“The government you elect is the government you deserve”
Municipal Election to Elect Three City Council Members coming on November 8, 2022
There are four candidates running for three seats (in alphabetical order):
Michael Kemps (incumbent)
Positioning Statement:
Residents are my priority. During my first term, my efforts protected the character of our city, managed our budget, began paying down pension liabilities, further-limited pension exposure, controlled short-term budget gaps, and obtained a commitment from the City Manager to zero-based budgeting in the upcoming budget cycle. Retaining our local Police Department is of utmost importance to our residents. I helped recruit an experienced City Manager and developed a work plan that aligns with resident priorities in mind.
Short-term needs were funded with cautious fiscal management. The city will need to address the upcoming expiration of Measure E. This funding Measure closed a budget gap but created further risk by not fully funding our Police Department. Its replacement must include the city’s long-term needs. Our residents expect city services to equal the high quality of our neighborhoods.
As Mayor, I invested in bringing our city together. Collaboration, accountability, and being objective are key traits that support residents. I cherish the unique, ecological jewel that is Palos Verdes Estates and humbly ask for your vote for a second term.
BIO
Councilmember Michael Kemps is serving his first term on City Council. He has lived in Palos Verdes Estates for most of his adult life. He grew up on the Palos Verdes Peninsula and graduated from local Palos Verdes schools. During those years, Michael implemented and supported Amateur Radio repeater systems on the Peninsula. He volunteered and supported disaster preparedness operations and communications for anticipated local and state-wide events.
After achieving numerous top-tier technology certifications, Councilmember Kemps founded Innovative Computing Systems, Inc. in 1989 and serves as its Chief Executive Officer. The firm provides technology services for the legal profession, with clients and over 50 employees throughout the United States. Today, he cultivates relationships with clients and partners and provides oversight of company operations with his leadership team. Councilmember Kemps is involved in numerous industry associations. His technology insights have been widely published. Councilmember Kemps served on the Advisory Board of Premier Bank of Palos Verdes and was a founding member of the Bank prior to its acquisition. Councilmember Kemps is also an instrument-rated private pilot.
Councilmember Kemps and his wife of 27 years, Gemma, have three children who grew up in Palos Verdes Estates.
Victoria A. Lozzi (incumbent)
POSITIONING STATEMENT:
As a Councilmember and current Mayor of PVE, combined with a 35-year career in corporate banking, my experience and demonstrated leadership position me to continue the work of this City Council for another 4 years. I believe the City is moving in the right direction and I would be honored to continue serving you.
Since being elected City Treasurer in 2017 and then to City Council in 2019, I have worked diligently to address our financial issues: developing a long-range financial plan, passing a Pension Funding Policy and working on a 10-year capital spending plan. I am an advocate for our Parklands, calling for a Tree Inventory and Management Plan to address the needs of our urban forest.
Residents want their leaders to preserve the character of our beautiful city, while ensuring the long-term financial stability that will allow us to meet our obligations now and into the future. I believe elected leaders have an obligation to put the needs of residents first and I am dedicated to that philosophy.
Engaging with our community for the past six years as an elected official has been so rewarding. It would be an honor to serve for another term and I respectfully ask for your vote.
BIO
Mayor Victoria A. Lozzi is serving her first term on the City Council. Previously she served as City Treasurer from March 2017 through March 2019. She has served on the Board of the Palos Verdes Chapter of National Charity League, Inc., and prior to that on the Board of the California Alumni Association at UC Berkeley. She filled the finance role for both organizations.
Mayor Lozzi and her husband, Nick, have lived in Palos Verdes Estates for 13 years. They have four children, all of whom attended PV schools, graduated from Palos Verdes High School and have all now finished college. Mayor Lozzi graduated from UC Berkeley and has been a corporate banker for 35 years. She specializes in helping organizations finance projects, implement efficient banking operations and manage investment assets.
