(October 13)  Josie Garcia said she is running for a position on the Montclair City Council “because we need to work to create more revenue for the city. We have to find a way to work together with business owners, city residents and community leaders to increase the value of our property, get better schools and raise the bar in the community.”
A commercial real estate broker and the owner of Valgar Realty, Garcia said, “I believe in community involvement. I am a bilingual Latina. With my business knowledge I believe I can represent the people and help the city.”
The major challenge facing Montclair, Garcia said, is “We’ve lost a lot of money. When we lost the redevelopment agency it hurt us. We need to really build a stronger business sector. We need more involvement from everyone. The city is short-staffed in a lot of its departments. To fill those jobs we need to create more revenue. We need to work with the building owners in town to fill the vacancies we have and attract the attention of businesses.
“My vision for the city is we need to work together to build the economy and the community,” Garcia continued. “I believe if we focus on core values such as education, business development, public safety and community improvement, we can build a stronger Montclair. If we insist on these things, we are sure to be paid dividends in the long run with things that will sustain our local community.”
Garcia said she is qualified to serve on the city council because “I am a self-made woman who worked from the bottom up to break through the glass ceiling and the barriers. I struggled to get to where I am. I was born to immigrant parents and was raised by a single mother. I was the first member of my family to graduate from college. I know the struggle the people in Montclair face. I am a commercial real estate broker who has managed properties for fourteen years successfully. I know how to maintain good relations with my clients and build trust. I have strong interpersonal skills and have supervisorial experience. I have a result-oriented mindset and the ability to work independently or in a team setting. Being bilingual in English and Spanish will help me lead successfully in Montclair. I believe my business experience will prove to be a suitable fit for the people of Montclair. I am a hardworking woman. I earned my college degree while working fulltime and raising a family. I have been on both sides of the fence as a resident and business owner.”
Garcia grew up in Los Angeles, and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School. She obtained a degree in business administration from Cal Poly Pomona. She has been active in the Promise Scholars Education Initiative which ensures acceptance at  Cal State San Bernardino, Cal State Bakersfield or Cal Poly for any students from the Ontario Montclair School District who graduate from high school. She is on the executive committee of the Democratic Club of Claremont. She is married with two children.