Meet Herlinda Chico: Candidate For Long Beach City Council

LONG BEACH, CA — Herlinda Chico is the Community Services Liaison for the Los Angeles County Fire Department running for City Councilmember in Long Beach's 4th District.

Chico has lived in Long Beach for over 20 years and has been a part of many boards in the city including the City of Long Beach Parks and Recreation Commission and the Mental Health Advisory Group. She is running against current City Councilmember Daryl Supernaw to represent Long Beach's 4th District.

Learn more about Chico and her goals for Long Beach:

Age (as of Election day)

51

Campaign website

herlindachico.com

Education

I am the proud product of the California Community College System and attended Rio Hondo Community College before transferring to California State University, San Bernardino where I earned a Bachelor's Degree in Communications.

Why are you seeking this office?

City Hall is not working, and it is time for new leadership to restore our neighborhoods. Property crime is rising, homelessness continues to impact families and neighborhoods, and our public infrastructure is failing.

Over the past decade, our community has been led by someone who has authored the least amount of legislation, slashed critical jobs within his own office, and is not active in the committees or regional associations that directly impact the 4th District.

My 25 years of solving complex neighborhood issues and expanding direct community engagement are what we need to make a positive change. The future of the newly redrawn 4th District is at stake. Our district's dynamics have undergone significant changes after redistricting, and it requires a leader on the City Council who will fight for our neighborhoods, priorities, and quality of life.

What is the most pressing issue that Long Beach faces in your opinion, and what do you intend to do about it if elected?

Safety - As the next Councilmember, I will draw on my experience at the Los Angeles County Fire Department to prioritize public safety by advocating for policies that tackle the root of rising crime, improve emergency response times, and provide proper and transparent oversight. I will also manage taxpayers’ funds efficiently so we may effectively clear homeless encampments, connect individuals with essential services, and ensure the best use of existing resources.

What are the other major issues you intend to address during your campaign?

• Rebuilding our Public Safety priorities. This means a new commitment to trust and transparency in our police department, along with the tools and staffing needed for officers to ensure safety and security throughout our City. The criminal justice system has seen significant changes in recent years compounded by the pandemic, increases in violent crime, prison overcrowding, and changes to laws at the state level. All of this has made the job we ask our officers to do more difficult, and nuanced. Never do you spend less money on something and get a better product. We cannot continue to reduce funding for our police and expect better results. If we want to be a first-class City that protects all of its residents, then we need a police department that is fully staffed and has the tools and support it needs to do the job residents depend on them for.
• Invest in Business development and incentives. Long Beach is and will continue to be a thriving City full of vibrant communities and successful business corridors, but if we are going to be a competitive draw for businesses that continue to build on that sense of place, and create the jobs Long Beach residents need, we will absolutely have to invest in business development. We need a concerted effort to proactively seek out businesses to come to Long Beach. We need staffing dedicated to making plans and executing on developing our business districts to be the backbone of our neighborhoods.

What are the major differences between you and Daryl Supernaw?

I have a 25-year career in public service and serve as a board member on many local commissions and committees. My experience working for five different cities, two different elected officials, as well as the County of Los Angeles, allows me to bring a unique set of skills and the ability to navigate local government.

In my first term on the Long Beach Community College District Board of Trustees, I helped secure over $30 million in new resources, improved educators’ wages, and expanded students’ access to academic resources and our partnership with community organizations. I understand policy and how to use it to improve our quality of life.

What issues are close to your heart and how will you address them if elected?

I tried to narrow down the issues closest to my heart but in government issues intersect. The most pressing issues facing that I believe are most pressing in the 4th district specifically, are listed below.

INVEST IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND REDUCING CRIME

• Safety is the cornerstone of a thriving city. I will work to ensure that residents in the new 4th District and throughout Long Beach are protected and respected. I support community-based policing that maintains the trust of the public. Additionally, I believe we must provide our public safety and emergency response teams with the tools to protect our community while increasing transparency, accountability, and training.

ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY

• I am dedicated to tackling homelessness with compassion and practical solutions. Alongside our trusted service providers and engaged community, I will work to expand funding for the Mobile Access Center street team, providing ongoing services to those affected by homelessness. It is crucial for Long Beach to collaborate with federal, state, and county partners to obtain more resources and improve the city’s effectiveness in addressing these challenges.

ACTIVATE OPEN SPACE AND PARKS

• With over 1,000 acres of open space and parks, the new 4th District must continue to be a vibrant community hub for residents across Long Beach. I will advocate for improvements, prioritizing wheelchair-friendly pathways, accessible amenities for seniors, and inclusive programming and educational classes to accommodate individuals. By promoting health and well-being, organizing community events, and preserving the environment through sustainable practices, we can create welcoming spaces that foster connections, improve the quality of life, and inspire community pride.

What is the best advice anyone has ever shared with you?

One of my mentors, the late, great Ray Cordova, told me “If you and I agree on everything, one of us isn’t necessary.” That advice reminds me how important it is to welcome different experiences and perspectives and has made me a better leader.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

As a homeowner and resident of Long Beach for over two decades, I have continued to give back to my community on a variety of impactful boards and commissions throughout the region, including the City of Long Beach Parks and Recreation Commission and Mental Health Advisory Group where I fought for stronger collaboration between multi-jurisdictional agencies.

I have served as Co-Chair of the Mayor’s Animal Care and Visioning Task Force which laid the groundwork for the unprecedented FY24 Budget allocations to support strategic plan priorities, Member of the Lower LA River Master Plan Working Group which created the framework to activate open space, housing, and small business opportunities along the Los Angeles River, Chair of the Watershed Conservation Authority, where I approved millions of dollars for wilderness and wildlife protection, and on the Long Beach YMCA Community Development Branch Board where, through my vast community network, connected some of our most vulnerable youth with opportunities to visit and explore Catalina Island at no cost to the YMCA or youth participants.

I am also active on the Conservation Corps of Long Beach Advisory Board, with the American Association of University Women, and a Member of the Los Angeles County Chicano Employee
Association and Stonewall Alliance.

Lastly, I made history in 2020 as the first person of color elected to the Long Beach Community College Board of Trustees, Area 4. My election has elevated the resources and attention on the diverse communities throughout East Long Beach. And, with my election to the Long Beach City Council, I would once again break barriers becoming the first woman and person of color to ever represent the 4th Council District.