Opinion

As a candidate for mayor of Hollister I've been receiving many phone calls on my ideas and views on many of the current hot-button issues, such as Measure E and the dire financial straits that the city is currently facing. I'm also asked for my thoughts on the other candidates running for mayor of Hollister. But the top question I get is – are you crazy? Why would you want to do something where people will just criticize you and dig up everything about your life? The answer is always the same; if I don't try to do something those same people that complain about everything and everyone will continue leading us down the wrong road. Besides my life has always been an open book. Yes, like most business owners in Hollister and most residents I took a financial beating over the last several years. I struggled to keep my businesses open, I had my pay cut by 60%, I had to fight banks that wanted to close lines of credit and I even had trouble paying my mortgages and property taxes. Tough times to say the least, unfortunately many other local businesses couldn't make it through these tough times. I will use the lessons I learned over the last few years to help get us back on track. It's time we work together to support our local businesses so that they can support us.

But the Hollister City Council must take a hard look at putting in restrictions to bar dispensaries from downtown, other areas where children congregate.

Below is the Free Lance Question of the Week. Answers may be published in the newspaper on the Opinion page.