Julie Glossbrenner is a Candidate for District 5. This Interview was conducted in mid-September. Questions and Responses have been edited for clarity
Christopher Wong: Why Julie Glossbrenner?
Julie Glossbrenner: Why Julie? Because there is a big difference between simply growing up in a city and actively choosing to build a life there as an adult. My decades-long history in this community gives me an informed, clear perspective on exactly how to address the challenges facing District 5 and how to effectively advocate for our neighborhoods starting on day one.
I also prepare before making decisions. I will listen to residents, ask questions, research the facts, and make an informed decision based on what I believe is best for the residents of Irvine once I compile all of that information together. I will not simply follow someone else’s directive. I’m also very good at working with people. I don’t take disagreements personally, and I’m very comfortable collaborating with people who may have different perspectives. I believe this combination of preparation, independent judgment, collaboration, and following through with everything is what will make me an effective council member.
Working Together
Christopher Wong: Do you feel that there’s enough collaboration now that’s happening on the council?
Julie Glossbrenner: I don’t think it’s as collaborative as it could be, and I think that there is a significant amount of dissension. If you don’t take things personally and keep your eye on what the goal is, a lot of that is eliminated. We see this goal-oriented, professional mindset in the business community all of the time, and that is exactly the professionalism I will bring to the City Council to get the job done.
Christopher Wong: If you were elected, how would you improve the day-to-day lives of your citizens in your district as a councilperson?
Julie Glossbrenner: I will listen to what the residents are experiencing and then identify who needs to be involved to actually solve the problems. There needs to be a lot of collaboration with other agencies in order to get jobs done that is not happening now. For example, residents have raised concerns to me about local lighting, landscaping, and aging public facilities. These are issues I have noticed firsthand as well.
Take our street visibility: I would identify the specific location, determine who owns or controls that infrastructure, and then work with the appropriate city department, agency, property owner association, or utility to fix it. Another example is the trail environment along I-405. I would like to see whether we can work with what is already in place and make it better—by improving landscaping, creating shade, and installing lighting. This will improve the overall experience of the space so it’s more comfortable, attractive, and usable.
I’m very good at building partnerships. I will have an ongoing, working relationship with the associations in the communities that are part of District 5, and throughout Irvine, as well as city departments, agencies, businesses, and other city partners. The goal is not simply to identify a problem; it’s to determine who’s able to contribute, establish responsibilities, and follow through until it gets accomplished—not forgotten. It needs to get accomplished.
The goal is not simply to identify a problem; it’s to determine who’s able to contribute, establish responsibilities, and follow through until it gets accomplished—not forgotten. It needs to get accomplished.
I will look for improvements that are financially realistic when we talk about budget as well. We do not necessarily need to build something entirely new. We can often work with what is already in place and make it better.
Priorities for the District and the City
Christopher Wong: So what do you think, besides those trails and that lighting, are priorities for your district and maybe beyond the district, for the city?
Julie Glossbrenner: For District 5, my priorities are neighborhood quality, infrastructure, and capital improvements. Since our district is one of the most established areas in Irvine, it is important to ensure our facilities and villages are as contemporary and competitive with the city’s newer villages, while maintaining the unique, existing character of each village. My focus is on working with what is already in place and making it better. I want our neighborhoods to feel vibrant, functional, and deeply cared for by using current design approaches, natural elements, and clean spatial planning. I am committed to delivering these community reinvestments within a responsible city budget, while maintaining open space, responsive services, and total City Council accountability.
I also want stronger partnerships with the village and community associations in Woodbridge, University Park, Rancho San Joaquin, and West Park. I’m actually meeting with the Woodbridge Village Association in about a week to discuss potential partnerships with them. Those associations know their neighborhoods, and I want to make sure the city is communicating with them and working with them effectively.
Citywide, my priorities are fiscal responsibility, responsible growth, economic development, housing opportunities for people at all stages of their lives, effective infrastructure (which comes with growth and needs to be part of growth), strong core services, preserving quality of life, and open space—which always needs to be taken into consideration, because that’s what makes Irvine desirable and that was part of our original master plan.
Services and Expenditures
Christopher Wong: So how do we tackle those kind of services and expenditures? How do we make sure that we are still able to deliver the things that we have or things that we need to do within the sustained nature of the budget?
Julie Glossbrenner: We have to be disciplined about what we fund and why. Core city services should receive priority because residents depend on them and expect them. At the same time, I don’t believe every program or expenditure should automatically continue simply because it has existed for a long time. Before making a new commitment, I want to understand the full cost—not just the initial cost, but the operating, maintenance, and replacement costs over the long term.
I will also establish clear checkpoints and milestones for programs and investments. This needs to be part of transparency—not just putting everything on the city website, but also having it be more resident-interactive, so that residents can see progress and see if milestones are being met for programs with their tax dollars. If something is not working as intended, we should be willing to restructure it, improve it, or stop it. That’s how I would approach the budget: protect essential services, look for efficiencies and partnerships to make sure we’re getting value from what we spend, and make decisions based on evidence rather than assumptions.
Christopher Wong: What would you consider essential services?
Julie Glossbrenner: Police, roads, community programs, libraries, and senior services.
The Library
Christopher Wong: District 5 does hold Lakeview, one of the preeminent senior services centers. How do we tackle this library issue? Because the library is a very delicate subject. Given our budget, we’re paying an enormous amount of money every month.
