reductions for a low crime city.

As a former law enforcement professional, I know the needs of the street police office in fighting crime. I am in regular contact with the Station Commander as well as the Los Angeles County Sheriff, Lee Baca to ensure that we remain tough on crime.

I have pioneered the stationing of a Team Sergeant in the City Hall. That makes him accessable to the public and to the City Staff. He is currently re-vamping our neighborhood watch program as well as preparing an effective disaster plan for the community. The City is ready for a disaster, but the community needs to prepare.

My experience with the Oklahoma City Bombing, and the World Trade Center Bombing with LAPD gives me insight into how challenges arrive for local communities.

The recent hurricane in Southern Mississippi and Louisiana show us just how unprepared local communites are for natural disasters. We need to be prepared to be self sufficient for two weeks.

Answer from Tom King:

The City Election should be combined with the General Election in November.

The election was changed simply to allow the prior former incumbents to stay in office five months longer.

The cost of a stand alone city election is $70,000. This is a poor use of city funds. The system of emailing the absentee ballot applications and voted absentee ballots turned in can cause voter fraud and electioneering.

This system, devised a few years ago exists no where else in the State of California I will stop this practice immediately.

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily.