Chris Yusefi makes business-first case in forum
At the Burbank City Council candidate forum, Chris Yusefi tied transit, housing, and spending to one argument: the city needs tighter budgeting and more local jobs.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — open round, announcements, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
Yusefi said Burbank should allow some added housing, skip dedicated bus lanes on Olive Avenue, and stop spending on projects he sees as hard to justify.
One candidate tried to tie the whole debate together. In the open round at the Burbank City Council candidate forum, Chris Yusefi argued that transit, housing, hiring, and city spending all point to the same problem: Burbank needs a more business-minded approach. He said dedicated bus lanes for bus rapid transit do not make sense when current ridership is low, pointing to what he sees on buses along Olive Avenue. He said Burbank is a car town and likely will remain one, though he said bike paths are fine.
On housing, Yusefi backed limited upzoning and said he is comfortable with fourplexes. He argued that a fourplex can still look like a house, while larger buildings raise a different set of concerns in a landlocked city. He paired that with a jobs message, calling himself the candidate for a “Burbank jobs first” program that would push businesses to bring jobs here, keep them here, and offer them to Burbank residents first.
He spent much of his time on spending. Yusefi said the city is operating with a deficit and criticized the council for approving a $2.5 million architect budget item, referencing planning tied to Starlight Bowl and the city’s approval of Flock. He warned that SB 79 could bring infrastructure costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars and asked where that money would come from. The next step is with voters: forum comments do not set policy, but they sharpen the choices on the ballot.
Announcements: Welcome New Board Member and Library Project Update
A new board member introduced himself, and a long-watched project got a date. During announcements before the Infrastructure Oversight Board, the vice chair welcomed James Korea to the board. Korea said he lives in the North Magnolia Park area and is part of the Luther Burbank Middle School community.
Korea said his background includes service in the United States Army, work in technology and small businesses over the last 15 years, and more recent work in skilled trades including HVAC, plumbing, and electrical. He said he also spent time in the City of Sacramento mayor’s office and hopes to add another perspective to the board’s work.
The board then heard a library update from City Engineer Lefan Shu. Shu said the City selected a design-build team for the library project and expects the item to go to City Council on October 13. He said the City is aiming to break ground next year, possibly in the summer, with completion targeted for 2029. That gives the project its clearest public timeline yet, with council action next.
Samantha Wick centers deficit and housing plans
In her open round, Samantha Wick said Burbank must close a projected $3.2 million deficit and finish four specific plans to guide development. She said the city should pursue affordable housing, consider AB 1033 for ADU purchases, and do a better job reaching residents, especially seniors.
large dollar figure ($3,200,000)
Candidates split on Olive Avenue bus lanes
Candidates gave sharply different answers on the LA Metro lawsuit and bus rapid transit on Olive Avenue, from mixed-flow support to backing dedicated lanes. Samantha Wick favored mixed flow, Nikki Perez declined to comment because of active litigation, and others argued over traffic, parking, trash pickup, and SB 79.
litigation
Candidates back hotel tax, debate deficit fix
Asked about the proposed hotel tax increase from 10% to 12%, several candidates said they support the measure but called it only a partial answer. They pointed to grants, economic growth, specific plans, and help for small businesses as ways to address a projected $3.2 million deficit by 2028–29.
large dollar figure ($3,200,000)
David Donahghue warns on costs and SB 79
In his open round, David Donahghue said housing affordability depends on cost drivers like energy and construction, not just new plans for development. He pointed to a 9.9 increase at Burbank Water and Power and said SB 79 could allow four- to six-story projects near bus stops without parking requirements.
Donahghue tied a 9.9 BWP increase and SB 79 upzoning near bus stops to affordability.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
BURBANK had 49 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCECandidates make case for district elections. Tomla Takahashi and Hovas Tonoyan both used the open round to support district elections in Burbank. Takahashi tied district elections to broader housing, water, transit, and privacy priorities, while Tonoyan argued districts would strengthen local control, help neighborhoods focus on their own issues, and make it easier for grassroots candidates to compete.
- GOVERNANCECandidate Question 9: Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR/Flock) and Privacy. Candidates debated Burbank Police Department’s use of ALPR technology (often referred to as Flock), weighing crime-solving benefits against privacy, hacking risks, data sharing concerns, auditing issues, and calls for safeguards or bans.
- GOVERNANCEOpen Round: Robbie Brody. Brody focused on BWP utility rates and proposed practical steps such as reviewing the BWP budget, promoting bill-leveling payment options, and expanding awareness of programs like Synergy and income-based assistance to reduce utility costs for residents.
- GOVERNANCEOpen Round: Nikki Perez. Perez addressed the library project housing site change, stated she introduced an agenda item to ban Flock/ALPR systems, and discussed her role as California State Film Commissioner and concerns about merger-related job losses affecting Burbank.
- GOVERNANCEOpen Round: Eddie Pollen. Pollen criticized late-stage transparency, cited the library project changing from 88 residential units to a four-story parking garage, argued Burbank should pursue an SB 79 alternative plan like Glendale, raised privacy concerns about ALPR data collection, and promoted his transportation plan and Olympics wayfinding ideas.
- GOVERNANCECandidate Question 7: Protecting the Entertainment Industry in Burbank. Candidates proposed strategies to protect Burbank’s entertainment industry amid mergers, AI, and filming declines, including convening studios, unions, and independents; seeking job commitments; using task force work; and improving city responsiveness to production needs.
- GOVERNANCECandidate Question 12: Transportation Vision and Street User Balance. Candidates described approaches to balancing cars, trucks, pedestrians, bicyclists, and mobility devices, referencing green streets, complete streets, safety concerns, Chandler Bike Path, walkability, and neighborhood impacts of transportation changes.
- GOVERNANCEOpen Round: JT Parr. Parr discussed ALPR concerns as a cross-ideological issue, noted different vendors beyond Flock, reflected on entertainment industry uncertainty and new media, suggested cannabis retail as potential revenue, and reiterated that housing and good schools are central to Burbank’s future.
- GOVERNANCEForum Conclusion and Voting Information (Los Angeles County). The forum concluded with thanks to candidates and staff and provided Los Angeles County voting information, including registration deadlines, vote-by-mail timelines, drop box deadlines, and vote center dates and hours leading up to November 3.
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