A Message From Kathy…
With so many Council seats turning over, this is truly an historic election for Stockton and an opportunity for positive change in our community. There are some who do not want to see things change and they are attempting to turn this election into a Downtown vs. New Development showdown.
The image of the
city is a reflection of the Downtown area
An outside economic development study commissioned by the San Joaquin Partnership identified strengthening the downtowns of our cities county-wide as a priority goal. Strong downtowns play a key role in attracting high-quality employers to our region. I am proud of the role I have played as Executive Director of the Downtown Stockton Alliance in cleaning up and revitalizing our downtown because downtown is truly the Heart of our City and belongs to us all.
The goal of redevelopment is to stimulate private development in the redevelopment area. I believe strongly in private investment and have been willing to put my money where my mouth is. When private investment was required to bring the successful, regional Paragary’s Restaurant Group into our downtown, my husband and I stepped forward along with ten other individuals from across the community, put up our own retirement money, to help revitalize one of the most significant historic buildings in the state.
The Paragary’s project has been made into an election
issue and the public has been inundated with misinformation about the
project. The City of
Some in this
community, with a vested interest outside of downtown, are working hard to
perpetuate this myth of Downtown vs. Everyone Else. It’s not hard to
figure out why this strategy is being used or who is involved. The fact that so
many citizens still believe downtown redevelopment projects, such as the
Before casting your vote, review the financial reports of the candidates and see where their primary funding is coming from. As the saying goes, “Follow the money”. To do this, visit www.stocktongov.com. Click on “Elections”, then Campaign Statements (filing period ending September 30, 2008) at the bottom. You can view the most recent filings of every candidate.
I believe our best years are still ahead of us.
Join me with your vote on November 4th and we will
re-write
An Interview With Kathy. Click here.
Public Safety a Priority for
(PDF)
Like many in this field, Kathy Miller had never considered working for a downtown association. She was an interior designer for over fifteen years. When she and her husband moved to Stockton after seventeen years in Seattle, she wanted to connect with her new community and volunteered for Stockton’s inaugural First Night New Year’s Eve Celebration. She eventually became president of that organization and, as a result, worked closely with city staff. Although she had a busy interior design business, it didn’t give her the people contact that her volunteer work did. About the time her youngest was heading to college, the Executive Director’s position at the Downtown Stockton Alliance was open, and the city staff she had worked so closely with encouraged her to apply. She thought “Why not?” and threw her hat in the ring. March 1 will mark her fourth anniversary in the job.
Today, Kathy sees the role of Downtown Manager as important. “We make valuable contributions to our communities, which is very rewarding personally,” she says. She believes in education for those who choose this line of work, and is one of the first ever graduates of CSU San Bernardino’s Certified Downtown Professional program, developed in partnership with CDA. She and at least two of her staff attend the annual CDA conferences, and she says, “I wish I could take all our supervisors.”