Mayor Lozzi hopes her experienced leadership and strategic approach to City issues will help to make Palos Verdes Estates the most efficient organization it can be, while instilling a culture of fiscal discipline.
For Victoria Lozzi’s website, click here
David McGowan (incumbent)
POSITIONING STATEMENT:
I seek your support to continue my quest to improve our city and provide a solid framework for those that follow. Palos Verdes Estates is a rare gem and because of the unique characteristics it is challenged in many ways. It is primarily a residential community that has no significant commercial activity, we have control over our own community-based police department (providing residents with a sense of security like no other community) while offering some of the most picturesque views anywhere.
When I took office the city had no Long-Range Plan with growing pension debt, deferred maintenance of its infrastructure, including the City Hall complex, deferred maintenance of its parklands and its urban forest, depleted reserves, and NO strategy to turn the situation around. In the 3 ½ years that I have been on the Council tremendous progress has been made toward these goals, yet the job is far from done. Addressing these challenges in the commercial world is completely different in the municipal arena. Candidly, the speed in which the public sector moves has been my biggest personal challenge and learning experience.
Significant PVE decisions remain to be made - we are still understanding and gathering the necessary facts. Within the next quarter we will have the necessary data to begin the process of balancing our scarce financial resources against the needs of the city. We will need to make difficult “trade-offs” and realistically address all the competing priorities. This is going to require informing residents, listening to their concerns, and working through the challenges as a community.
I am up to these challenges, and I seek your support to help me complete the assignment that I have committed to take on.
BIO
Incumbent and former Mayor, David A. McGowan previously he served on the Financial Advisory Committee. David has been actively involved in numerous civic and/or professional organizations including founding the Palos Verdes Estates Foundation, Los Angeles Parks Foundation, Board member of Southern California Committee for Olympic Games, Los Angeles Sports Council, President of two Homeowners Associations, Chapter President of Financial Executives Institute as well as having served on the Board of two Health Care organizations.
David brings 50+ years of professional and executive expertise to our Council. David is a retired Partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC). He is frequently requested to provide expert testimony in Federal, State, Municipal Courts as well as before governmental bodies. His expertise has been called upon to perform internal investigations, contract disputes, damage analytics, construction disputes and pension matters involving both corporations and governmental entities. He currently owns and operates Lunada Bay Associates, LLC.
Previously he held executive positions with Medtronic Inc, Norwest Corporation (currently Wells Fargo) and First Bank System (currently U.S. Bank Corporation). He began his career with Peat Marwick & Mitchell (currently KPMG)
David earned his BSBA degree from the University of Denver and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. His retired professional certifications include Certified Public Accountant (CPA,) Certificate of Management Accounting (CMA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).
David and his wife Lynn have been residents of PVE since 1995. They are a diverse family with four grown sons and five grandchildren living in four different states.
He has demonstrated his leadership skills within our city, is a strong advocate for safety and security while being concerned about maintaining the quality of life in PVE. His forward-thinking approach coupled with his leadership skills will provide the necessary integrity, business acumen, transparency, and management skills that our community needs.
For David McGowan’s website, click here
Desiree “Dez” Myers
POSITIONING STATEMENT:
Preserve our land and the bucolic, unspoiled character of PVE
o Founded and led PreservePVE to successfully pass the PVE Land Preservation Act into law
o Stopped multiple attempts of passage of eminent domain rights in our city
o Assisted PVE Advocates to provide a petition of 675 residents so Council listened
Keep our Police by solving the financial problem
Balance the Budget:
o Transition to an accrual-based budget; include all costs even purchases using debt
o Conduct an operational review, line-item budget review and implement real pension solutions that prevent debt growth
o Create revenue opportunities like revitalizing our plazas
o Fiscally stabilize our city without tax stacks
Real Transparency: Fact-based decision-making with full disclosure
o Fully disclose: Contractor bonuses; “partnerships” vs. competitive bidding; side-letter agreements; civic center; closed door discussions of development of public land/buildings, etc.
