YOUNG VOICES |
Editor’s Note: This November, Salinas voters will elect council members in four districts and the next mayor. With five seats at stake, the council’s make up could change dramatically.
In an effort to keep Salinas voters informed, Young Voices correspondent Isaac Díaz González has sent the same questionnaire to all the Salinas city council and Mayoral candidates. Voices of Monterey Bay will be publishing the responses as the candidates respond.
By Isaac Díaz González
ERNESTO GONZÁLEZ-GARCÍA
VOICES: What is your position regarding the renters’ protections recently approved by a majority of the city council? Will you support a process to enforce them or will you advocate to repeal them?
I support the rent control policy recently passed by the council members. I support process to enforce it. I would never advocate to repeal it.
VOICES: According to the U.S Census, nearly 48,000 children lived in Salinas as of 2020 — almost 30 percent of the city’s population of 163,542. Salinas is younger than other cities in California, as its proportion of youth is higher by 8 percentage points. What projects can be offered so children and youth can thrive and feel they belong in the city?
I would ensure there is better communication with elementary schools. Elementary schools have after school programs that end at 6 PM. The districts are in the process of trying to increase the numbers of students to stay in after school programs! Programs offer Dance, Aztec dance, music, Korean, Art, Guitar, drums, homework, physical activities, football, volleyball, soccer, etc. We need to coordinate with school districts, soccer leagues, high schools, local colleges, etc.
VOICES: Is the city doing enough to build housing? What would be the solution to support people who don’t have stable housing?
The city is not doing enough to build housing. We can start with the homeless population. The city could build tiny homes for this individuals who are homeless. The city could attract builders that would be able to develop the infrastructure of a particular community or neighborhood. People would be able to buy the plots of land and be able to build their own homes. This would definitely allow people to build and pay a lot less mortgage. We have become bedroom communities.
VOICES: Business owners have been complaining about the permit process, arguing that it takes too long to open a business. The challenge has been pinpointed to a lack of employees. What can be done to recruit more city employees? What is your plan to recruit more people to work for the city?
I do not necessarily agree that the challenge is a lack of employees. I believe that we need to look at the systems in place. We need to modify the systems. I believe in local hire. We need to look at the priorities of the community. Once the priorities are established, we need to look at the budget, and budget the money accordingly. Part of my plan would be to look at the positions that currently exist. Once we look at this positions, we need to see if we can modify them, so that more work is produced in a faster way. More important to me, is the fact that we need to recruit and hire and keep more people who live in Salinas.
VOICES: In which areas could the city work together with schools to improve services? How can they work together to improve student safety?
There are three areas that I believe that the city and schools and community can work together to try to improve services. I mentioned before that the schools, colleges, city county and other organizations can work together to improve sports and after school activities. The schools in the city and other entities can work together to allow schools to use parks during the day and the community after students and classes are out. Most schools have crossing guards so we need to figure out if there is a way in Who is the city and schools can come up with a plan to fund additional crossing guards. We can try to create a group of parents that would be able to support the safety of students walking from home to school and from school to home. You could have safety supervisors at the school site, parents volunteer, maybe watering their plants at a certain time when students are walking home and either of her parents who were vest and are walking home with the kids so that it is a coordinated process with everybody wearing the same type of vest to be identified as parent patrols.
VOICES: What is the most important contribution that the immigrant population makes to the city of Salinas in particular and the Salinas Valley in general?
I believe that the most important contributions at the immigrant population makes the city of Salinas and the Salinas Valley in general is that they work in agriculture. Agriculture is a multi-billion dollar (industry) in Monterey County. Hence they need a lot of workers in order for the crops to be picked up and packed and sent to market. The immigrant population is the key mover of all this agricultural market. The ranchers, the farmers, the owners are the ones that make billions of dollars on the backs of the working community.
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