John DiGuiseppe One reason John Glen DiGuiseppe is running for Thousand Oaks City Council is that he wants to be the "voice of the community."

"I want residents to be able to tell me their concerns so that I can be an advocate for them," DiGuiseppe said.

That role is natural for him, DiGuiseppe adds, as public service is an extension of what he does for a living. An independent financial consultant, DiGuiseppe works from a home-based office counseling clients about real estate investments and he feels he can also advise the council.

With a law degree from Abraham Lincoln University School of Law in Santa Monica, DiGuiseppe, 44, says he is analytical and a common-sense thinker, important traits for a potential councilmember.

"When a problem is presented, I find solutions," DiGuiseppe said. "I hear both sides and try to come down the middle."

Residents may be familiar with DiGuiseppe's name through local public safety programs. The council candidate founded www.toneighborhoodwatch.org, an online service that unites police, residents, business, civic groups and government officials in promoting crime prevention and safety. He also chairs the city's annual National Night Out event held in August during which residents support public safety in their neighborhoods.

"I really enjoy these programs so much because I get the heartbeat of the community and what people are interested in," DiGuiseppe said.

Despite having a strong New York accent, DiGuiseppe has lived in Thousand Oaks for 20 years. He served on the city's budget task force, providing advice to the council on its annual budget. DiGuiseppe is a member of the local Rotary Club, Alliance for the Arts, and the Thousand OaksWestlake Village Regional Chamber of Commerce.

This is not the first time DiGuiseppe has shown interest in running for the council. In 2004, DiGuiseppe filed paperwork to run but was disqualified due to a campaign filing technicality. The disqualification came after the filing deadline, so DiGuiseppe could not correct the situation and he was deeply disappointed.

DiGuiseppe supports slow, controlled growth, bringing in responsible types of businesses while remaining within the parameters of the general plan. He highlights infill and redevelopment-type projects that would create destination locations for residents.

"We want the kind of businesses that enhance the quality of life, where people can shop and dine locally to keep taxes in the community," DiGuiseppe said.

As the city reaches build-out, DiGuiseppe wants to be part of the creative process needed to come up with ways to generate income to retain the quality of life for residents.

DiGuiseppe vows to be an advocate for any open space acquisition opportunity that arises.

With a daughter entering 10th grade at Westlake High School, DiGuiseppe, who is divorced, is concerned about education. He'd like to see additional fundraisers as well as increased financial support by the city and local businesses.

"Our local classrooms are underfunded," DiGuiseppe said.

The candidate wants to research wireless access throughout the city, which he sees as an advantage for public safety as well as for small business. Police pulling over a motorist could obtain instant identification; paramedics out on call could put patients live onscreen for a physician's on-thespot medical assessment; and the 4,000 small businesses in the city could be mobile, according to DiGuiseppe.

"It would be an incredible service to have and a huge benefit to the community," DiGuiseppe said.

Born in New York into a family of five kids, DiGuiseppe moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., with his parents when he was 16 years old after his father retired from the New York City Police Department. In Arizona, DiGuiseppe's father started a home security company, later expanding into California. DiGuiseppe moved to Thousand Oaks to run the California division. He has an undergraduate degree in sociology from Cal State Northridge.

DiGuiseppe says he has the time to put into council-related work.

"He is a wonderful human being who really cares about the community," said Mary Cook, a neighbor of DiGuiseppe's. "We are all blessed to have him running for city council."