Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below.

Name: Miles C. Matias

Age: 33

Current job title: IT Specialist | Adjunct Professor

Incumbent: Yes

Other political positions held: None (First-time candidate)

City where you reside: La Habra

Campaign website or social media: milesmatias.com

How can the city best meet the demand and mandates for more housing, including at lower price points, while also preserving local control and the quality of life for existing neighborhoods and residents? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

As a real estate owner and housing provider, I understand the critical balance between property rights, landlord-tenant dynamics, and sustainable development. State housing mandates are a reality we must navigate, but we must do so prioritizing La Habra residents over state planners.

My primary frustration with recent multi-family and townhome builds in La Habra is that they fail the traditional family unit. High-density developments are often crammed onto small parcels without green space, safe play areas, or adequate parking. For families with young children, parks, open space, and neighborhood walkability are non-negotiable quality-of-life requirements.

We can comply with state directives by focusing on sensible, family-oriented planning. Instead of approving high-density builds that overcrowd single-family neighborhoods, we should incentivize mixed-use development along major commercial corridors, streamline local permitting, and enforce strict design standards.

Development must include green spaces, safe infrastructure, and adequate family-sized accommodations. Preserving local control means demanding that new construction enhances our community’s character, respects property rights, and serves the long-term needs of La Habra’s growing families rather than out-of-town developer bottom lines.

How should the city balance rising costs, paying off debts, such as pension liabilities, and building reserves, all while meeting residents’ needs? Should a solution involve finding new revenue, economic development, trimming the budget, or something else entirely? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

A leaner city is a better city. Balancing La Habra’s budget requires an aggressive approach focused on structural spending reform, economic development, and debt reduction — not tax hikes on hardworking residents.

First, we must place city operations in a constant state of auditing. We must trim budget waste, eliminate redundant positions, and institute a rigorous, transparent competitive bidding process for all city contracts to ensure taxpayers get the best rate possible.

Second, to drive economic growth, we should lower local sales taxes and offer targeted tax incentives to make La Habra attractive for business. We have massive vacant commercial lots sitting unused; we need proactive recruitment and sensible zoning flexibilities to transform these eyesores into productive, revenue-generating hubs.

Third, we must tackle long-term obligations like pension liabilities head-on. Beyond auditing overhead, the city should explore investing surplus reserves into conservative, high-yield, or dividend-producing funds to generate supplementary, non-tax revenue for municipal reserves.

By trimming the fat, enforcing competitive contract bidding, filling vacant commercial spaces, and generating smart investment yields, we can build strong reserves and pay down unfunded debts without compromising essential services.

The public expects transparency from public leaders in spending and governance. How can this be achieved? How can the city do better in this area? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

Public leaders cannot properly serve La Habra residents unless they are fully accountable to them. Transparency is not just about filing reports; it requires active, two-way communication and a willingness to be held responsible for every taxpayer dollar spent.

I am completely committed to total openness in city governance. Beyond implementing open-data financial dashboards so residents can track municipal spending, vendor contracts, and project budgets in real time, I want to fundamentally change how council members engage with the community.

As a councilman, I will host regular, live Q&A sessions on platforms like Facebook and YouTube. This will allow me to enter directly into open dialogue with residents, answer tough questions in real time, and hear feedback straight from the community.

True leadership requires humility. I am always open to discussing issues, hearing opposing viewpoints, and changing my mind if presented with a better argument or facts that benefit La Habra. Bringing modern digital interaction to city governance will build real trust and keep local leaders accountable.

In your opinion, what is the biggest need your city faces, and how would you address it? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

La Habra’s biggest challenge is solving structural budgetary inefficiencies while protecting public safety and preserving our overall quality of life.

Our primary focus must be fixing our financial operations. We must institute a strict, open competitive bidding process for all city contracts to ensure we get the absolute best value for taxpayer dollars. Budgetary reform also means auditing city departments to eliminate unnecessary overhead. By controlling city spending and revitalizing underutilized commercial properties, we can work toward lowering local sales tax burdens to spur economic growth without sacrificing core public operations.

At the same time, quality of life depends on safe neighborhoods and well-maintained infrastructure. We must protect and expand our police and fire presence across the city, ensuring our first responders have the modern resources, staffing, and support required to keep response times fast and crime low.

Simultaneously, we must prioritize fundamental city services — fixing our streets, maintaining storm drains, and modernizing municipal infrastructure. By enforcing fiscal discipline, boosting our public safety presence, and maintaining our roads, we protect both La Habra’s financial health and neighborhood safety.

Why would you make a good leader, and how would you represent the diverse communities of your city? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

I have a deep care and genuine love for La Habra. Being a City Council member is not about photo opportunities, political ladder-climbing, or games — it is about making tough, practical decisions with the best interests of every La Habra resident in mind.

My background as an IT professional, adjunct instructor, and property owner gives me a disciplined, analytical approach to problem-solving. I bring practical experience in managing complex systems, working within budgets, and analyzing operational efficiency to City Hall.

Representing a diverse city means ensuring that every neighborhood — from long-time homeowners to young families setting down roots — has a strong, accessible voice on the council. Effective representation requires setting aside political posturing to focus on the shared priorities that unite our community: safe neighborhoods, smooth streets, strong public safety, vibrant small businesses, and fiscally responsible local government.

I will bring a disciplined, common-sense work ethic to the council. I am here to listen, serve, protect private property rights, and ensure our local government remains fully accountable to the people who call La Habra home.