Saturday, Nov. 03, 2012

Charles Jackson: Sousa has vote for mayor

As I ponder who to vote for in the local mayoral race, I began to evaluate who might represent the interests of the citizens, and who will represent the special interests.

It is clear to me that one candidate has raised seven times the money of the other, and that the location of his signs clearly demonstrates who's supporting him. We all know money buys influence and it is clear that should Mr. Mike Villalta win, he will be obligated to the big money interests.

Where Mr. Villalta has placed his signs tells a story. His signs are located on the property of the big developers who led us to the housing disaster we all have had to deal with. His signs are also strategically placed on the properties of those who clearly stand to gain from his promise to reduce development fees.

Apparently, Mr. Villalta wasn't paying attention over the last 20 years when lower fees brought us nothing but uncontrolled growth and minimum wage jobs.

We cannot afford the mistakes of the past and I am confident that Mike Villalta will lead us right back to those same policies that devastated our city.

Mr. Joe Sousa, on the other hand, has a proven record of doing what is best for our city. His record clearly demonstrates his dedication to the community. He has proven that he will represent all the citizens of Los Banos, regardless of their economic status. He has made the hard choices, even when faced with personal mean-spirited attacks, and stood firm in his resolve to do the right thing for the citizens of our city.

I will be voting for Joe Sousa for mayor, because he is a strong, proven leader, and has the record to prove he is capable and able to lead our city forward.

Charles Jackson

Los Banos