Mark Manlapaz was killed in the line of duty on June 29, 2018. His assignment at that time was as a Lead Public Safety Specialist patrolling Campus South, a relatively new area of the Cal Poly Pomona campus that was previously the Lanterman Developmental Center. Mark had promoted to this position after having spent more than 12 years as a Parking Officer working for the University. I had the privilege to supervise Mark for 6 1/2 of those years.

There are two measures in play next week that are opposed by CPPA.  First AB 2806 (Obernolte) which would allow those with disabled parking placards to park in EV (electric vehicle) charging spaces.  We submitted an opposition letter and urged the Legislature to maintain the existing rules for EV charging spaces.  As of today, the measure has been PULLED from calendar next week, which would effectively kill it for the year.  We will stay locked in on the measure until the deadline passes.  Second, AB 2544 (Lackey) is a subsequent measure to AB 503 (Lackey) which passed last year to mandate payment plans for "indigent" drivers prior to placing their registration on DMV hold. 

My consulting focus these days is on operational best practices for university parking and transportation departments. This differs from strategic planning in that the emphasis is placed on evaluating daily operations and making recommendations that improve operational efficiencies and program effectiveness. When I’m working with clients we focus on use of technology, enforcement climate, revenues and expenses, parking allocation systems, permit distribution and organizational structure. And on the topic of organizational structure I’ve discovered a common trend that often distinguishes the aspiring programs from those that are consistently performing at a high level.  This differs from strategic planning in that the emphasis is placed on evaluating daily operations and making recommendations that improve operational efficiencies and program effectiveness. When I’m working with clients we focus on use of technology, enforcement climate, revenues and expenses, parking allocation systems, permit distribution and organizational structure.  And on the topic of organizational structure I’ve discovered a common trend that often distinguishes the aspiring programs from those that are consistently performing at a high level.

Greetings! This is my first update to you as Legislative Committee Chair. The committee is continuing to meet regularly to discuss action on pending legislation, identifying priorities for proactive advocacy, and identifying other areas where CPPA can positively engage with legislators. A few key items:

What do you suppose are the three hardest words to say?  You might guess “I love you,” if you’re in a relationship but unsure if it’s the one, or it may be “I just can’t” if you’re perpetually volunteering.  Some might even offer “I am sorry” which is one I’m often not the first to say.  These are good choices but what about “I don’t know”? I recently listened again to a Freakonomics podcast by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, authors of the popular book by the same name.  Levitt and Dubner suggest that admitting that you don’t know something is about the hardest thing we, as adults, can admit.  We are trained from childhood to offer a fabrication, lie or untruth when we don’t know the answer to a particular question.  Why is this so?