Rocklin Parks & Recreation Commissioner Diana Ruslin has announced that she will be a candidate for election to the Rocklin City Council in the upcoming November election.
In announcing her candidacy, Ruslin said, ‘As a member of the Parks & Recreation Commission, as a Parent Teacher Club President, and as a founding member of the Rocklin Educational Excellence Foundation, I have tried to make Rocklin a high quality, family oriented community. My main objective as a Councilmember will be to protect the quality of life we have in Rocklin and seek ways to make improvements.’
‘In the area of Public Safety, as soon as fiscally possible we should begin to replace the fire and police positions we have had to cut. We should continue the paramedic program we started, as soon as funding is available. I believe we should do everything possible to keep at least one canine unit in the Police Department.’
Diana feels fiscal accountability must be a priority in these difficult times. ‘I will demand tight spending controls, balanced budgets, and careful use of taxpayer money,’ she said. She favors saving unused funds for a rainy day.
‘As the PTC President for Valley View Elementary School the last four years, and a former educator myself, I know that planning for schools and working cooperatively with the School District is a vital issue and is in the best interest of our children and our community,’ says Ruslin. Diana has coordinated the main fundraising event for the Educational Foundation for the past two years. She also supports continuation of the city run after-school teen centers at the middle schools.
Diana brings a wealth of personal and professional experience to the redevelopment of downtown. Through her ten years experience as an owner and president of a successful Arts Academy, Diana is knowledgeable of the importance of a thriving downtown. With Diana’s strong background in the arts, she will make sure to include arts in the downtown area.
Parks are another important issue for Diana. She has supported park construction and upgrades for recreation equipment. ‘We must continue to build parks and add open space as we grow,’ she said. ‘We have to provide the kind of parks and facilities our citizens want. That means new and different amenities. We have to stay current,’ said Diana.
Diana feels transportation is another key issue. She says, ‘Congestion on Interstate 80 and Highway 65 will continue to get worse in the future. We need more highway lanes and a completion of bottlenecks in Roseville. We must also continue to expand commuter rail service and other transit services so that people have alternatives.’
Planning for the remaining undeveloped areas in Rocklin is also an important issue to Diana, who supports reasonable and well planned growth. ‘As a Mother, I believe that Rocklin is more than the city where we live, but the community we choose to create,’ says Diana. She feels that development must pay its own way and not be subsidized by existing residents. ‘I feel Rocklin has done a good job of planning and I will work to maintain the small-town feel of Rocklin.’ Diana will oppose any expansion of the existing city boundaries because she feels Rocklin is big enough.
‘When my husband and I were transferred to Placer County from New Jersey, twelve years ago, we researched the many different cities and communities in the county and chose Rocklin because it was a family friendly community and the overall quality of life it had to offer. I feel Rocklin is one of the greatest places to live, work, and raise a family,’ shared Diana.
