My Purpose and Achievements as a Council Candidate
Personally, I look for critical thinking and strong work ethic in locally elected leaders. I’m proud of my track record to embody these values and bring positive changes to our community:
- Leadership: As the Vice Chair on the Traffic Commission, I’ve frequently spearheaded initiatives to make getting around Laguna Hills safer and easier.
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In the past year, I’ve proposed and presented solutions addressing items such as overparking, abandoned vehicles, and large commercial trucks parked in our neighborhoods that create blight, safety issues, and reduce our quality of life.
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I frequently comb through social media looking for resident feedback on items within Traffic Commission jurisdiction. I believe good leaders proactively seek out feedback since oftentimes residents don’t have the time to research who should be emailed or called about concerns.
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Former Parks and Recreation Commissioner: Prior to the Traffic Commission, I served on the Parks and Recreation Commission helping review our city’s hazard mitigation plan in addition to working with other commissioners to craft budget priorities for parks and recreation improvements throughout the city. I advocated to update our City’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan which hasn’t been updated since the 1990s.
- Volunteering: I’m proud to get my hands dirty volunteering at various Rooted Events in our city planting trees and flowers in addition to volunteering for the city’s annual Heritage Day event.
- Community Action: I’m the only candidate for city council that has experience going door to door and engaging residents to take action on issues we often suffer in silence. Like many neighborhoods in Laguna Hills, mine faced an overflow of vehicles from nearby developments. I took action by writing letters to homeowners and helping get petitions signed by almost 200 households in my neighborhood to finally address the parking issue. Oftentimes, a community just needs a catalyst to start positive momentum.
- Due Diligence: I strive to stay well informed of local issues and opportunities. For example, I saved Laguna Hills $25,000-$40,000 annually by contacting Southern California Edison (SCE) to replace our old incandescent streetlights to new LED streetlights through an option E program offered. It’s a shame our city didn’t save money sooner had it implemented this program when many of our neighboring cities (Laguna Woods/Aliso Viejo) had.
- Speaking Up and Being Present: I make it a personal priority to attend many city council meetings. Oftentimes, alone in the audience and at times the only public comments speaker on various topics. Overall, I believe in, and will continue to champion local control at city hall. This November, help elect the candidate who has the courage and interest to speak up as a regular resident before they are elected as a councilmember.
About Neel Patel, FCAS
As an Actuarial and Analytics Director at a global insurance company, I specialize in finance, risk analysis, and compliance, with a strong background in quantitative analysis, holding a fellowship in Actuarial Mathematics, and FCAS credentials from the Casualty Actuarial Society. I earned dual bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and business administration from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Outside of work, I serve as the Vice Chair of the City’s Traffic Commission, focusing on transportation safety and efficiency. My wife is a physician in the University of California system, and together, we enjoy gardening, traveling, and community involvement. In our neighborhood, I’m a respected leader within the Lomas Laguna homeowner’s community having fostered strong relationships through positive contributions.