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Hector Sosa Newsletter — September 14, 2026
📬 Councilmember Hector Sosa | District 2, Downey | September 14, 2026
Good morning, Downey,
Friday marked twenty-five years since September 11, 2001. A quarter century, and it still feels close. We remember the lives taken from us, the first responders who ran toward the danger, and the families whose worlds changed in a single morning. We also remember how a grieving nation stood together, and that part is worth carrying into the week ahead. It was a week of remembrance here at home, too: we opened it honoring the working men and women of this country on Labor Day, and we said goodbye to one of Downey's finest community servants, whom I write about below. Tuesday evening I shared a few photos from Southwest Downey, no filter needed, because this city does its own lighting. And now Downey turns the page toward a milestone: 70 years as a city, with a party to match this Saturday. Here is where things stand.
🚨 Public Safety
🔹 Twenty-Five Years of Never Forgetting: This 9/11 anniversary carried extra weight, and I spent part of Friday reflecting on what we owe the fallen and the families they left behind. Most Downey students walking into class this month were born long after 2001, which means remembrance is now a responsibility we hand down on purpose, not a memory we can assume. My ask of you is simple: tell the story to someone younger, and thank a firefighter or police officer this week while you are at it.
→ ⚡ Why this matters: The best living tribute to the heroes of that day is a community that still shows up for its neighbors and still honors the people who run toward danger. Downey does both, and I never want us to lose that.
👉 View my remembrance post (Instagram)
🔹 Downey PD's 27th Citizens Academy Starts Wednesday: The Downey Police Department kicks off its 27th Citizens Academy this Wednesday, September 16, a free 10-week program that meets Wednesdays from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Participants get an inside look at how our department actually works, from patrol and investigations to the tough judgment calls officers face every shift.
→ 🎯 My take: Working hand in hand with Downey PD is one of the initiatives I ran on, and programs like this are where trust gets built. Residents who understand how policing works become better partners in keeping this city safe, and officers benefit from neighbors who know them by name. If you have ever wanted to see the job from the inside, this is your chance.
💰 Budget & Finance
🔹 Your Money, in Plain View: We are now in the first quarter of the Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget, and I want to point you to a tool every resident should bookmark: the city's digital budget book. It breaks down where the dollars come from and where they go, including the biggest commitment we make every year, with well over half of our general fund supporting police and fire services. And in compliance with SB 707, City Council meeting agendas are now published in Spanish as well, so more of our neighbors can follow the decisions that affect them.
→ 💡 What this means: Downey has built a streak of balanced budgets stretching back more than a decade, with national recognition for financial reporting to match. Tools like the budget book and translated agendas turn that discipline into something you can actually see and verify for yourself.
→ 🎯 My commitment: As someone who works in finance for a living, I hold a simple standard: if we are spending your money, you should be able to follow every dollar. Transparency is not a courtesy. It is the job.
👉 Explore the digital budget book
👉 View agendas and city documents
💼 Economic Development & Local Business
🔹 Cutting Red Tape for Small Business, and a Vote of Confidence: This week the Downey Patriot reported that BizFed PAC, the political action committee of the Los Angeles County Business Federation, an alliance of more than 240 business organizations across Southern California, announced its endorsement of my work on this Council. I am grateful for the confidence, but the part I care most about is the policy behind it. Last October I proposed replacing the city's one-size-fits-all conditional use permit fee with a tiered structure based on a project's size and complexity, and the Council approved it unanimously earlier this year. Qualifying small businesses can now skip the full Planning Commission process, saving thousands of dollars and months of waiting while the city keeps appropriate oversight.
→ ⚡ Why this matters: For a family opening its first shop, fees and delays are not paperwork, they are the difference between opening day and giving up. Making it easier to invest in Downey has been one of my core initiatives from day one, and we are not done.
🔹 Downey Turns 70, and Downtown Throws the Party: This Saturday, September 19, the I Love Downey Festival takes over Downtown from 3:00 to 8:00 PM, centered around 10927 Downey Avenue. This year's edition celebrates the 70th anniversary of Downey's incorporation, with live music, an art exhibition, a beer and wine garden, community booths, festival attractions, and plenty of locally loved food. Downey earned this party.
→ 🎯 My take: Every festival plate, pint, and purchase puts dollars into the registers of the local businesses that keep our downtown alive. Come for the anniversary, stay for the small businesses, and bring the whole family.
🤝 Community
🔹 Remembering Martha Sodetani: Earlier this month, Downey lost a true icon. Martha Sodetani served this community selflessly for decades, including as a Downey Unified board member, and she was a friend to me and my family. I had the privilege of working alongside her many times through Gangs Out of Downey, and I saw firsthand how genuinely she committed herself to making a difference, especially for our young people. She gave constantly and never asked for anything in return. Her memorial service will be held this Wednesday, September 16, at 10:00 AM at Holman United Methodist Church, 3320 W. Adams Boulevard in Los Angeles. Her legacy of service will live on in the countless lives she touched, and the best way to honor her is to serve the way she did.
👉 Read my full tribute (Instagram)
📅 Coming Up
🔹 🎉 Hispanic Heritage Month Begins Tomorrow: Tuesday, September 15 through October 15. As the son of parents who came here from Mexico and Peru chasing the American Dream, this month always lands close to home for me. Celebrate it the Downey way: support a family-owned local business.
🔹 🕊️ Memorial Service for Martha Sodetani: Wednesday, September 16, 10:00 AM, Holman United Methodist Church, 3320 W. Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles. Details above in the Community section.
🔹 👮 Downey PD Citizens Academy, First Class: Wednesday, September 16, 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Details above in the Public Safety section.
🔹 🧹 Keep Downey Beautiful Cleanup: Saturday, September 19, 9:00 to 10:00 AM. One hour, gloves and supplies provided, and this month it lines up with the 42nd annual California Coastal Cleanup Day happening statewide. A very Downey way to start the day.
👉 View Keep Downey Beautiful details
🔹 🥕 Downey Farmers Market: Saturday, September 19, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at La Reina Avenue and 2nd Street. My usual haul is berries, hummus, and a loaf of sourdough, and I recommend all three.
🔹 🎶 I Love Downey Festival: Saturday, September 19, 3:00 to 8:00 PM, Downtown Downey. Details above in the Economic Development section.
🔹 🏛️ Next Regular City Council Meeting: Tuesday, September 22, 6:30 PM, Council Chambers, Downey City Hall, 11111 Brookshire Avenue. The agenda posts ahead of time, in English and Spanish, so give it a look and weigh in on anything that matters to you.
👉 View agendas and city documents
📱 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 am working on between newsletters.
Look at what a single Saturday holds in this city: neighbors picking up litter at 9:00, filling market bags by 10:00, and dancing downtown by dusk to celebrate 70 years of Downey. That is not a coincidence. It is the habit of a community that people like Martha Sodetani spent their lives building, one selfless hour at a time. The week behind us reminded me how much we owe to those who served before us, and the week ahead offers plenty of ways to pay it forward. Pick one, and I will see you out there.
Questions, concerns, or ideas? Hit reply. I read every message.
