On Tuesday, October 20, two senior officials from the cities of Walnut and Diamond Bar in Southern California held a joint press conference named “Shared Mission” to share their experiences in politics and how to better serve the residents.
As the deadline for voting in California on November 3 approaches, Mayor Allen Wu of Walnut and Councilor Chia-Yu Teng of Diamond Bar, both with different styles and possessing doctoral degrees, successful careers, and a passion for community service, are facing re-election in cities with a significant Chinese population.
With 8 years of political experience, Mayor Allen Wu first talked about “foresight and planning.” He emphasized the importance of not only solving current challenges but also planning ahead for the next ten, twenty years, and for future generations.
Having a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering and a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA), Wu benefited greatly from his “professional training” in politics. His background allowed him to effectively handle tasks involving road construction, park development, and housing planning during his time working on public infrastructure projects in Los Angeles County.
While many local officials in the United States are elected, with anyone eligible to run for office, Wu pointed out that over the past 30 years, an MPA has become a standard qualification for government senior managers, giving individuals the capability to lead an organization or a government.
Wu’s years of work have provided him with valuable professional experience and a wide network of contacts. He highlighted the excellent relationships maintained with the state, county, and federal governments, not only bringing funds into the city for development but also offering support in various aspects.
With a confident and light-hearted demeanor, Wu emphasized that serving the residents is the most efficient and effective way of working as an elected official. He stressed that being a council member is not about just taking photos or mingling with crowds but that one’s professional training, education, and experience are crucial for a city.
Switching to the current election campaign, Diamond Bar Councilor Chia-Yu Teng revealed that his roadside campaign advertisements were damaged and many residents received malicious letters attacking him. Despite facing such negative tactics, as he did four years ago, Teng expressed that he is not surprised and chooses to continue running for office based on his passion for community service.
Diamond Bar, known for its high housing prices in a region where the school district ranks at the top in California, sees community safety as a top concern for its residents. Teng mentioned that despite facing challenges like insufficient funds in the past four years, his accumulated experience has helped him understand the root issues in the area, leading him to believe that staying and working further would benefit the community.
Teng identified the city’s challenge in attracting more residents, noting a gradual decrease in the local population in recent years possibly due to pricing issues, leading to decreased property values and consumption. With half of the houses priced over $1 million, he emphasized the need to implement more housing solutions and build affordable accommodations to lower the barrier for young individuals to reside in the city. Additionally, attracting unique community businesses to establish themselves would create a better business environment, solidify the city’s tax base, raise funds, and enhance community development.
Highlighting the strenuous nature of being in politics, Councilor Teng emphasized that officials in small cities like Diamond Bar do not receive high salaries, with elected officials only provided with some stipends for expenses. This necessitates councilors to hold other jobs. Despite the typical desire to rest at home during weekends after a week of work, as a councilor, Teng often spends weekends visiting residents, communicating with them, and understanding their lives and issues.
Therefore, Teng stressed the importance of having a profound passion for serving the community to excel in this role.