A Grand Terrace resident for nearly fifty years, most of his life has involved service to the community he calls home; first as your Planning Commission Chair for twenty-one years, then as your City Councilman for twelve consecutive years. On November 3, 2026, Mr. Wilson urges you to exercise your free agency by voting for the measures and candidates of your choice. In the modern techno-age we live in, there is no plausible reason every one of us cannot tap a reliable data source to generate the homework necessary to make an informed decision. After all, freedom exists in the ability to make good choices. And local government is the last bastion of freedom.
Grand Terrace is a unique city. A pseudo-oasis within the circle of influence the greater metro-circumference encompasses. Grand Terrace has all the benefits and the liabilities of its macro-cousins. Local government must concern itself with fiscal management, cash flow based on factual assumptions, accurate reporting, and realistic forecasting. Due to our geographical size and remoteness, our funding mechanisms are limited when compared to other state-wide municipalities. But here are the facts:
Fiscal Responsibility: Grand Terrace has had twenty-two consecutive quarters of positive cash flow plus surpluses, representing twelve consecutive years of balanced budgets. We were the first city in the State of California to settle our Redevelopment Act obligation. Continued fiscal responsibility is the City Council’s primary priority.
State of California Unfunded Mandates: Grand Terrace budget constraints and staff size have made it a significant challenge to implement unfunded and out-of-scale Sacramento mandates that lack any reasonable basis in reality. Still, we play by the rules, regardless of how many times they move the goal posts.
State of California Affordable Housing Density Mandates: Political maneuvering by the State is not working. It is a smoke-and-mirrors approach staged to convince landowners to market their properties to developers for highest and best density. In this case, “highest” means multi-story monoliths. The State is baiting developers into doable feasibility proformas, but projects rarely pencil without substantial government assistance, and Sacramento is in debt. Besides, you cannot force builders to lost money, and less than 3% of cities have met State-established REHNA goals regarding “affordability.”
Safety and 911 Response: The No. 1 priority of a city council is to preserve the safety of its citizens. Today we do the best we can with the money we have. A 1% Sales Tax Initiative is on the ballot in November. Its highest priority is safety. If the voters ratify it, the money will be available for another officer to back up our full-time coverage. Response times that are already good will be better. Just for the record, Grand Terrace has the lowest crime rate in the largest county in the continental United States. We have a good community and would like it to stay that way.
Fire and Emergency: We have a great relationship with our fire and emergency responders. Because we are only 3-1/2 miles square, Grand Terrace gets to take advantage of methodology that crews try out on a smaller scale first. Blue Mountain grows short-cropped fuel that can be put down quickly. Requests for emergency aid generate most of our calls.
Disaster Preparation: It cannot be emphasized enough that family and individual disaster preparation is key to survival. It may be a while before emergency crews can reach you. The best way to prepare for a disaster is to equip each household and vehicle with 72-hour to 2-week kits. Necessary items include water, first aid, prescriptions, N95 masks, flashlights, batteries, hand-crank radio, light sticks, fire extinguisher, tent, sleeping bags, whistle, cooking and eating utensils, clothing, walking shoes, maps, cash, tools, matches, sanitary supplies, paper and pencil, etcetera. Build a contact list. Enable your phone for local alerts. Assemble medical information. Protect documents and belongings you will need to recover.
Hard Improvement Construction and Maintenance: Grand Terrace has stopped the bleeding with a revolving 5-year road maintenance plan to solve a 100-year legacy of bad construction and neglect. Our new Storm Water Master Plan is part of the package being advanced to pursue improvement funding through our congressman.
Basic Services: Clean streets, trimmed trees, streetlights, seasonal events, parkway maintenance, fleet repair, storm response, pothole repair, city finance management, permit issuance, legal archives, records maintenance, planning services, reports, liaisoning – and a thousand other necessaries – are part and parcel to maintaining a city operation that we do not think about – and would sorely miss if they did not happen.
Homelessness: Grand Terrace has transients. We have been a crossroads since before we were a city. Media outlets would convince you otherwise. If you see something, say something – to the Sheriff. They cannot act on what they do not know about. Actual homeless encampments are cleared as soon as they are discovered.
Community Activities: We have the Blue Mountain Senior Center, baseball, soccer, school activities, church programs, city internships, and the high school for “ride along” programs for real world work experience. Community matriarch Ann Petta gifted the city a two-acre parcel on the northeast corner of Barton and Preston for a new library and cultural activity center. The City Council already has preliminary drawings for review and red line before introducing the proposal to the public for input.
Parks and Recreation: Open space and facilities add to the fabric of the community. Utility is a moveable feast. Grand Terrace has already fixed the Freedom Park lighting. Trees have been added. The ball fields are next. Vandalized plumbing fixtures have been replaced. Playground equipment damaged by vandals is ordered. The “list” is a factor of use, abuse, and just plain maintenance. The Blue Mountain Trail is still a looming project.
Government Transparency: Public meetings are the “where” and “when” we get heard. It is our chance to speak our peace. Propose solutions. Talk about alternatives. Be part of the process and improve your community. The City Council is strictly limited to only five specific items of business it is allowed to address in closed session, and it is obligated to report any action taken. There are no “back door deals.” The City Council receives hours of ethics training every year. Our business is public trust.
Quality of Life and The Future: The overriding goal of the City Council is to enhance the quality of life of Grand Terrace citizens, and plan for a prosperous future!