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Hector Sosa Newsletter — April 12, 2026
📬 Councilmember Hector Sosa — District 2, Downey — April 13, 2026
Hello District 2,
Last Wednesday afternoon, a group of Assistance League Assisteens came through City Hall for a tour, and I had the chance to walk them through the building and take their questions. I'll tell you plainly: they came prepared. These were the kinds of questions that make a councilmember think twice before answering, which is exactly the kind of civic education I want more of in Downey. That visit set the tone for a week where the work of this city kept coming back, again and again, to the people who choose to invest in it.
Tomorrow night, we are back in Council Chambers. Here is what is on my radar going in.
💰 Budget & Finance
🔹 Council Meeting Tomorrow Night, 6:30 PM: Our next regular session lands on Tuesday, April 14, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chambers at Downey City Hall, 11111 Brookshire Ave. Agendas post in advance on the city website, and I always encourage residents to pull them up before the meeting, not after.
→ 💡 How to plug in: You can attend in person, submit written public comment, or watch the livestream from home. Every one of those options counts as participation, and every one of those options is part of the record. If there's an item on the agenda you care about, even a few sentences of public comment can move a conversation.
→ 🎯 My ongoing focus: I'll keep doing what I promised when I ran, which is to bring a financial services lens to every dollar decision that crosses our dais. Stewardship of taxpayer money is not a slogan for me. It's the habit I bring to each vote, and I'll continue to push for plain-English explanations any time the math gets complicated.
👉 View agendas and city documents
🏛️ Civic Engagement & Youth
🔹 Assisteens Tour of City Hall: Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of leading a group of Assistance League Assisteens through City Hall. These are Downey high schoolers who commit at least 40 hours a year of volunteer service to the community, and the depth of their questions showed it. Thank you to the Assistance League of Downey for the partnership, and thank you to every Assisteen who took the time to be there.
→ ⚡ Why this matters: Civic literacy does not happen by accident. It happens when young people get inside the buildings where decisions are made, meet the people making them, and walk away knowing that local government is a tool they can actually use. The Assisteens are one of the strongest examples I know of a Downey youth program that builds that muscle, year after year, through real hours of service.
→ 🎯 A standing invitation: If your school, youth group, scout troop, or nonprofit would like a similar tour or classroom visit, my office door is open. Deepening the connection between City Hall, Downey Unified, and the organizations mentoring our young people remains one of my core priorities on this Council.
👉 Learn more about the Assistance League of Downey
💐 Community & Economic Development
🔹 Soroptimist of Downey Kicks Off Flamingo Fundraiser: The Soroptimist of Downey has officially launched its annual Flamingo Fundraiser, and if you spot a flock of bright pink plastic flamingos on a neighbor's lawn this spring, now you know why. For a $50 tax-deductible donation, residents can arrange to have a group of flamingos temporarily placed in the yard of a friend or family member living in Downey. All proceeds support community activities, awards, and scholarships funded by the Soroptimist of Downey.
→ 💡 Why I'm flagging it: Soroptimist of Downey has been quietly putting resources back into supporting local women and girls for decades through scholarships and community grants. This is the kind of fundraiser that is lighthearted on the surface and meaningful underneath, and it runs entirely on volunteers and small-dollar donations. If you want to flock with a neighbor, the order line is 310-717-3637.
👉 Read the full Downey Patriot story
📅 Coming Up
🔹 🏛️ City Council Meeting: Tuesday, April 14, 6:30 PM, Council Chambers, Downey City Hall, 11111 Brookshire Ave.
🔹 🤝 Woman's Club of Downey Networking Mixer: Thursday, April 16, 5:30 to 7:30 PM. A chance to meet other Downey professionals, small-business owners, and community members in a relaxed setting.
🔹 🎼 Downey Symphony Spring Concert, Free: Saturday, April 18, 7:00 PM at the Downey Theatre. Doors open at 5:30 PM for the accompanying mezzanine art exhibit honoring Dr. Jane Goodall. This is the weekend a lot of us will be circling on the calendar.
👉 Read the Downey Symphony preview
🔹 👗 Assisteens Spring Tea & Fashion Show: Saturday, April 25 at the Chapter House Gardens, 7749 Florence Ave. One of the signature fundraisers for the Assisteens of Downey and a direct financial engine behind many of the year-round programs those young volunteers run.
👉 View the Assistance League of Downey event calendar
📱 Stay Connected
Got a pothole to report, graffiti to flag, or a service request to submit? The Downey Connect App is the fastest, most direct path to getting things done. Available for both Apple and Android.
👉 Download the Downey Connect App
Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for more real-time updates, event highlights, and a look at what I'm working on between newsletters.
One thing last week's Assisteens visit reminded me of is that participation is a habit. It starts early, it gets sharper with practice, and it is the single most important thing a city like Downey can protect. Whether you plug in by walking into Council Chambers tomorrow night, writing a public comment, donating to a local scholarship fund, or simply pulling up an agenda before you head to bed, you are part of what makes this place work the way it does.
As always, questions, concerns, or ideas? Hit reply. I read every message.
