Karmel Roe Enters 2013 Mayoral Race

Karmel Roe, a self-described “leader of multiple hats”-is running for San Bernardino City Mayor this November, and she’s calling for reform. Roe, a 37-year-old business owner and real estate and mortgage broker who holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing, business and public relations, and public administration, said she is looking for charter reform; she holds that council members should be elected at large, while still serving in their respective wards. “Currently, council members are elected by a handful of people from their ward, yet they make the decisions that affect the entire community,” Roe said. “I would like the mayor, who currently has no vote on the council, to be the chief policy maker by having two votes.” Other changes she seeks to implement include open council meetings, allowing the public to speak at the start of each meeting for two minutes each, and setting up a community-interactive website. She’s said her largest goals for the city include pension reform, foreclosure reform, revenue generation and safe streets. Roe seeks to examine past and current retirement contracts and “make tough, new choices.” She said she wants to review all current city positions, salaries and pensions. Roe holds that foreclosure reform will stop the city’s foreclosures. Roe has also set her eye on business: “I will rebuild our city’s image, which will rebuild commerce,” Roe said. She plans to do this by hiring liaisons to bring in new businesses and work to mitigate start-up costs, and has said she will help give new businesses an online presence. She also looks to open City Hall for student internships, and will propose the world’s largest indoor skate–bike park and mall at the Carousel Mall. Roe has also set her focus on public safety, which means “creating a stronger, bolder, authoritative presence of our police on the streets, especially in the toughest neighborhoods,” with an emphasis also on clean and safe parks. Roe said she will also look at outsourcing various departments and will “have audits on all city departments and finances.”