Paul Miller

With 26 years of public service in the city of Simi Valley under his belt, Mayor Paul Miller said he is confident that he's still the best man for the job—even if his position as the head of the City Council is being challenged for the first time.

"There's no candidate for mayor that's got my experience," said Miller, who is running for his third term. "I think I've got a very strong track record."

With unsure economic times ahead for the city, Miller said, his experience is a necessary asset. He said Simi Valley doesn't have time for a mayor to get "on-the-job training."

"I think the next two years are going to be tough financially," he said. "The management of city resources is critical."

Even though he'd spent 12 years attending City Council meetings as chief of police, Miller said, when he came to the council in 1994, it took him six months to figure out the job. He said it was the same way when he transitioned from council member to mayor.

"Someone coming in off the street to the mayor's position would (find it) difficult because I think any mayor should have significant experience on the council," he said.

Asked his agenda for the next two years, Miller said keeping the crime rate low is still No. 1.

"We will continue to work on making this a safe place to live," he said. "We've got a good track record now with public safety and we need to push that."

Asked to name some of his specific goals if re-elected mayor, Miller included additional signal synchronization to keep traffic flowing, the construction of a nonsectarian cemetery to serve residents who are not Catholic or Jewish, the continued funding of the freewaywidening project from Tapo Canyon Road to the 23 Freeway and the redevelopment of the Mountain Gate Plaza into a mixeduse commercial/residential center.

Also on his mind is the proposed landfill expansion, which Miller has yet to take an official stance on.

The mayor said he is waiting to see the results of an Environmental Impact Report, which is expected to be drafted by the end of the year.

But Miller said his biggest concern remains the state of the economy and the threat of the state reaching into city coffers.

"Our big deal the next couple years i s keeping a healthy city budget," he said. "All the cities are going to face issues and we'll do our best to provide city services."

One of the services he is passionate about creating is an "under one roof" concept that would provide local charitable organizations with free office space.

The Simi Valley Community Foundation, for which Miller serves as a board member, has been working with the city to open what they're calling the Simi Valley Alliance for Human Services.

Miller said the remodel and expansion of City Hall, originally slated to begin this year, would have freed up the Development Services Building to possibly be used to house the Alliance.

However, the budget crunch stalled the remodel plans.

"That was my biggest disappointment that we couldn't pull that off," Miller said. "It would have been perfect."

Despite this setback, Miller said that overall, the city is on the right track.

And in response to challengers who say that his time is up and he should step aside, Miller said the voters will decide.

"We have automatic term limits built in," he said. "People can choose to not vote for me. Every two years, they get a shot at me."