Patrick Murphy makes fiscal restraint, local control central to Glendale City Council campaign
In an Inclusive Voices Media interview, Murphy said Glendale needs to push back on state housing mandates, review city spending and rethink bike lane planning on commercial corridors
Patrick Murphy says Glendale does not face a housing crisis as much as an affordability crisis.
In an interview conducted by Inclusive Voices Media’s Silva Harapetian as part of the IVM’s Glendale City Council candidate series, Murphy framed his campaign around three main issues: local control over development, tighter city spending and public safety.
“I have said in the past, and will continue to say, that we do not have necessarily a housing crisis,” Murphy said. “We have an affordable housing crisis.”
Murphy is running for one of three at-large seats on the Glendale City Council in the June 2, 2026, election. His campaign site describes him as a businessman with decades of experience in commercial real estate, retail expansion and property revitalization. The site says Murphy moved from New York City to Burbank in 1985 and later made Glendale his home with his wife, Genae. It also says he spent four decades working with property owners, retailers and community stakeholders, and served for five years as a vice president with Leslie’s Pool Supplies, where he helped open 250 stores nationwide.
Murphy’s campaign says he wants to bring private-sector experience to City Hall, with a focus on responsible growth, business districts, community services, transparency and financial sustainability.
Much of his interview focused on housing mandates from Sacramento and how they could affect Glendale neighborhoods.
Murphy criticized Senate Bill 79, a California housing law tied to development near transit stops. He said the law, when paired with the proposed bus rapid transit line, could reshape parts of Glendale by allowing taller apartment buildings near dedicated bus lanes.
“This has created an existential threat to our entire city,” Murphy said.
He argued that the city should preserve single-family neighborhoods and challenge state policies that override local zoning. Murphy said Glendale should have joined Burbank in asking Metro for a supplemental environmental review of the bus rapid transit project in light of SB 79.
“We should send a letter, and we should join Burbank, and we should push back on Metro,” Murphy said.
Murphy also said Glendale should work with other cities to resist unfunded state mandates. He said Sacramento has pushed requirements onto cities without providing enough money for infrastructure, including police, fire, sewer, water and electricity.
“We have a problem with Sacramento,” Murphy said. “They’re pushing down these mandates upon us.”
On city finances, Murphy said Glendale’s budget grew too quickly in recent years. He said the city budget increased from $840 million in 2020 to $1.3 billion in 2024. He compared that increase to inflation during the same period and said the growth shows a lack of budget discipline.
“It’s a problem,” Murphy said.
Murphy singled out overtime spending as one area that deserves closer review. He said the city had a $3.4 million line-item increase in overtime, which he described as a 28 percent jump.
“I don’t know any business that budgets for a 28% increase in overtime,” Murphy said.
He also criticized the North Brand Boulevard demonstration project, saying it cost $1.8 million and another $527,000 to remove. Murphy said the city should have rebid the removal work.
“That’s outrageous,” Murphy said. “That’s absolutely outrageous.”
In written responses to the Glendale Association of Realtors candidate questionnaire, Murphy also identified overtime as the first budget category he would seek to reduce. He wrote that the city’s 2025-26 budget included a 28 percent increase in overtime and called for reviews of salaries, transfers from other funds, the city attorney’s office and spending on projects such as North Brand Boulevard.
Still, Murphy said he would protect public safety spending. He said the police department is doing well and is nearing Project 300, a staffing goal of 300 sworn officers. He said Glendale has 270 sworn officers and described the city as safe.
“Our city is safe,” Murphy said.
Murphy said traffic enforcement is improving. He said he spoke with Police Chief Manuel Cid and learned traffic citations in the first quarter of this year rose about 20 percent compared with the first quarter of 2025.
“He’s putting his policies in front of the rank and file, and they are responding,” Murphy said.
Murphy said the fire department needs more attention.
“The fire department needs help, and we need to start paying attention to the fire department,” Murphy said.
On transportation, Murphy said he does not oppose protected bike lanes in general. But he said they need to go on the right streets and only where neighborhoods support them.
“I am not opposed to protected bicycle lanes on the appropriate streets where the neighborhood is in favor of it,” Murphy said.
He said the North Brand project created safety and congestion problems. He argued that protected bike lanes should come off commercial corridors and move to residential streets where he believes they would create fewer conflicts with driveways, businesses and emergency vehicles.
“Take them off of commercial corridors, put them on residential streets where they’re safer,” Murphy said.
Murphy’s written questionnaire answers make a similar point. He wrote that he opposes removing vehicle lanes to create bike-only lanes and suggested looking at nearby residential streets, including Louise Street, as alternatives for protected bike lanes.
The interview ended with Murphy directing voters to his campaign website and giving out his phone number. He said residents could contact him about any Glendale issue.
“I’m happy to speak with anyone about any issue associated with Glendale,” Murphy said.
Candidate profile box
Patrick Murphy
Race: Glendale City Council
Election: June 2, 2026
Campaign site: PatrickMurphyForGlendale.com
Professional background: Businessman with decades of experience in commercial retail properties, local economies, construction, budgeting and entitlement work. His campaign site says he helped open 250 stores nationwide during his time as a vice president with Leslie’s Pool Supplies.
Key campaign themes: Fiscal responsibility, public safety, local control, neighborhood preservation, business revitalization and transparency.
Interviewed by: Silva Harapetian, Inclusive Voices Media.
Inclusive Voices Media candidate interview protocol
Inclusive Voices Media has interviewed all but one of the Glendale City Council candidates.
In the interest of fairness and equal treatment, the same protocol applied to every candidate. All candidates received an invitation and had the opportunity to choose a time slot on the same interview day.
Each interview ran 10 minutes. The interviews were recorded live-to-tape. That means the recording continued without stopping, editing, retakes or do-overs.
Each candidate received the same questions and did not receive the questions in advance. Inclusive Voices Media says its goal is to give voters a fair, transparent and consistent way to hear directly from the candidates before they cast a ballot. The interviews air in alphabetical order.