Chun-Yen Chen is known for her clear thinking and vibrant energy despite her petite stature. Living in San Marino, Los Angeles County for over twenty years, this Taiwanese immigrant officially announced her candidacy for city council member on August 18th (Sunday). Following in the footsteps of other Chinese-American candidates like John Chou and Hunter Chang, the addition of Chun-Yen Chen has brought more diversity to the city’s election.
The upcoming San Marino city council election on November 5th has two vacant seats, with each voter being able to cast votes for two candidates. Many local residents are excited about Chun-Yen Chen’s candidacy, with some even expressing relief that she has finally decided to run. Her campaign’s core principle is “Your City, Your Council,” aiming to represent the residents’ voices and make decisions that benefit the community.
Respected longtime San Marino resident and lawyer, Zhang Tianjun, believes that Chun-Yen Chen is not a novice in community affairs. With her deep understanding of the community and effective communication skills with the government, Zhang Tianjun is confident that Chun-Yen Chen will enhance the city’s governance. Endorsed by current Mayor Huang Wengu, Vice Mayor Gretchen Shepherd Romey, as well as council members Calvin Lo and Tony Chou, Chun-Yen Chen has garnered support from former San Marino mayors like Lin Yuanching, Weng Jialun, Emile Bayle, Ben Hammon, Dennis Kneier, Ken Ude, and even former California State Controller John Chiang.
With experience as a senior budget analyst at the New York State Government’s Budget Office, part-time lecturer in public budgeting at Marist University, and currently serving as the Executive Director of the non-profit Asia Pacific Community Foundation, Chun-Yen Chen boasts over 30 years of public administration and state government budgeting experience.
Having resided in San Marino for 24 years with her late husband, Frank W. Chen, a judge at the Los Angeles Superior Court, Chun-Yen Chen’s two children were born and raised in the city. Recognized for her community contributions, she was awarded the 14th Congressional Women of the Year by Congresswoman Judy Zhao and the Asian Pacific Community Leader Award by a California State Senator. Encouraged by many, Chun-Yen Chen decided to enter the political arena to serve San Marino.
Facing an upcoming “empty nest” period with both her children heading off to college and inspired by her late husband’s aspirations, Chun-Yen Chen made the decision to run for office. If elected, she is poised to become the first Asian-American female council member in San Marino in 111 years and potentially succeed as mayor.
Chun-Yen Chen plans to preserve San Marino’s historical and cultural heritage while enhancing citizen engagement in discussions about the city’s future development strategies to protect their right to voice opinions. She emphasizes the need to maintain the city’s unique features, such as its trees and overall aesthetic, while addressing issues like balancing the city’s budget, tackling pension and welfare payments for public servants, strengthening public safety through collaboration with law enforcement, firefighters, and the school district, and fostering mutual growth for community small businesses and members.
Currently home to over 12,000 residents, with 63.4% being of Asian descent, Chun-Yen Chen hopes to leverage her bilingual advantage to ensure residents’ voices are comprehensively heard in the city council. She plans to establish a volunteer unit within the council to engage passionate retirees in serving the community, believing that improving efficiency through innovative methods can address many citizens’ concerns by consulting city rules and regulations.
An example she shared was a resident’s complaint about peacocks near their home, which went unanswered despite calls to the city government. Upon her discovery of an online form on the city’s official website detailing peafowl management, Chun-Yen Chen recognized the need to streamline public access to such information through volunteer support, reducing municipal staff burdens and enhancing governmental efficiency.
Since 2002, Chun-Yen Chen has actively participated in the San Marino Public Safety Tax Campaign Committee, supporting the efforts of the police and fire departments, coordinating with Asian media, developing support databases, aiding in advertising design, and maintaining critical profiles of supporters and donors.
Despite her full-time job, Chun-Yen Chen has dedicated her time as a volunteer in schools and community organizations. Over the past two decades, she contributed to fundraising efforts for the San Marino Public Library’s new building and served as a committee member or chair for the San Marino Community Services Committee for 15 years. In addition, she served as the Vice President of the San Marino Chinese Association.
Former San Marino Mayor and Assistant Secretary for Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Lin Yuanching, encourages more young people to step up and address municipal issues. He highlights Chun-Yen Chen’s youthfulness and longstanding community service contributions, emphasizing her active role in advocating for library construction funding during his mayoral tenure. Lin Yuanching advocates for increased political participation among Chinese-Americans, urging them to make their voices and concerns heard.
时间档案：
2024年08月21日