In the Media

Original article by Hossam Elattar, Voice of OC

Two city council seats are up for grabs this election season in Fullerton as elected leaders face questions about their participation in the County’s Power Authority.

Voters in Fullerton will be choosing city council representatives for District 3 and 5 who will have a say on how the city improves public infrastructure and addresses housing needs.

Voice of OC reporters reached out to all six candidates and sent them a list of 21 questions, several of which were submitted by readers in response to a public invitation for questions.

All six candidates responded, and each was allowed up to 350 characters per answer, to keep the total length reasonable. 

Here are their answers:

View the whole original article with the candidates answers at the Voice of OC website.

By David Nuwez, Asst. Editor, Daily Titan, vol. 122 issue 9

Cannabis dispensaries and city infrastructure were addressed at the event

The candidates running for Fullerton’s City Council in district five and district three debated on infrastructure during the hour-long forum on Tuesday, hosted by the League of Women Voters of North Orange County.
The candidates that attended from district three were John Ybarra, a local realtor, Arnel Dino, a local business owner and Shana Charles…

To read the full article, visit Daily Titan, vol. 112 issue 9

To download a PDF version, click here.

ABOUT THE FULLERTON OBSERVER FREE CANDIDATE SPREAD: Each Fullerton City Council Candidate was invited to participate in this traditional feature to help residents get to know the candidates.

Fullerton Observer: What motivated you to run for City Council? What strengths will you bring to the role?

Arnel Dino: I am running because District 3 needs a leader who understands our district and has the experience to serve on day one. While serving as a Planning Commissioner and on several city commissions, I have been actively working on the issues that face our city from infrastructure to public safety.

FO: What policies would you enact to address housing unaffordability in Fullerton, both for homeowners and renters?

AD: I would be in favor of promoting more housing types in the city. I would be in favor of converting unused spaces to residential/multiuse, building more ‘missing middle’ housing, allow more granny flats, and embrace microapartments. I would also promote incentives for developers to build these different types of housing.

FO: What needs to be done to effectively address homelessness in Fullerton?

AD: Build more housing and open the shelter for the Fullerton unhoused which was its original purpose.

FO: Fullerton is understaffed— police, fire, Library, public works, and maintenance. How would you address that?

AD: Fullerton has a new city manager, and I will work with him to address recruitment and retention issues and to establish clear short and long-term budgetary goals with staffing in mind.

FO: What needs to be done for the Council to function better?

AD: The council needs to communicate, collaborate, and compromise. Too often we forget that despite our differences and approaches, we are all neighbors of one community/city. I hope to bridge those differences to effectively communicate and collaborate with my council colleagues, residents, and community stakeholders.

FO: Which is a higher priority for you—fixing infrastructure or fully staffing departments? Are you willing to cut one to pay for the other?

AD: I believe both are equally important. Every city seems to be able to prioritize both. Why should Fullerton residents have to choose?

FO: Would you support an ordinance allowing cannabis dispensaries in Fullerton? What restrictions/limitations would be in that policy?

AD: Yes, I would be in support of an ordinance allowing cannabis dispensaries in Fullerton with restrictions. I would not have them near churches, schools, libraries, or parks and located in industrial areas away from neighborhoods. I would also be in favor increased enforcement and the faster closure of illegal dispensaries in the city.

Fullerton, CA — On Tuesday night, September 13, 2022, the friends, family and supporters of Arnel Dino filled the Juicyladas restaurant in Fullerton, CA. They were all there to show their support and donate to Arnel’s campaign for the open Fullerton City Council District 3 seat.

Among the supporters were current City of Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung, who opened the event with rallying speech for Arnel. Mayor Jung recounted some of the things him and Arnel have been able to accomplish together during Arnel’s many years of service to the City of Fullerton as one of its city Commissioners. Mayor Jung also gave testimony to Arnel’s character and dedication to his family.

Supporters had the opportunity to dine and experience the food and ambiance of one of Fullerton’s newest establishments. Juicyladas is located within District 3 for which Arnel is running in. His choice was an example of his commitment to supporting the businesses within his community.

Others in attendance to show their support for Arnel included City of Artesia Mayor Melissa Ramoso, City of Cerritos Councilmember Frank Aurelio Yokoyama, City of Cerritos Mayor (Ret.) Mark Pulido, City of Placentia Mayor Pro-Tem Chad Wanke, Anaheim Elementary School Board President Dr. Jose Paolo Magcalas, and various local community and business leaders.

“I am truly humbled by the outpouring of support from everyone. Thank you again to the donors, attendees, and the staff of Juicyladas for hosting a great event!” said Arnel Dino.

“Onward to November!”

FULLERTON, CA — Today, Fullerton Planning Commissioner Arnel Dino, announced his candidacy for the Fullerton City Council in the newly-created District 3.

“I am running for City Council because our community deserves a voice. I have called this district home almost my entire life and I understand the needs and concerns of my neighbors. I have been working on the issues that my neighbors care about in our community for years and hope to continue that service as a Councilmember.”

Mr. Dino has served his community in a variety of capacities.

Mr. Dino has been an appointed member of the city’s Ad Hoc Water Rate Review Committee, Water Bill Appeals Board, Citizens Infrastructure Review Committee, Economic Development Commission, Infrastructure and Natural Resources Committee and the Planning Commission, where he currently serves as commission vice chair. 

During his time as the Chair of the Water Bill Appeals Board, Mr. Dino successfully spearheaded an appeal process for residents that saw an 80% successful appellate rate, saving residents more than $10,000.

“I am extremely concerned about maintaining the quality of life for everyone in the neighborhood I live in, my district and city. To that end, if elected, my goals will be to prioritize addressing the challenges surrounding our infrastructure, public safety, housing/utility and rental assistance. 

“I recently proposed to my colleagues on the Planning Commission that we develop an inclusionary housing policy with all new development. It is currently being discussed at City Council.”

In addition to running a successful family business for the past 35 years, Mr. Dino has volunteered with numerous community organizations including the Boys and Girls of Fullerton, the Fullerton College Foundation Advisory Board and several of the local Chambers of Commerce.

Mr. Dino is proud to be endorsed by Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung, as well as several other local electeds in the region, including:

• California Attorney General Rob Bonta
• Fullerton School Board Trustee Leonel Talavera
• Artesia Mayor Melissa Ramoso
• Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan
• Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido (ret.)
• Cerritos Councilmember Frank Aurelio Yokoyama
• Buena Park City Councilmember Connor Traut
• Huntington Beach Councilmember Kim Carr
• Irvine City Councilmember Tammy Kim
• Anaheim Elementary School Board President Dr. Jose Paolo Magcalas

“My experiences as a member of this community, as well as my history of service within it makes me uniquely qualified to be able to hit the ground running from Day 1. If elected to represent District 3, I pledge to implement a servant-leadership style of representation, where the needs of the constituents come first .”

###

Arnel Dino is a businessman and lifelong resident of Fullerton.. He is the Vice-Chair of the Fullerton Planning Commission and 30 year family business owner in Fullerton. Arnel holds a bachelor’s in Political Science from Loyola Marymount University and earned professional certificates in Grant Writing and Nonprofit Management from Cal State Fullerton. 

Fullerton is Orange County’s sixth most populous city, with an estimated 141,874 residents. In 2022, the city realigned its five electoral districts, creating District 3, featuring 27,977 residents. Located in northeast Fullerton, District 3 encompasses Cal State Fullerton, Hope International University, Craig Regional Park, Gilman Park and Chapman Park.

CONTACT: Arnel Dino, 714.325.9901 or arnel4fullerton@gmail.com 

For a PDF copy of this press release, download it here.