Candidates make their pitches at meet-and-greet event
CALEXICO — Five Calexico-based candidates running in the
Nov. 3 general election participated in a meetand-greet event Thursday evening.
City Council candidates Lewis Pacheco, Michael Chris Mayne and Jason Jung; school board candidate Michael Castillo, and Imperial Irrigation District Division 4 candidate Javier Gonzalez stepped up to the podium and did some good old-fashioned politicking.
Organized by Jung, the event was held in the parking lot of J&J Industrial Supply on West Seventh Street.
Pacheco, Mayne and Jung are running against five other City Council candidates for three open seats (four-year term).
Castillo is facing two other candidates for two open seats (four-year term) in the school board district.
Gonzalez is running against incumbent IID Director Erik Ortega.
Pacheco is running for his third term on the City Council. A native of Calexico and an educator, recalled how, when he first joined the council, the city was “really in a bad state.”
“On verge of bankruptcy,” he said during his speech.
Since then, the City Council has helped stabilize the city’s budget, as the city has had a balanced budget and a reserve the past two years.
Pacheco said he and the council have helped bring in more businesses, such as Cardenas Market, Dollar General and the expansion of Federal Express.
“We are open for business,” Pacheco said. “Businesses are here to stay.”
Pacheco said that, in his third term, he plans to help “keep this city afloat.”
Mayne is making his second bid for a council seat. His first gave him nothing but experience.
He explained that, based on his experience as a local real estate broker, he believes he has a skill set the council can utilize, specifically in terms of economic development.
“This city needs an economic shot in the arm,” Mayne said.
He described downtown Calexico as a “ghost town.”
If elected, Mayne stated that he would explore new avenues for downtown, such as an entertainment district and the addition of nightlife spots.
Mayne said he would also explore giving credits for impact fees to new businesses that move to downtown, as a way to further entice them to operate there.
“You have to do something different,” he said. “The status quo isn’t working.”
Mayne also said he believes the council should be presented the city’s budget each quarter of the year. Currently it reviews it only once a year.
“To keep everything in check,” he said. “I think that’s important.”
Mayne said he would support having more parks and recreation in the city and an increase in public safety.
“The town itself is pretty safe, but I think we could be doing better,” he said. “We have transients and burned buildings because of transients. I have a daughter. I want to see Calexico a better place for her — for all children.”
Jung is also running for council a second time. The medically retired Calexico police officer of 10 years expressed his dismay with the current council members during his speech.
“I’m tired of our council,” he said. “These individuals — you can’t use the city as your own personal bank. You gotta look at it like a business. You can’t just give your money away.”
Jung believed that maintaining a balanced budget, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, was of importance.
“The PD [police department] is not doing what they’re paid for,” Jung said.
He said he knows merchants downtown and can work closely with them to improve the area.
Jung said he is “not a typical politician,” explaining that he is running to be a council member simply to deliver concerns from the public to the proper department in the city to get them fixed.
Castillo, who was born in the former Calexico Hospital and has lived here nearly his entire life, has his roots in education.
His mother is a 42-year educator in Calexico, and he began his own educational career as a science teacher at William Moreno Junior High.
He then became a director of learning technology at the Imperial County Office of Education, and then was a junior high school principal in the El Centro Elementary School District.
After several years there, he is now the senior director for the Early Care and Education Program at ICOE.
Castillo shared some accomplishments of the Calexico Unified School District’s board of trustees while he’s been a member.
For one, he said, all schools in the Calexico Unified School District have earned the recognition of being AVID-distinguished schools.
He said Enrique Camarena Junior High school has become a School to Watch — a national recognition.
Calexico High School, meanwhile, is receiving a new two-story building and new classrooms.
The school board has also helped the district adapt to distance learning, Castillo added.
“Calexico is probably the only district right now that’s one-to-one, meaning every student in Calexico has a computer or a device. We’re probably the first one in the Valley to do that.”
Castillo said he is in support of improving the district’s academics, facilities and being careful with the district’s budget, as the pandemic has caused some financial uncertainties.
For the IID Division 4 race, Gonzalez listed himself as a “community neighborhood advocate” on his ballot designation.
This is exactly what Gonzalez discussed in his speech, as he prided himself on being a voice for the people.
“If there’s a neighborhood watch program, I’m the captain,” he said.
Gonzalez believed that an IID director should be community-oriented.
“We need leaders that are there meeting people,” he said. “We have a kid that died [along the border in Calexico], and they haven’t covered the fence.”
Gonzalez shared his concern with IID giving local jobs to outside unions.
“Now the unions want higher salaries,” he said. “That will bring up utility bills.”
Gonzalez said he believes the district is not taking advantage of solar energy in the Imperial Valley.
“I bring up the issues that we’re going to face,” he said.