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Time for a Change at Rocklin’s City Hall |
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Written by Duane Wilson
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Guest column by Duane Wilson
Local elections are important. In terms of the impact on the lives of real people – everyday folks like you and me – they are often far more important than the glamorous national elections.
Four years ago a group of local citizens organized and ran a slate of candidates for city council who supported “smart growth.” The incumbents, riding a flood of developer money, narrowly defeated the locally supported candidates. The result was more sprawl in housing, a continued emphasis on automobile travel and numerous strip malls (most are more than half empty – make your own tally of the vacancies in Rocklin’s retail centers to verify). This despite recommendations by the Sacramento Area Council on Governments (SACOG) urging local communities to incorporate planning that emphasizes clustering places where people live close to businesses where they can work and stores were they can shop. The information was there but it required leadership, commitment and action by local government – features sorely lacking in Rocklin. Today, we still have a barren city core, as well as a glut of for sale and bank-owned suburban homes.
Recently a new citizen group, Rocklin Citizens for Council Change, has formed and will be interviewing council candidates with the intention of supporting those who have the vision to support smart growth. Their motto is: “It’s Time for Change at City Hall.” Rocklin is ready for smart growth; but for this to happen, the city desperately needs a council with vision.
While Rocklin is a city of many beautiful neighborhoods and parks, it is also a city with problems: no downtown, no public transportation system, poor air quality and increasing traffic congestion. In other words, Rocklin is a city designed for the automobile. Now with gas at $4.40 a gallon and moving rapidly toward $5 and higher, the importance of transit-oriented planning is becoming apparent to everyone.
Currently, four of the incumbent city council members have a combined 70 plus years on the council. While we all respect their years of service, it is now time for a change. Thank God for America and our right to vote. In November we will have that opportunity. The incumbents will no doubt rely – again – on an influx of developer money while those with a new vision for Rocklin will vote from the heart. Today’s local voters will be aware of the problems and not be swayed by colorful mailers paid for by developers. Developer glitz will not guarantee an improved quality of life for Rocklin residents.
As of this writing, Rocklin Citizens for Council Change has no specific candidate(s) in mind. Rather, the members believe there are Rocklin residents with the dedication and vision needed to bring intelligent change to our city.
The RCCC itself will focus on raising money and generating support for selected candidates. Any resident meeting these requirements and desiring to be a candidate or becoming part of the selection process should contact the RCCC at www.betterrocklin.org or (916) 435-3828. You will be welcomed and your input valued.
This will be a campaign for the future of Rocklin. You can become part of the solution.
Duane Wilson is a Rocklin resident and semi-retired teacher. He can be reached at
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Just named by Family Circle Magazine as one of the Ten Best Cities in America. If you or anybody else doesn't like Rocklin, MOVE OUT right away. Sacramento is waiting for you.
Randy Thompson