Patch Blog: We're Off to a Great Start, La Cañada.

This past week I've driven on the Los Angeles freeways, or should I say crawled along them, bumper to bumper, and it has made me love where I live now more and more. But I had an interesting observation over a week ago when I noticed American flags at the and along Foothill Boulevard.

Formerly, I lived in Studio City for over fifteen years where the American flag would not have been flown as prominently for Presidents’ Day as it does in La Canada.  This may sound hokey but it was nice.  It brought a warm feeling to my heart and soul that the La Canada city government chooses to make this gesture.  If the city government did not, then someone did, and it is fantastic.

In this politically charged day we live in, which I certainly felt after , I want to say thank you to the government and people of La Canada for letting "old glory" fly proudly in our city. We've lived here not even a month and I already know that moving here has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 

When I served on the Studio City Neighborhood Council and Studio City Residents Association, the biggest issues we dealt with were planning & land use, transportation & traffic and quality of life issues.  The more I drive around and familiarize myself with the surrounding communities of not only La Canada Flintridge but also Montrose, Glendale and La Crescenta, I can't help but say thank you to the various governments running these cities and to all the great people.

Whether it is the local checkers helping me at Ralph's when I have my fourteen month old daughter with me, or Pier One which corrected a problem we had with a piece of furniture we recently bought, or the overall friendliness of every person I've met, I pinch myself and continue to ponder about how lucky and thankful I am to live where I live.

I love how churches have a prominent place on Foothill Boulevard and how parks are part of the fabric of this community.  I love what seems to be a great job by the City Planning Department because nothing in La Canada is over the top or in your face but seems to be a perfect blend of business and residential.

Please let me shout it from Mount Wilson and say thank you to the Mayor, City Council, City Commissions & Committees and everyone who works in city government for an incredible city.  My business still takes me to Los Angeles frequently and it saddens me how city leaders have sold out in the name of more and more taxes by letting anything be built anywhere, anytime, with no thoughts to the consequences of their decisions.

We need real leaders who think about quality of life issues and not how much tax revenue they can get from a particular project which further helps them, the supposed public officials, get re-elected. From what I can tell La Canada's leadership and the surrounding cities have struck that balance.

Have they done it perfectly?  I'm sure they haven't, but which of us has done anything perfectly when dealing with complex issues – most likely none. I've not researched who founded La Canada but when I see American flags proudly displayed on our streets it’s made me want to say thank you to our elected leaders and to you, the good folks of this unbelievable city.

Thank you and God Bless La Canada Flintridge.