From the September 17 Community Meet-and-Greet to Ongoing Door-to-Door Visits, Residents Focus on Government Transparency, Privacy, Trash Fees, Taxes, Roads, Youth Engagement, and Business Development
SAN GABRIEL, Calif. — On September 17, 2026, San Gabriel City Council candidate Wendy Wang hosted a community meet-and-greet. The event brought together San Gabriel residents from diverse ethnic, cultural, and professional backgrounds, including community members associated with the former Human Equity, Access, and Relations Commission (HEAR Commission), small business owners, union members, caregivers, educators, young people, and everyday residents.
After the meet-and-greet, Wendy Wang continued into the community. From September 17 to 26, through door-to-door visits, on-site inspections, and face-to-face conversations, she continued to listen to residents’ views on San Gabriel’s current conditions and future development.
She said the issues she heard repeatedly across different neighborhoods included: government transparency and accountability, camera data and resident privacy, trash fees and long-term public service contracts, the 11% sales tax, roads and infrastructure, youth engagement, and San Gabriel’s business diversity and city vitality.
“A campaign should not just be about telling residents what I will do. More importantly, it’s about going to where residents are and listening to what they are experiencing,” Wendy Wang said. “The questions residents raise are actually very direct: Where is our money going? Why are public contracts signed this way? How is the data collected by cameras being used? Why are some roads repaired again and again, while other areas go without improvement for years? And can our businesses and young people get more opportunities?”
As Cameras Increase, Residents Focus on Data Privacy and Public Oversight
With the use of automated license plate recognition cameras and related systems, some residents have begun to pay attention to how the data collected by these cameras is managed, including who can access it, how long the data is retained, under what circumstances it can be shared with other agencies, and how the city prevents the data from being misused.
Wendy Wang said that public safety and personal privacy should not be treated as an either-or choice.
“Technology can help public safety, but the more advanced technology becomes, the more transparency and oversight mechanisms need to keep pace. Residents should clearly know how data is collected, used, retained, and shared.”
She said she hopes to advance clearer mechanisms for data transparency, accountability, and public oversight, protecting residents’ privacy while safeguarding public safety.
Trash Fees Rise by Up to 60.8%, 25-Year Long-Term Contract Draws Attention
Trash service fees and long-term public service contracts have also been raised repeatedly by residents and businesses recently.
According to official City of San Gabriel documents,
regular trash service rate increases from 2023 to 2025 were approximately 6% to 7%. However, the rate increase of up to 60.8% that residents have recently focused on is related to the new rate structure associated with the 2026 Seventh Amendment to the trash service agreement and Proposition 218, particularly involving certain commercial and multifamily residential accounts.
It should be made clear that 60.8% is not a uniform increase for all San Gabriel residents or all trash service accounts, but rather a larger adjustment that specific service categories may face under the new rate structure.
Beyond the fees themselves, residents have also raised concerns about the length of the long-term trash service contract. Compared with the roughly 7- to 12-year trash service contracts in many cities, San Gabriel’s approximately 25-year long-term contract has sparked discussion among residents about pricing, renewal mechanisms, competition, and public oversight.
“Residents are not opposed to trash service. But they have the right to know why some fees have changed so significantly, and they also have the right to ask: Why does an important public service that affects all of the city’s residents and businesses require a long-term contract of approximately 25 years?” Wendy Wang said.
She believes long-term stability has value, but it should not replace
open competition, transparency, and accountability. Long-term contracts involving major public services should make it easier for residents to understand the contract term, how prices are adjusted, service standards, renewal conditions, and whether other service providers have a fair opportunity to compete.
11% Sales Tax: Residents Want to See Public Funds Produce Real Results
Beginning October 1, 2026, with the implementation of Los Angeles County Measure ER, the combined sales and use tax rate applicable in San Gabriel will increase from 10.5% to 11%.
Wendy Wang said that as housing, food, insurance, trash service, and other living costs continue to rise, residents are paying closer attention to how public funds are used and what real results taxpayers ultimately see.
“After residents pay their taxes, they should also be able to more easily see where public funds go, what projects they are used for, and what measurable results they ultimately produce.”
She said government transparency cannot simply mean posting budgets, contracts, and bid documents on a website as required by law. It should also reach residents through more languages, more platforms, and more community channels, so that residents can truly see, understand, and have the opportunity to participate.
After the HEAR Commission’s Dissolution, Youth and Resident Engagement Draw Attention
Channels for residents to participate in city decision-making were also raised in recent conversations.
The San Gabriel City Council dissolved the Human Equity, Access, and Relations Commission (HEAR Commission) in 2024. Wendy Wang said that after the commission’s dissolution, it is even more necessary to consider how residents, especially young people, can continue to participate in city affairs through institutionalized channels.
She supports establishing or restoring a
Youth Commission with clearly defined responsibilities, allowing young people to genuinely participate in civic education, city issues, and community service. At the same time, the city could also study whether to establish resident advisory or commission mechanisms related to small business, economic development, or finance.
