His intensifying civic concern over the last several years and his commitment to public service have prompted Mark Taylor to seek election to the Yucaipa City Council, he told the Sentinel this week.
“I’m running for city council in District 1 because I believe that the city deserves leadership that is representative of the people who live here – people like you and me, who live in Yucaipa and put in the work to make it the wonderful place that it is,” he said. “I’m not a politician, just a concerned citizen who wants to give back to the community that inspires me. I will support our first responders as well as our local businesses. I will work to maintain a balanced budget while also delivering the services the City of Yucaipa requires.”His professional experience has given him the skills and qualifications to serve as a councilman, Taylor said.
“I work in the technology industry, specializing in healthcare IT for the past 23 years,” he said. “I currently work for a local healthcare organization from a home office. At my previous county healthcare position, I led many multi-million-dollar projects that I oversaw from planning, to procurement, to implementation. These experiences will align with decisions that need to be made in city leadership.”
Taylor said, “My commitment to this city is what distinguishes me from other candidates. I didn’t just decide months ago that I would run for city council. I started dedicating my time to the city approximately two-and-a-half years ago by volunteering daily to pick up litter within our town. I’m committed to community cleanliness and working to preserve our small-town sentiment by keeping it clean of trash, graffiti, and vandalism. After receiving a community service award from the City of Yucaipa in October of 2021, I was inspired to dedicate more of my time to serving the city by running.”
According to Taylor, “Current major issues affecting our hometown are homelessness, increased graffiti, and litter. Other major issues are the proposed Northbench rezoning project and the proposed 200 apartment building project near 2nd Street.”
He said, “Issues such as homelessness need state support. We need more housing for these individuals, such as the planned community in San Bernardino. Graffiti and litter need additional city employees to combat the increased workload. Additionally, I would like to grow the current adopt-a-street program that is already in effect but not to the degree it should be. Any assistance we can obtain from our residents is a win-win for everyone.”
To pay for the solutions he is suggesting, Taylor said Yucaipa has to spur further development, both commercial and residential, while seeking grant funding.
“We need to look for new business that will increase our sales tax revenue or look at opportunities for new home developments if we can find an appropriate location,” he said. “Another solution that I think should be investigated is looking for grant money for these particular issues. There are many code enforcement opportunities out there such as the Keep America Beautiful Graffiti Prevention Grants Program.”
Taylor said he had previous experience relating to government in the form of being a county employee.
“I worked for a government agency, San Bernardino County, at the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, as a leader and purchaser for over 15 years. During this time I worked within government guidelines on numerous multi-million-dollar projects involving construction, equipment, and consulting services.”
Taylor said, “I have lived in the city of Yucaipa for approximately 23 years. The past 16 years I have lived in the Chapman Heights community.”
He graduated from Redlands High School. He thereafter attended the University of Phoenix, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in information technology. “I also have numerous technology certifications from companies such as Epic Systems, Intel, and CITRIX,” he said. “I’m employed full time as an electronic health record specialist with a local health care system. I have worked in the information technology industry for approximately 30 years and have specialized in health care for approximately 23 of those 30 years. I am married and recently celebrated our 25th anniversary. We are also high school sweethearts. We have two children. Our son just started his senior year at the University of Redlands. Our daughter is in her second year at Crafton Hills College.”
Taylor said, “I have worked as a manager and as a coach for many years and know how to be a leader. Being elected to the Yucaipa City Council will provide me a platform to showcase my leadership skills.”
-M.G.