Artesia Council Hopeful Ali Taj Takes Campaign Door to Door

Artesia City Council candidate Ali Taj visits with Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper recently to talk about his campaign. Randy Economy Photo

By Brian Hews

Call him the “walking candidate.”

For Artesia city council hopeful Ali Taj, spending time with voters on a one-to-one basis over the past several months has taught him a lot about “what’s really on in the minds of the people of our community.”

As Artesia voters get ready to cast their ballots in the upcoming Tuesday, November 5^th election, they will be seeing familiar likes Flowers, Lyon and Manalo once again listed on their ballot.

Taj said his upstart campaign to win a seat on the Artesia City Council has resonated “remarkably well” with longtime Artesia voters who tell him “they haven’t been asked for their vote in years” by the current members of the city council.

“I spend every single day walking and talking to voters here in Artesia, door to door, street after street.  As a matter of fact, I have already knocked on every voter’s door here in Artesia at least once, and am now circling back around to talk to every voter for a second time,” Taj said.

If elected, Taj said he would use his extensive fiscal background with “not only large corporations such as American Express and Ameriprise Financial, but also with my small business experience here in Artesia.”

“Voters are telling me over and over again that they want city council members who are seen in the neighborhood, and who can help them with fixing potholes, to keep our sidewalks paved, and to get more street lighting,” Taj said.

If elected, Taj said he “wants Artesia to go back to basics.”

“Trust me, I will be everyone’s fiscal watchdog, and I will cut wasteful spending, bring in new revenue to the city and support current small business and encourage new small business to open.” Taj said.

In his campaign materials, Taj touts his education credentials especially in the areas of finance and economics. He has a B.A. in Economics and Statics, completed his Masters in Public Administration with emphasis in Marketing, and has acquired Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

“Artesia has changed over the years, but it still maintains a strong community spirit.  Residents love living here, they just want their city council members to be more interested in their needs like maintaining safe streets,” Taj said.

“Pot holes need to be fixed on 183^rd Street, and traffic signals need to be coordinated better on South Street.  This isn’t rocket science, it’s a pot hole,” Taj said.

He has a web site at www.taj2artesia.com

Countertop Ice Maker Machine, 8 Ice Cubes in 6 mins, 26lb/Day Ice with 2 Sizes- Portable Mini, Energy Saving & Basket/Scoop for…

(34)

$58.49 (as of May 4, 2025 17:24 GMT -07:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

HydroJug Traveler - 40 oz Water Bottle with Handle & Flip Straw - Fits in Cup Holder, Leak Resistant Tumbler-Reusable Insulated Stainless Steel & Rubber Base - Gifts for Women & Men, Pink Sand

(8470)

$39.99 (as of May 4, 2025 06:28 GMT -07:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M4 chip: Built for Apple Intelligence, 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display, 16GB Unified…

(228)

$849.00 (as of May 4, 2025 17:24 GMT -07:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

Stanley IceFlow Flip Straw Tumbler with Handle 30 oz | Twist On Lid and Flip Up Straw | Leak Resistant Water Bottle | Insulated Stainless Steel |BPA-Free | Lilac

(27841)

$34.99 (as of May 4, 2025 06:28 GMT -07:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

Occer 12x25 Compact Binoculars for Adults and Kids, Large Eyepiece Waterproof Binocular with Low Light Vision,High Powered Easy Focus Binoculars for Bird Watching,Outdoor Hunting,Travel,Sightseeing

(31400)

$35.99 (as of May 4, 2025 06:28 GMT -07:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

MWIRB AI Translation Earbuds Real Time, 144 Language Translator Earbuds for iPhone and Android 3-in-1 Translation Headphones…

(317)

$35.99 (as of May 4, 2025 17:24 GMT -07:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

Portable Washing Machine - Compact 2.3 Cu.ft Portable Washer, Full-Automatic Top Loader for Space Saving, Ideal for…

(24)

$189.99 (as of May 4, 2025 17:24 GMT -07:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

BETHEGIFT Funny Card for Mom from Daughter, Son, Kids on Mothers Day - Heartfelt Message to Mother, Perfect for Birthday,…

(27)

$7.95 (as of May 4, 2025 17:24 GMT -07:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

SMUG Countertop Ice Maker, 9 Cubes in 6 Mins, 26lbs in 24Hrs, 2 Sizes of Bullet Ice, Auto-Cleaning, Portable Ice Machine with…

(401)

$49.97 (as of May 4, 2025 17:24 GMT -07:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)

MedPride Powder-Free Nitrile Exam Gloves, Iris Blue, Medium, Box/100

(98307)

$9.99 (as of May 4, 2025 06:28 GMT -07:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)