• Pasadena City Council District B Candidate:

  • Bianca Valerio (Incumbent)

    Phone: N/A
    Email: biancaforb@gmail.com
    Facebook:     www.facebook.com/biancaforb
    Website: Biancaforb.com

  • Candidate Questionnaire​:
     
    1. What inspired you to seek this position? 
    Growing up in Pasadena inspired me to seek a representative leadership position. I am honored to ensure that the City efficiently dedicates its resources with a focus on providing a safe and enjoyable environment for our community’s residents, businesses, and visitors. 
     
    2. What qualifications, experience, and leadership skills prepare you for this role, including crisis response, crime prevention, financial literacy, and public communication?
    I hold a Bachelor's degree, which has provided me with a strong academic foundation in Philosophy and Business. My experiences as both a substitute teacher and a female service technician have broadened my skill set, fostering adaptability and problem-solving abilities that are essential in a leadership role. Serving two terms as a City Councilwoman and one year as Mayor Pro-Tem, I have gained significant experience in government and public service. I have had the privilege of leading initiatives related to city development, public safety, and community welfare. I have demonstrated strong crisis management skills, particularly during emergencies such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and freezes, which have impacted our region. As a leader, I helped ensure that resources were allocated efficiently, and clear communication was maintained with the public. Whether it's addressing concerns at council meetings or engaging with the public through social media, I have worked tirelessly to ensure that information is accessible, clear, and actionable. I have applied my understanding of financial literacy in my role as a City Councilwoman, where I played a key part in budgeting, resource allocation, and fiscal planning. Ensuring that taxpayer funds are used efficiently and responsibly has always been a priority.
     
    3. What are your top priorities for the first 100 days if elected, and which city policies or initiatives will you continue or change?
    Right away we will need to adopt the annual operating and capital budgets. Our citizens and businesses deserve to utilize the technology available to us, so I will continue to push, even harder than before, for the implementation of our Tyler Munis investment. I will also advocate for the strengthening of policies that protect employees who expose fraud and for the establishment of policies that financially reward these acts of courage and patriotism based on a percentage of the monies recovered.
     
    4. How do you plan to embrace the city of Pasadena, including uniting City Council, foster collaboration, and ensure transparency in your leadership while effectively representing all Pasadena constituents?
    I have worked alongside various community organizations, law enforcement, and local leaders to design initiatives that address the specific needs of our residents. I plan to continue this practice by fostering strong partnerships between the city government, businesses, schools, and community groups. By working together, we can create more effective, sustainable solutions and ensure that every segment of our community has a voice in shaping the future of Pasadena.
     
    5. What actions will you take to increase the number of city projects awarded to small and local businesses? 
    This year our goal is to revise our Procurement Guide. Pasadena Loves Local campaign will also continue to find innovative ways to support small businesses. I will personally continue to push for transparency in our procurements and monitor and hold accountable the progress of each contractor affecting District B. 
     
    6. What is your vision for Pasadena’s economic development, including plans for the convention center, city-owned land, and infrastructure improvements to encourage business investment?
    We’ve completed a new RV parking area which includes amenities for families and pets, and expanded parking capacity for future use by the Convention Center. We are building an Arena that will have approximately 7,500 seating capacity. We want to welcome hotels and restaurants to Pasadena near our redeveloping convention center. A lot of city-owned land has been dedicated to enhancing our future hike and bike trail. In 2024, Richey Street received roadway and pedestrian improvements which included landscape architecture, median and sidewalk improvements, and pedestrian lighting. Infrastructure and beautification improvements are important for our thorough ways. The natural trees and landscaping ward off urban heat, while the ease of traffic will attract economic development. District B’s next big project is Shaver St, which is already in the works. Plans to enhance Perez Rd were recently approved. These major streets have been advocated by me since my first election and I am thrilled to see them coming to fruition. 
     
    7. Business-friendly policies rank as the number one priority for chamber members. What are your plans to streamline the permitting process and improve ordinances to attract and support new businesses while also improving flexibility for development in Pasadena?
    My plan focuses on creating a more efficient, transparent, and flexible environment for businesses to thrive. I advocate for the use of digital tools to modernize permitting. Implementing an online platform where businesses can submit applications, track progress, and communicate with city departments will enhance accessibility and transparency. This will not only save time for business owners but also reduce paperwork and administrative overhead. We can review existing ordinances and update them to be more business-friendly, without compromising the safety or well-being of our community. Flexibility in development is crucial to meet the evolving needs of businesses and the community. I would work to ensure that the city’s development codes are adaptive and allow for creative solutions that address modern challenges.
     
