Valentin Godina said his motivation in running for a position on the Victorville City Council is “to make a long-lasting positive change in the city to give back to our community and residents. We need high paying jobs, we need to support the unhoused population, and we need to use our budget to make Victorville an even better place to live, work, and raise a family in.”
Victorville, Godina said, has been plagued with mismanagement.
“As a resident of 30 years living in Victorville, I have seen community resources such as our antiquated library squandered,” he said. “I will make sure budgeted items and other public services get the resources they deserve. The misappropriation of funds and the lack of transparency is the greatest issue that Victorville faces. Our other major issues, such as homelessness, the lack of job opportunities, and poor public services can be better addressed. Victorville is ready to step into the 21st Century and we need to invest in our communities.”
Godina said, “What distinguishes me against my opponents is I have actually lived through the problems of mismanagement of our city. I see the people of Victorville and hear their concerns. I have had countless conversations about the problems of long commutes to low paying jobs, concern for homeless people, and ever-rising taxes without improvements to key parts of our community.”
The city can overcome the major challenges it faces, Godina said, by “adjusting the budget to benefit the taxpaying citizens of Victorville and listening to the concerns that our residents have. We should spend less money on golf courses and more money on homeless outreach, libraries, and activities to keep our youth safe and engaged. We must make our budget reflect our values. When readjusting the city budget we must redirect funds to the community. In doing so, it will bring no upfront cost to the residents of Victorville.”
Godina said he is prepared to serve on the city council because “I understand the way the city council operates. I have been a frequent participant and successfully ran a nonprofit organization for 15 years. But my biggest qualification is my frequent outreach to everyday residents. Hearing their concerns, I’m ready to bring those to the Victorville City Council.”
Godina grew up in Los Angeles County, where he attended Mountain View High School in South El Monte. He has lived in Victorville for 30 years.
He attended Rio Hondo College in Whittier, where he majored in business and political science.
Godina was employed as a diesel mechanic. Now retired, he was during his years of employment a union leader.
He and his wife have six children of their own and have adopted or fostered six more. “We have a total of 10 grandchildren,” he told the Sentinel. “They have made me determined to make Victorville a better place to live, a destination of first resort, not a destination of last resort. All of my children went to Victorville schools, went to the military, and had to move to other areas in order to get living-wage jobs to survive. I want to create a place where the people and youth of Victorville have a safe place to live, learn, and work.”
-M.G