“Young people shouldn’t just show up at events, take photos, and then that’s the end of it. Real youth engagement means giving them the opportunity to share their views, take part in discussions, and see that their voices can make a real impact.”
She said any new commission should have clear responsibilities and practical goals, and truly serve as a bridge between residents and City Hall.
Roads in Both North and South San Gabriel Need Improvement, With Problems Especially Evident in Parts of the South
Roads and infrastructure were issues that Wendy Wang repeatedly heard about and observed during her recent door-to-door visits and on-site inspections.
She said that in both northern and southern San Gabriel, some roads, curbs, pedestrian areas, and other infrastructure have long needed repair and improvement, with the problems especially evident in some neighborhoods of South San Gabriel.
Based on recent on-site observations,
at least three large, visible potholes can currently be seen on some roads behind Vincent Lugo Park. At the same time, some pedestrian areas and areas around public facilities still lack adequate safety aids; according to recent on-site observations and counts, approximately 80% of locations in the relevant areas do not yet have handrails.
Residents also reported that some roads or projects have undergone multiple rounds of construction and repair, while other streets, curbs, and neighborhood infrastructure that clearly need improvement have been waiting for a long time.
“Why are some places repaired again and again, while other places that residents use every day and that clearly need improvement keep waiting?” Wendy Wang said. “Once public funds are invested, residents should see more reasonable priorities and real results.”
She believes road and infrastructure planning should cover all of San Gabriel, and that project priorities, budgets, construction timelines, and completion status should be made more public.
“This is not a question of whether the south side or the north side is more important. No matter which San Gabriel neighborhood they live in, residents deserve safe, well-maintained roads and public facilities.”
About 23 Boba Tea and Related Beverage Shops: Residents Hope for More Diverse Business Options
Business development and city vitality were also frequently mentioned topics during this community outreach.
According to recent counts and searches of businesses in San Gabriel, the city currently has approximately
23 boba tea and related beverage shops. Wendy Wang said that boba tea, Asian dining, and Chinese American small businesses have become important commercial and cultural features of San Gabriel and should continue to be supported.
At the same time, many residents also hope to see more diverse types of restaurants, retail, services, family entertainment, and other businesses come to San Gabriel.
Some residents said that when they look for American dining or other types of consumer options, they often need to go to Alhambra, Monterey Park, Temple City, or Pasadena. Meanwhile, some commercial areas in San Gabriel face vacant storefronts, insufficient foot traffic, or a lack of new business activity, and some chain businesses that once operated in the city have also left.
“Business diversity is not about replacing our boba tea shops, Asian restaurants, or existing small businesses. It’s about adding more options on top of the strengths we already have,” Wendy Wang said.
“Our goal should be to make San Gabriel residents want to stay in their own city to dine, shop, and spend, while also making residents of neighboring cities want to come to San Gabriel.”
She believes the city’s economic development cannot focus only on a few established commercial centers. It should also pay attention to San Gabriel Boulevard and other commercial corridors, studying how to increase foot traffic, reduce long-term vacancies, and attract more diverse, high-quality businesses.
Businesses Need More Professional and Efficient “One-Stop Service”
In conversations with small business owners, Wendy Wang also heard feedback about permits, approvals, and the efficiency of coordination among different city departments.
She proposes advancing a more comprehensive
one-stop service that, while upholding planning, building, safety, and other professional standards, helps businesses more clearly understand application requirements, processing status, and next steps.
“Businesses need to follow the rules, and the city should also help businesses understand and follow the rules. We need to be professional and thorough, and we should also be more efficient and convenient.”
She said San Gabriel not only needs to attract new businesses, but should also help law-abiding businesses that have already chosen San Gabriel to stay and grow.
“Transparency” Is More Than Posting Documents on a Website
Wendy Wang said that from camera data, the trash contract, taxes, and roads, to commissions, business development, and public bidding, these seemingly different issues ultimately all point to one common theme —
whether residents truly know what their government is doing.
“If an important document is made public as required by law, but the vast majority of residents don’t even know it exists, then we still need to ask whether that has truly achieved the purpose of transparency.”
She said information on major public contracts, bids, budgets, rate adjustments, public hearings, and similar matters should be proactively shared through more languages, more platforms, and more community channels, so that residents can understand and participate before major decisions are made, not after.
“Real public service is not showing up once during an election, or taking a photo. It is continually going into the community, continually listening, and then turning the issues residents raise into actions that can be carried out, monitored, and measured.”
Wendy Wang is a 2026 candidate for San Gabriel City Council. She has lived in San Gabriel for about 23 years and attended local public schools. She is a caregiver, entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, and longtime community member.
She said she will continue visiting different neighborhoods across San Gabriel and speaking with residents of all ages, professions, languages, and cultural backgrounds.
“Every resident deserves a place in San Gabriel’s future.”
A New Generation · A New Voice · New Action
Campaign website: www.wendywangsg.com
Paid for by Wendy Wang for San Gabriel City Council 2026. FPPC ID #1487744
