Alhambra voters will head to the polls on November 3 to elect representatives to three City Council districts. District 1 has two candidates on the ballot, District 2 has one unopposed candidate, and District 5 has three candidates.
Ahead of the election, Around Alhambra asked candidates in contested races to respond to the same set of questions about their priorities, policy positions, and vision for the city. The responses give voters an opportunity to hear directly from the candidates about why they are running, what they hope to accomplish, and how they would approach key issues affecting Alhambra. Candidates who submitted responses are presented in the order they were received.
For residents who would like to hear from the candidates directly, the Alhambra City Council Meet the Candidates Forum will be held October 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Alhambra Library. The forum will be moderated by the Pasadena League of Women Voters, giving residents an opportunity to hear candidates respond to questions about issues affecting Alhambra ahead of the November 3 election.
Adele Andrade-Stadler – District 5
- Why are you running for Alhambra City Council?
I love Alhambra and have lived here for more than 28 years. My husband and I have raised our family here in Alhambra because of its history, its diverse community, and the great options for shopping and wonderful accessible parks. Alhambra deserves proven leadership that delivers. As your mayor, I worked hard to expand affordable housing opportunities, create local jobs, and make our neighborhoods safer and more sustainable. I’m ready to keep working for you because I believe the best is yet to come. - What is the one thing you’d like to accomplish in Alhambra during your next year on the council?
I’d like to accomplish workforce housing for our first year teachers, firefighters, and others who are referred to as the “missing middle.” - If elected, what current issue would you spend less City Council time on and what would you hope to replace that time spent doing?
Less time with transportation and more time with food insecurity. - What do you think should be Alhambra’s top priorities when it comes to spending public funds?
One of the top priorities is to continue to support our sustainability plan, which creates a formal roadmap that helps our city departments measure, manage and reduce its environmental impact while improving operation efficiency. We also need to implement more practices like energy conservation and waste reduction and set both short and long-term goals to reduce water usage and more.
Another priority should be transportation. I would like to review our newly created traffic calming ordinance and our “Go Alhambra” app to ensure it is addressing the non-emergency concerns within a timely manner.
I also believe we need to prioritize addressing food insecurity for our working families and seniors, as federal cuts to food support will affect everyone. - What is the best way to create more housing for those who want to live in the city?
I mentioned prioritizing housing for the “missing middle” earlier, and we could also utilize surplus land and transform vacant commercial spaces, malls, and underutilized church owned land into residential housing. - Specifically, how can you help businesses thrive in Alhambra: What policies would you champion to support the success of those here and make it attractive for others to open here?
I would promote our cultural identity and highlight our diversity, our history, and independent dining to draw visitors from surrounding areas.
To help revitalize Valley Boulevard, I would adapt older buildings that give startups and perhaps small enterprises a lower cost entry point. I would also engage the community with ideas to help them actively support the neighborhood establishments.
I would focus on simplifying and speeding up permitting and licensing review, making sure our businesses and buildings and sidewalks are immaculate, and making Alhambra clean and green. - What do you see as the primary role of the Alhambra City Council?
Council members are the voice for our constituents. Primary roles are listening to the community, answering needs, and communicating policies. We are the primary legislative and governing body of municipal government, managing the budget and allocating for our public services and more. - What do you love most about Alhambra? What makes this city special?
I love the way each neighborhood is very different from the architecture of the homes to the front and backyards and the many trees that align our sidewalks. I also love the diversity of our city. Diverse perspectives help local governments better decide public policy and address challenges we may face. - BONUS: What is your favorite restaurant in Alhambra to take visitors to and why?
This week it is Ernie’s on Valley Boulevard, because they make the best breakfast burritos. They come in handy when you’re feeding volunteers.
