Community members had the chance to quiz county and city
officials about important current issues at a Mexican American
Political Association (MAPA) forum Saturday.
Many different topics were discussed, but the two main themes
centered around gang activity and the Growth Control Initiative, or
Measure G, where residents questioned the candidates running for
the Board of Supervisor’s election in March.
Community members had the chance to quiz county and city officials about important current issues at a Mexican American Political Association (MAPA) forum Saturday.
Many different topics were discussed, but the two main themes centered around gang activity and the Growth Control Initiative, or Measure G, where residents questioned the candidates running for the Board of Supervisor’s election in March.
Representatives from the Hollister Police Department, San Benito County Probation Department and continuation school were present for the gang activity forum. A representative from the District Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department were unable to attend, said MAPA Chairman Henry Sumaya.
Hollister Police Chief Jeff Miller explained to the audience that it is an important time for the community to watch out for each other, like a neighborhood watch, Sumaya said.
Miller said at this time, when the city is going through a budget crisis and some law enforcement personnel could be laid off, it is even that more important for residents to be aware of gang violence, Sumaya said.
“Chief Miller was talking about being very active in the community – the Hispanic and Latino community especially – to get the word out and be more involved,” Sumaya said. “We’ll be the eyes and ears for the police department.”
More than an hour was spent solely on gang issues, with many people expressing their fear that Hollister’s gang problem may escalate into what Salinas is experiencing – a gang problem that is consuming the city, Sumaya said.
“It’s what everyone is afraid of,” he said. “That the kids going through the school system right now are graduating from wannabes into little gangsters.”
The second part of the forum focused on the March election of the Board of Supervisors, with residents able to ask the candidates their opinion on a number of issues.
All the candidates running were present except one, Sumaya said. Candidates for District 1 included Grant Brians and Don Marcus, with Marci Huston the only candidate unable to attend.
District 2 candidates present were Anthony Freitas, Ruth Kesler and Anthony Bothelo, and District 5 consisted of incumbent Bob Cruz and challenger Jaime De La Cruz.
Much of the conversation centered around Measure G – an amendment to the county’s General Plan that will be voted on in March.
Measure G intends to control growth through several mechanisms, including re-zoning agriculture property in unincorporated areas around the county, making it impossible to subdivide and sell land.
It would also allow agriculture landowners to sell designated allowances of “credits” to developers building near Hollister, while maintaining an annual 1-percent growth cap.
The initiative has caused a rift between proponents and opponents of the controversial measure.
“There was good discussion about Measure G,” Sumaya said. “For it and against it.”
Some of the people in attendance expressed their confusion over the measure, especially concerning county acreage. Others said they were worried about what it could potentially do to the county’s tax base, Sumaya said.
On the whole, the forum was very informational, Sumaya said. It was also a good lead-in to MAPA’s burgeoning crusade concerning the community’s awareness of gang violence.
“I wish more people would have attended,” Sumaya said. “But for now we’re going to go full-board into neighborhoods. As far as MAPA is concerned, it’s one of our commitments.”
