By Cristof Traudes

Mike Tupper is soft spoken.

He talks quietly, happily about his wife, being a third-generation Whittier resident and being a father to young twin boys. He’s fond of the parks. He smiles as he discusses interacting with neighbors.

But inside the 39-year-old union plumber percolates an increasing disappointment in City Hall. Tupper has gone from feeling glum about his ward’s representation to plain suspicious about political maneuvering Downtown.

First, it was the City Council’s creation of a new neighborhoods department to bring the Neighborhood Revitalization Program under the city’s wing. That was followed by the surprising news about a possible Trader Joe’s on Lyndale Avenue, which created a mostly negative stir among Ward 6 constituents.

“Then, along came the independent Park Board [issue],” Tupper says, referring to Council Member Paul Ostrow’s proposed charter amendments to eliminate both the current form of the Board of Estimate and Taxation and the Park Board. “That really ticked me off.”

The city’s government needs its checks and balances, he says, because they help keep elected officials accountable. Tupper also wants to see a return to two-year council member terms, which he says could lead to more decisions that represent the community. The council's actions “should be more about us, the residents, and not the council members. I’d much rather get elected and put myself out of a job,” Tupper says.

Meanwhile, he’s also worried about property tax increases. He is concerned that developers are getting the best deals from City Hall, while property owners are penalized for taking care of their possessions through ever-increasing property taxes.

“I have no political aspirations,” Tupper says. “It’s not about me. No, this is about our neighborhood and our community.”

ABOUT MIKE TUPPER

Age: 39

Occupation: union plumber

Family: married; children

Neighborhood: Whittier

Governmental/personal experience: first run for office; member, Whittier Alliance

Endorsements: Independence Party, Plumbers Local 15

Website: www.michaeltupper.com

Phone: 870-0022

E-mail: miketupperforcitycouncil@gmail.com

By jake weyer

By jake weyer

By Jake Weyer and Dylan Thomas