I think we first need to understand what is within our local control and what is not.

There are state laws and housing mandates coming from Sacramento that affect what cities like Arcadia can do. At the same time, we have to consider the real-world economics of building and buying homes.

Some of the challenges include:

• State housing requirements and zoning laws.
• Increasing construction and building-material costs.
• Higher labor costs for building and repairing homes.
• High interest rates affecting builders, renters and homebuyers.
• The availability and affordability of housing for different income levels.

There are MANY factors affecting how we create more housing inventory, and these challenges are very real.

Sometimes it feels like we’re running in different directions trying to solve the housing issue. That’s why I believe this is a complex issue that deserves thoughtful discussion rather than a simple answer.

Are these cameras helping to:

• Reduce crime?
• Locate stolen vehicles?
• Find missing persons or abducted children?
• Help law enforcement catch criminals faster?

At the same time, we need to take concerns about misuse, third-party data storage and privacy seriously.

When AI is involved, I believe there should always be a human being in charge of the AI — not the other way around.

Data privacy also extends far beyond public safety cameras. Smartphones and many of the apps we use every day collect personal information about our habits and activities.

As citizens, we should be asking how our personal data is collected, sold, used and potentially misused.

We need solutions that are mindful of water usage, environmental impact, location and the potential effect of AI on jobs and the workforce.

Data centers need to be located where they make sense.

Although I haven’t heard of any official plans or proposals to build a data center here in Arcadia, I imagine our residents would have strong opinions about it — just as they did in 2016 and 2017 when we pushed back against a proposed cell tower in District 5.

I was part of that effort with a group called Arcadians Against Residential Towers.

There are some things that simply don’t belong in residential neighborhoods, and it’s always worth pushing for better solutions.

When people speak up, it forces conversations about alternatives. In the case of the proposed cell tower, it was eventually denied, and smaller nodes using existing infrastructure provided another solution.

Just as we did then, I believe we can find solutions that make sense if an issue like this arises in Arcadia.

In general, I do not support building data centers in Arcadia.

It’s disturbing when I hear leaders say we simply need to “move on.”

When something happens that damages public trust, we need to understand what happened, learn from it and determine what safeguards can be put in place to help prevent it from happening again.

Law enforcement often encourages us to “See Something, Say Something,” and homeowners are encouraged to “harden the target” to prevent crime.

I believe we should bring that same awareness to concerns about foreign influence.

We need to educate people about how to recognize potential foreign influence, how to report concerns appropriately and what policies can strengthen safeguards for our city.

Restoring trust begins with transparency, accountability and a willingness to address difficult issues directly.

It tells the story of the author’s search for her biological parents, who turn out to be Jerry Buss and JoAnn Buss, the former owners of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Imagine finding that out at 65 years old!

She searched for years and faced many obstacles because of sealed records, but she never gave up hope of finding them.

My wife and I support a cause that promotes adoption in South Korea, so this story was near and dear to my heart. And as a sports guy, that part of the story was fascinating too.

It’s a great read, and I highly recommend it.