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Mayoral Candidate Spotlight: Jim Reed 

-Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of spotlights for both candidates running for Paso Robles Mayor. 

Running for Mayor is his next big step in helping Paso Robles

—Approaching the end of his first four years as a Paso Robles City Council member, 35-year Paso Robles resident Jim Reed says it’s his responsibility to get citizens involved with important decisions. Running against incumbent mayor Steve Martin in the upcoming November election, Councilman Jim Reed says he is ready to fill the position as Paso Robles Mayor. “Spending habits of the Paso Robles city government could use improvements, and every department needs overhauling and capital improvements, to roads especially.”

Married to his wife Karen for 45 years, Reed is a self-educated, self-employed CAD draftsman, with a background in construction, heating and air conditioning installing, and is a licensed contractor. “I wasn’t a politician, I was a citizen. I was naive and thought I could change things. After being a City Council member, I know how it works and can use the knowledge to help me in the next four years. I learned my lessons maybe the hard way. This isn’t an easy job, but I have a good idea of what people want and are looking for. I hear it a lot, I have a good idea of what’s going on. We need to look out more for our citizens. No sales tax increase, people already pay enough. Traffic is congested, the roads need to be fixed. It’s time to change direction to make things better.”

After moving to Paso in 1987, Reed realized that the best way to create a business-friendly environment is to charge fair fees for construction projects. He shared, “As a citizen who wasn’t all that happy with how the city was going, and after issues and negative experiences with the planning department, I decided to run for City Council, six years ago. I didn’t win the first time I tried, and ran again four years ago, and won.”

“The citizens need more outreach, I want to make them feel like the government is there for them, we need more representation on a daily basis,” said Reed. “Our job is to represent the community. We are the eyes and ears of citizens. I stay on the outside of the line, I’m not working for the government, I’m working for the community that needs representation.” He continued, “Taxing more doesn’t seem right, how do we get citizens involved before autopilot takes over?”

“I didn’t get into this for enjoyment. It’s not fun, sitting there until midnight. It is rewarding to be involved in your home, and its better than sitting complaining. I was mad and tired of stuff happening in government. I was on the fence whether I should run again. My wife said if I don’t run again, all of my stuff will be packed on the lawn. A happy wife is a happy life. She’s behind my bid for mayor. I decided I don’t want to go the same as the last four years. It’s exciting to think new people can get in there, with new ideas, and it excited me.”

Since becoming a city council member, Reed has noticed some big changes at the building department, and at the airport. “Things are better now, and it’s at a point where there’s a hierarchy in there and it needs to shake up a bit.” I am taking the chance we could have two to three new people. Some people are stuck with old bad habits, and people can ask new questions, look at things differently. If you aren’t living on the edge of your seat you are taking up too much room.”

From affordable housing to lowering fees, Reed shared his concern for the very real problems that are not going to go away easily. Reed shared, “The first thing they told me is that I would make 50-percent of the people mad, but I have to do what is best for the city.” He continued, “Our budget has gone up a few million and our departments are getting bigger, what are the citizens getting from all of this prosperity?”

Related: City announces official nominees for public office

 

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About the author: News Staff

The news staff of the Paso Robles Daily News wrote or edited this story from local contributors and press releases. The news staff can be reached at info@pasoroblesdailynews.com.