1. Why are you running for this office?

I am:

An attorney who analyzes laws carefully for unintended consequences, and tailors them for Richmond’s needs.

A software engineer who understands the numbers behind our city finances, and accurately evaluates the effectiveness of programs.

A spouse of a small business owner who is keenly aware that you have to deal with the facts as you find them, and constantly be on the look ut for solutions and improvements.

A volunteer for youth and disadvantaged adults who understand the challenges faced by many of our residents, and how to overcome them.

2. What do you want to accomplish as a city council member?

As a Councilmember, I have already dealt with each of the major issues we face today: Covid has hit city finances very hard. When on council, I helped Richmond navigate a similar financial crisis. Police accountability has become a major issue. On council, I passed a balanced measure that increased police accountability without hindering them from performing their important work. Housing supply continues to be a challenge. On council, I approved every housing project including more than 400 units of affordable housing.

3. If elected, what issues will you be focusing on, and what will be your top priorities?

Job No. 1 of any Councilmember should be to provide residents with an adequate level of city services. We can’t do that without sound finances. I helped right the city’s financial ship in 2015-2016, We need that again.

Greater opportunities for our residents and youth. This calls for a two-part solution:

Improving educational achievement, and scaling up our excellent job training programs.

Attracting and welcoming businesses with good jobs to move to Richmond, and stay here.

We rank 100 out of 101 bay area cities in income. Greater opportunity as a top priority? Yes.

As a Councilmember, my priority will be to revive our commercial

corridors: San Pablo Ave, 23rd St, and Macdonald Ave. This means attracting small businesses by streamlining our permit process. It means listening to small businesses to find out how the city can help with smarter more flexible regulations, both during Covid, and going forward. Public safety is critical to achieving our goals. It’s essential for attracting businesses. Our children can’t achieve their potential if they are always worried about their safety in schools, and in their neighborhoods. I serve on Richmond’s Crime Prevention Board where we improve public safety through building better community-police relations.

4. What does economic development mean to you?

To me, Economic Development = Opportunity:

·         Opportunity for entrepreneurs to create and innovate.

·         Opportunities for existing businesses to expand within Richmond.

·         Opportunities for Richmond folks to get good jobs close to

where they live.

·         Amenities like housing for all income levels, and retail and

other services to provide a better quality of life.

·         Tax revenue, which in turn enables the city to provide

better services, and make Richmond more attractive for Richmond businesses and residents. East Bay Times endorsed me based on my strong understanding of economic development and city finances, “Pimplé is a standout. Appointed to fill a vacancy in 2015, the lawyer and former software engineer proved to be the smartest and most financially astute member of the council.”

5. How will you work with the business community if elected?

I have a background in Business Law, and my wife owns a small business. Therefore, I have an instinctive understanding of business concerns and issues. I know that for your businesses, time is money. I will pursue input from you about how we can speed up our permitting process. When on Council, we started the Contractor Resource Center to enable small Richmond construction contractors to scale up and compete for bigger projects. I will push for the center to serve all businesses. I will promote more interfacing between you and city staff at business events. This way, staff can address your concerns, and improve their own processes. I will encourage businesses to get involved in all aspects of city planning including zoning, housing, street designs, etc., because you are a key part of revitalizing our neighborhoods.

6. What does job retention mean to you?

As a Council Member, job retention means that I will always have my door open to hear your concerns. It is about making you truly feel that Richmond is home — the best place to do business. That is the only way to retain and expand jobs in our city.