Despite temperatures creeping up to the century mark, the two
candidates for the District 28 Assembly seat have been walking
precincts to get their views across to constituents as the November
election fast approaches.
Hollister – Despite temperatures creeping up to the century mark, the two candidates for the District 28 Assembly seat have been walking precincts to get their views across to constituents as the November election fast approaches.
Incumbent Simon Salinas, D-Salinas, and Republican Bob Perkins, the executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, are in full-blown campaign mode, trumpeting their viewpoints to anyone and everyone.
Salinas is finishing up his first four-year term and this is Perkins’ first time running for public office.
Perkins’ focus is making the state prosperous economically once again by bringing jobs and businesses back, and rolling back taxes, fees and regulations that he said are driving businesses out.
“If you don’t have a job not much else matters,” he said. “We have to bring prosperity back to the state to fix the problems that are on people’s minds.”
While Salinas doesn’t have as much time to commit to campaigning because his Assembly duties keep him running, he is trying to touch base with as many of his constituents as possible in the next couple months.
Salinas’ campaign focus in San Benito County is how to deal with growth, diversifying the economy and bringing in more affordable housing, he said.
“Right now I’ve got a couple bills (on the governor’s desk) on farm worker housing, which is very critical here in San Benito County,” he said. “We’ll continue looking at areas to improve the local community.”
The candidates have differing viewpoints on one of the county’s current hot issues – the possibility of a casino being built near the border of San Benito and Santa Clara County.
Perkins said he doesn’t have a position one way or the other about the casino because he has too many questions that haven’t been answered, but Salinas is already opposed to the idea.
Salinas also said he has many questions that need to be answered, but “right now, until someone convinces me, and the local community, that it’s a good thing,” he is opposed to it.
Salinas supports Indian casinos when they’re built on reservations to help with economic development, he said.
“I definitely have concerns,” he said. “My problem with casinos is when they’re going into more urbanized areas.”
Perkins said he’s not against gambling or having casinos as long as they’re a positive influence in the community they’re in.
“I’d want to know what it will do to surrounding economies, good or bad, and do people want it?” he said.
Another item affecting San Benito County that both candidates will have to address concerns the county elections office.
Last week the Board of Supervisors agreed to ask Salinas and State Senator Jeff Denham, R-Merced, to pursue legislation to strip registrar John Hodges of his elections duties and make the position an appointed one.
If a bill was supported, the Legislature couldn’t approve it until January.
Perkins said if it was his decision, his first inclination would be not to support such as bill.
“I think the voters are better served when the elections official has to answer directly to the voters,” Perkins said. “The matter of turning authority over to the board is that they’re insulated between the voters and what goes on in the county.”
Salinas said he won’t make any decisions on the matter until he researches the legislation, talks to Hodges and receives a resolution from the board.
Although the issue is controversial, Salinas said he hopes it won’t affect the outcome of his race.
“I hope the people will look at the candidates’ track record and what they’ve done for the community,” he said.
Perkins said he wasn’t sure whether the controversy surrounding the board’s request will help him in his campaign against Salinas.
“If my philosophy is on the right side of the issue for most voters, I’m sure it will help me,” he said. “There are certain jobs that make sense to have them accountable to the voters. The registrar of voters makes sense there.”
Perkins has served on numerous community advisory committees in Monterey County and has had a long-standing fascination with politics, he said. The Salinas resident decided to run for office last November after the governor was recalled because he believed people were ready for a change, he said.
Perkins spent the past weekend traversing precincts in Hollister and believes San Benito County is the most important part of the 28th District.
The rural, agriculture character of the county and type of people who make up the community epitomize the entire district and another of Perkins’ focal points in his campaign.
“People are concerned how lower population areas can be heard in Sacramento,” he said. “Our interests are very different from a lot of the rest of the state and I can do a better job in representing that interest.”
Now that Salinas has some time to commit to campaigning, his staff is working on sending out mailers, walking precincts and other advertising events to make people aware of the election, said Greg Sellers, Salinas’ campaign manager.
“Largely his campaign has consisted of doing his job as Assemblymember,” Sellers said. “We’re focusing on what he’s able to accomplish in the Assembly.”