o Reestablish our resident access to our self-serve transparency tools, called Questys and OpenGov
Communications: residents should not be surprised by major decisions if there is effective communication
Rebuild Trust with Community by serving the will of the people
Provide full disclosure and listen
APPROACH:
Listen and work collaboratively with Council members, Staff and Residents
Willing to stand alone as an advocate for Residents
Be the change agent needed to solve problems and build trust
Present viable solutions that address the underlying core issues
Use fact-based decisions
Prevent repeated costly mistakes and poor outcomes
Establish proper separation of powers between Council and Staff; policy is the authority of Council and implementation of policy is managed by Staff
Implement proper financial and operational controls to address any real or perceived conflicts of interest
Principles over politics
Residents are our trusted partners and deserve full candor. This is particularly important on large issues such as financial stability and retention of city character.
Preserve our land and the bucolic, unspoiled character of PVE
o Founded and led PreservePVE to successfully pass the PVE Land Preservation Act into law
o Stopped multiple attempts of passage of eminent domain rights in our city
o Assisted PVE Advocates to provide a petition of 675 residents so Council listened
Keep our Police by solving the financial problem
Balance the Budget:
o Transition to an accrual-based budget; include all costs even purchases using debt
o Conduct an operational review, line-item budget review and implement real pension solutions that prevent debt growth
o Create revenue opportunities like revitalizing our plazas
o Fiscally stabilize our city without tax stacks
Real Transparency: Fact-based decision-making with full disclosure
o Fully disclose: Contractor bonuses; “partnerships” vs. competitive bidding; side-letter agreements; civic center; closed door discussions of development of public land/buildings, etc.
o Reestablish our resident access to our self-serve transparency tools, called Questys and OpenGov
Communications: residents should not be surprised by major decisions if there is effective communication
Rebuild Trust with Community by serving the will of the people
Provide full disclosure and listen
APPROACH:
Listen and work collaboratively with Council members, Staff and Residents
Willing to stand alone as an advocate for Residents
Be the change agent needed to solve problems and build trust
Present viable solutions that address the underlying core issues
Use fact-based decisions
Prevent repeated costly mistakes and poor outcomes
Establish proper separation of powers between Council and Staff; policy is the authority of Council and implementation of policy is managed by Staff
Implement proper financial and operational controls to address any real or perceived conflicts of interest
Principles over politics
Residents are our trusted partners and deserve full candor. This is particularly important on large issues such as financial stability and retention of city character.
BIO
EXPERIENCE and BACKGROUND:
Served on community committees:
MCHA (Malaga Cove HOA) Board
Neighborhood Watch Board
Served on PVE City committees:
Pension Committee
Technology Committee
Founded PreservePVE and passed the PVE Land Preservation Act into law
This law requires rezoning of our parkland/open spaces to be passed by a vote of residents. This was a grassroots effort by volunteers. We gained twice as many signatures as required in only 28 days. The effort was fully funded by donations and truly reflected the will of the people. It placed our assets under the protection of the owners which is the residents.
Vigorous advocate of safety, fiscal responsibility, transparency, local land rights and open space in PVE for over a decade
I have attended all Council meetings for many years and read the staff reports. All Council members should take the time to read staff reports. I’m knowledgeable about the issues. I have viable solutions and can contribute immediately.
Example: PVE has been unable to pass a financial audit since June 2020. I spoke to the City Manager and suggested the open finance position be a CPA (certified accountant). Gratefully, our city manager listened and made the job description require a CPA.
· Assisted and supported the election of several members of Council, who advocated and served to “save the police”. Council members kept their word to keep the police during their terms, but this is a financial problem that needs to be solved to secure long term retention of our police.
Personal Background:
Program Management, 32-year IT career: consisted of writing and bidding service contracts, budgets, project plans/timelines, risk management and stakeholder communications. My specialty was implementing financial systems. I was employed /consulted for Fortune 100 Companies: Disney, Northrop, Nissan and Toyota (15 years at Toyota))