Two candidates for the Santa Clarita City Council’s 1st District race answered questions Thursday from The Signal during a candidate forum at Grace Baptist Church in Saugus.  Patsy Ayala and Tim Burkhart are both members of the city’s Planning Commission, and the questions sought their differences regarding priorities, changes they’d like to see and how the city might operate differently under a district-based system.  A third candidate, Bryce Jepsen, declined an invitation to attend.  The forum was moderated by Signal Owner/Publisher Richard Budman.  A question about being the first candidates under a district-based system that’s divided the city of Santa Clarita into five separate areas for voters began to bring about the contrast for potential voters in the audience, as well as hundreds more who watched the livestream online.  When asked about their obligations to their district versus their city, Ayala, who has publicly shared stories of discrimination she faced after migrating from Mexico, said she loved the question.  “We’re going to be representing in districts, there’s a reason. Well, I didn’t make the rules, but I’m following the rules,” Ayala said, referring to the city’s lawsuit settlement that created a district-based election and gerrymandered a majority-Hispanic population in District 1 by putting western Canyon Country in a district with Newhall. “And I’ve been working with all the communities, not only the Hispanic,” she said, saying public service to all people has been a hallmark of her work for state lawmakers.  “And you know, we already have four representatives in Santa Clarita. You want one that is exactly like the other representatives?” she asked rhetorically, quickly adding she loves the job the City Council is doing.  “But this particular district was made for these people and for the residents of Newhall and Canyon Country to have representation,” Ayala added. “And I think I understand better than anyone their needs, because I’ve been there with them.”  Burkhart, a 50-year resident who mentioned his business experience as working his way up the ranks at Six Flags Magic Mountain from ride operator to corporate vice president who oversaw international theme parks, said he had some concerns about the change of election format.  “Certainly that is my goal as council person, to address the needs of my district, but not at the expense of the city as a whole,” Burkhart said.   “I’m terrified that 25 or 30 years from now, we’re going to look like the Los Angeles City Council, where it is nothing but an argument and a race to the bottom of competition between one district and another. That concerns me greatly.  “As far as representing the community, I don’t have any issues believing that I can do that just as well as anybody of any ethnicity or any background whatsoever.”  When the candidates were asked about the main thing they will try to accomplish if given a four-year term, Ayala mentioned business advocacy while Burkhart brought up public safety.   “Since we are the third-largest city in L.A. County, one of the things that I want to accomplish is bring more resources to the businesses we don’t have, for example, a place that we can do events that are especially for business,” Ayala said, mentioning a convention center as a possibility, and other small-business supports, “and a one-stop place that we can have for business organizations, so they can have resources.”  Patsy Ayala, a candidate for Santa Clarita City Council, participates in a candidate forum hosted by The Signal on Thursday evening at Grace Baptist Church. 101024 Maya Morales/ The Signal. Burkhart mentioned a spate of recent violence with respect to gang activity in Newhall.  “I think what my focus is going to be is to maintain our relatively safe reputation and safe way of life in the city,” he said. “We have, in fact, had some issues with crime in Santa Clarita Valley. I’ve said in numerous forums that within a mile and a half of my home, in the last 18 months, there’s been 16 shootings and four fatalities.”  Burkhart, who is about two decades senior in Ayala in terms of experience on the Planning Commission, also talked about the potential for streamlined permitting processes to support business.   Tim Burkhart, a candidate for Santa Clarita City Council, participates in a candidate forum hosted by The Signal on Thursday evening at Grace Baptist Church. 101024 Maya Morales/ The Signal. “I’ve made a career out building things in Los Angeles County. I have built hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of projects, and I can tell you that the time it takes to bring a project, from the time you submit for your entitlements until you get your permit, can sometimes take twice as long as it does to build the project,” Burkhart said. “I absolutely believe that there are opportunities for us as a city to make this a better process.”  Both candidates mentioned public safety as the one budget item they’d increase.  They shared differing answers on what city could be doing that it’s not.  Burkhart said he “didn’t see that one coming,” although he mentioned a few areas, such as traffic, where there was room for improvement.  “You stumped me, sir, you really stumped me,” he said to Budman. “I think there’s a lot of things we can improve on, and a lot of tactical and strategic changes we can make, but I would be hard-pressed to find a thing that we are not working on to some degree.”  Ayala mentioned the arts and threw out a few proposals.   “I think we have a great area of opportunity always to be the best version of Santa Clarita that we can be,” she said. “And one of the things, of course, I think I would love to expand programs in arts. We don’t have a museum, a cultural center. Also, I think it will be amazing to have an amphitheater.”  When asked about the city’s core values in four words, Ayala said, “integrity, empowerment, honesty — and this is two words, hard work,” she added. “Put them together.”  Burkhart answered, “transparency, accountability, integrity and thoughtfulness.”  The move to districts was expected to put two seats on the ballot in November, including a Saugus-Valencia area referred to on city electoral maps as District 3.  Santa Clarita Councilman Jason Gibbs was appointed to that seat in August after no candidate filed an intent to run against him.  The forum will remain available for viewing on The Signal’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/signalscv.  The post Ayala, Burkhart talk issues in Signal candidate forum  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.