    8. What are your plans for improving and maintaining Pasadena’s infrastructure, including roads, sewage, drainage, water supply, high speed internet, and the power grid?
    I prioritize utilizing Federal Grants, ARPA funds and Mitigation funds, to improve and maintain Pasadena’s road network, including repairing potholes and upgrading traffic signals. We have received approval of Phase II of the HMGP by the TDEM and FEMA to begin construction of approximately 25 miles of roadways. I will continue to advocate for remarking streets, curbs, medians, and City parking lots, as well as converting intersections with protected left turn movements into flashing yellow arrow operation where applicable, and installing battery backup systems at intersections with pole-mount cabinets. Investing in wastewater treatment is crucial to ensure the city’s continued public health and environmental sustainability. I voted to approve $1M in Disaster funds from the TX GLO for the Vince Bayou Wastewater Treatment Plant Project and investments to rehabilitate large diameter storm sewers utilizing CDBG-MIT grants. In the past we partnered with Harris County and the Tejano Center to bring high-speed internet to Pasadena families in need. Recently, we have installed generators for OEM and City Hall, allowing us to maintain essential city services during emergency events and ensuring that critical functions such as communication, shelter, and public safety remain operational during disasters. 
     
    9. How will you leverage modern technology to streamline city operations, improve efficiency, and prioritize long-term growth? What specific innovations or technology solutions will you implement to enhance public services, economic development, and infrastructure management in Pasadena?
    By implementing digital tools to streamline operations, utilizing smart technology to enhance public services, supporting economic development through tech-driven innovation, and prioritizing long-term sustainability through data and analytics, Pasadena can become a model of efficiency, growth, and innovation. Specifically, we have to go live with our Tyler Technology implementation because these technological solutions will not only improve day-to-day operations but also help position the city for a prosperous, sustainable future. In 2023 I voted to approve the formation of our Digital Intelligence Unit. This unit combines the specialized components of Digital Forensics, Crime analysis, and real-time crime center capabilities under one roof as the department’s central intelligence hub. I will continue to advocate for the leveraging of devices that can create a more responsive and sustainable city. 
     
    10. Business and citizens alike require a secure city in which to work and live.  What is your experience and plan for public safety for Pasadena?
    I voted to allocate $1,212,152 for emergency preparedness; $63,326,305 in total public safety. To continue to succeed in our recovery efforts, we significantly increased this allocation from the previous 3 years. I feel this is needed as we have seen an increase in natural disasters and have much experience now in enduring crisis. We have also expanded our emergency messaging response team for future crisis communication. It is vital that we continue to support our Office of Emergency Management, our Volunteer Fire Department, and our Police and Code Enforcement with state-of-the-art technology, equipment, and training facilities. I have supported all of these initiatives as a Council Member for the past 4 years. 
     
    11. How can the city ensure adequate healthcare infrastructure, including mental health care, hospitals, doctors, and accountability in healthcare services?
    Our employees physical and mental wellness is a high priority. The Resiliency and Mentoring Program that we are continuing to grow scales up our efforts to proactively address issues that may affect employee health and wellness. Human Resources partners with the City’s on-site health clinic to expand the wellness program and health initiatives. When we go live with our Tyler Technology Energov online permitting system, the efficiency of our permitting process will be significantly improved. This will help the community’s healthcare infrastructure as many clinics receive federal aid and need to implement their own plans in a timely manner to receive grants that help our community. Meanwhile, we will continue to partner with and support our community’s healthcare services. 
     
    12. Access to talent and workforce is the number one challenge facing Pasadena businesses. What role should the government play in workforce development, including investment in training programs and partnerships with colleges and the ISDs?
    I support COP Human Resources in creating a supervisor leadership training series for newly promoted supervisors. They’ve attended job fairs to recruit for high demand and hard to fill jobs more effectively and are continuing to review and improve recruitment strategies to build a better talent pipeline of candidates. The Pasadena Economic Development Corporation aims to attract and retain businesses. I support the PEDC because they provide resources for commercial and industrial development that benefits the growing labor force. In 2021, I voted for COP to partner with Harris County to bring the GRADcafé program to our library where any Pasadena citizen can receive scholarship and workforce development help. We must continue to prioritize developing initiatives designed to encourage growth and expansion programs that result in the creation of jobs and capital investment. 
     

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