Julie Glossbrenner: Irvine has committed to operating its own library system. So, we need to realize that we’ve committed to that, and now the focus needs to be on making the system excellent, accessible, and financially sustainable. I would want to look at the entire system: operations, staffing, programming, technology, facilities, utilization, and the long-term cost of the facilities.
I would not automatically purchase a facility simply because we are currently leasing it. I would really need to look into that as far as a 20- and 30-year financial analysis, comparing continued leasing with the acquisition of the land, including purchase price, financing, maintenance, and capital needs. I’d also want to understand the history and economics of each facility. University Park, as you know, is a county-owned facility that Irvine leases. Before making a major long-term decision as far as purchasing the land, I would want to know the facts and the numbers. The question I would keep coming back to is: are we getting the best value possible from the money we invest while providing an excellent library system to our residents?
Economic Development
Christopher Wong: Let’s shift over a little bit to economic development. How would you encourage economic development in the district and maybe beyond the district in the city?
Julie Glossbrenner: As a city council member, even though I would be representing District 5, I would also be representing all of Irvine. We would build on what we already have. Irvine is fortunate to have major assets such as UCI, the Irvine Spectrum, and the Irvine Business Complex. We’re fortunate to have a highly educated workforce and an established business community.
First, businesses that are already here should know that Irvine sees them, values them, and wants to support their success. That means regular communication, understanding the obstacles they face, helping them navigate city processes, and making it easier for them to grow and expand.
First, businesses that are already here should know that Irvine sees them, values them, and wants to support their success.
Second, we should make it easier to start, invest, and expand in Irvine by making city processes as clear and predictable in their vision as possible.
Third, I would continue to support neighborhood centers with vibrant shops, restaurants, services, and local businesses. This will contribute to the quality of life of the residents and also economic activity. Economic development should strengthen the city’s tax base and create jobs, but it should also add to our quality of life. I want to build on Irvine’s strengths while making sure growth is compatible with infrastructure, transportation, housing, and the character of our neighborhoods.
Housing
Christopher Wong: Let’s jump to something that you actually have a very good history with, which is housing. You’re a housing specialist and have worked with many different organizations in your lifetime. How do we address housing needs for people who want to work and live in Irvine? How would you address that in District 5 or even the city in total?
Julie Glossbrenner: I have spoken to several organizations about this. Some city employees really want to do that, and some don’t necessarily want to work and live in the same place. But it is important, and it’s also state-mandated, to have housing that’s available if somebody doesn’t necessarily have a super high income. There needs to be that affordability option as well. We need to use the tools Irvine already has while looking for additional opportunities. That includes affordable housing programs, workforce housing opportunities, down payment assistance, public-private partnerships, and appropriate infill or redevelopment of underused sites where it makes sense.
I would also look at communication. This is what I have found out that I didn’t expect: if city employees do not know that housing programs and assistance in Irvine are already offered, that’s a communication issue. I would explore making an overview of the Irvine Business Complex (IBC) housing programs, workforce opportunities, down payment assistance, and other applicable resources as part of employee onboarding and ongoing communications for city employees and possibly UCI, where applicable and appropriate.
I’d also want to work with other major employers, like UCI, to explore whether similar information can be incorporated into their employee orientation. UCI has goals and directives to incorporate the City of Irvine and its residents into their programs—not their educational programs, but going to plays, community outreach, etc. There is a very strong partnership there, as the City of Irvine knows, and we can let those associated with UCI know through their employee resource programs about the housing programs the City of Irvine has available. When we consider new housing, I want to balance housing needs with infrastructure, traffic, public services, and the preservation of the qualities that make Irvine attractive.
The Future
Christopher Wong: Where do you see Irvine in the next five to ten years? That’s actually a very short timeframe. How do you think your policies will help us get there?
Julie Glossbrenner: I see Irvine continuing to be a strong place to live and work, with a strong and diverse economy, financial sustainability through city services and various housing opportunities, well-maintained and refreshed neighborhoods, upgrades in infrastructure where needed to accommodate growth, and protected parks, trails, and open space. Economic success should not come at the expense of quality of life for Irvine residents. For me, an important question in evaluating a policy or investment is: Does this make the quality of life better for residents of Irvine?
For me, an important question in evaluating a policy or investment is: Does this make the quality of life better for residents of Irvine?
I also want a city council that can work together. I am very good at building relationships, I do not get caught up in personal disagreements, and I’m comfortable listening to different viewpoints. I am always prepared. I ask questions, research the facts, make my own informed decisions, and then work collaboratively to move things forward. Ultimately, I want Irvine to grow stronger, not simply grow larger. I want us to make decisions today that we will be proud of 10 years from now—even five years from now.
Christopher Wong: What decisions made by the current City Council over the last two years do you believe represented a compromise with special interests rather than the residents’ best interests?
Julie Glossbrenner: When looking at the last two years, the decision that stands out to me as a compromise driven by political optics rather than resident interests was the rushed execution of our exit from the county library system. While the initial goal of keeping our tax dollars local made sense, the current City Council moved forward without a fully vetted, long-term financial roadmap.
As a result, we are now facing heavy, ongoing lease expenses from the City of Irvine’s general fund just to keep existing neighborhood branches open, even as a massive city budget deficit looms.
The question I keep using as a metric is this: how do we ensure we are maximizing the value of every taxpayer dollar while still providing an exceptional library system to our residents? We should not compromise one for the other. True accountability means doing the necessary financial planning upfront so our city does not have to pay the price for short-sighted decisions in the future.