Local businessman wants to bring power back from Sacramento
A Hollister businessman is hoping to win the Republican
nomination for the 28th Assembly District. Ignacio Velazquez is the
owner of American Electrical Services, an electrical contracting
company, and The Vault restaurant in downtown Hollister.
Velazquez, 40, served as president of the San Benito County
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from 1999-2001 and was president of
the Hollister Downtown Association in 2002. He received the
”
Entrepreneur of the year
”
award in 1999 from the HDA.
Local businessman wants to bring power back from Sacramento
A Hollister businessman is hoping to win the Republican nomination for the 28th Assembly District. Ignacio Velazquez is the owner of American Electrical Services, an electrical contracting company, and The Vault restaurant in downtown Hollister.
Velazquez, 40, served as president of the San Benito County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from 1999-2001 and was president of the Hollister Downtown Association in 2002. He received the “Entrepreneur of the year” award in 1999 from the HDA.
The businessman started his career without higher education, but enrolled at the California State University, Monterey Bay to study Global Studies. He received his Bachelor of Arts in 2003 and a Masters in Business Administration in 2005. As a student, he traveled to Afghanistan to research the problems of creating a political democracy in a war-torn nation.
Velazquez said he is interested in becoming active in politics because he has seen corruption in local governments. Some allege he is a member of “Los Valientes,” an unamed group of clients represented by Michael Pekin who are claiming improper conduct by county officials. Pekin did represent Velazquez in October 2004, when the District Attorney’s office charged Jaime De La Cruz and campaign manager Velazquez with coercing votes after Velazquez turned in 10 absentee ballots illegally for the county supervisor race. While Velazquez said he is not one of the “Los Valientes” because he has been outspoken about what he sees as local corruption, he said he understood why the group would hide since the government is “spending millions of dollars chasing people who have spoken out against the government.”
Velazquez agreed to answer questions for the Sunday Pinnacle about his qualifications for a state office and his views on local issues.
Q: Our region has some of the worst air quality in the Bay Area. Is there anything the Assembly should be doing to address the issue of pollution?
A: Air quality is an issue that can only be dealt with by cities and counties working together. The technologies are available to help make our air cleaner, but action needs to be taken to implement these technologies. Renewable energies such as bio-diesel and solar power are much cleaner burning fuels and can make the quickest impact to our environment. We also need to work on building an intermodal rail network, which will help reduce the number of trucks on our roads.
Q: How has your experience as a businessman prepared you to represent the 28th Assembly District? What other experience do you have that has prepared you for politics?
A: My experience in business provides me with the background that is most lacking in Sacramento: a solid understanding of fiscal issues, responsible budgeting, and job creation. In addition, my experience working in my local community – as an active member or president of various civic organizations – has provided me with an important perspective regarding the need to devolve power and tax dollars from state government to our cities and county governments.
Q: Agriculture is a big part of the economy in California and in parts of the region you hope to represent. What are some of the issues facing agriculture that you hope to address if you become an Assembly member?
A: The agriculture industry is facing many threats such as ever-increasing regulations, decreasing water supplies, labor, sprawl and foreign competition. Government needs to be proactive in helping farmers by reducing taxes and excessive regulations. We also need to make sure that foreign competitors are playing by the same rules so that our farmers can compete worldwide. Most importantly, we need plan for growth by building in areas that already have the infrastructure to accommodate smart growth rather than using up precious farmland.
Q: The issue of affordable housing is one that is of concern for many residents in this district. How would you address the issue and what solutions do you see to increase affordable housing in the district?
A: The answer to affordable housing is to plan wisely. The number of acres to build on is finite; therefore, with each development, the price of housing increases. Allowing developers more flexibility to build higher-density housing within cities will go a long way towards reducing the cost of housing. I also believe that communities should make every effort possible to ensure that our teachers, police and firefighters have priority for housing.
Q: What do you see as the biggest challenges facing local education and what are your plans to address them?
A: The major challenge facing education in California is having a “top-down, one-size fits all” approach by state government. This formula is not producing better schools or better teachers. We should turn back control of our schools to the local school districts, parents, and teachers. By returning authority and education dollars to the local communities, we can ensure that the issues of curriculum, testing, social promotion, discipline, and graduation standards are addressed in a manner appropriate to the unique needs of the local districts.
Q: What are your plans to help local citizens who do not have health insurance?
A: We need to encourage greater competition in the healthcare field by allowing market forces to drive prices down, rather than up. Currently, the consumer is largely divorced from the cost of his own healthcare because it is paid by a third party. This removes any incentive from providers to control costs. Only by restoring a link between the consumer and the cost of his medical care can we hope to reduce costs and make healthcare more affordable for everyone.
Q: The 28th district is a diverse one that incorporates south Santa Clara and San Benito counties, incorporating cities with unique needs and challenges. How do you plan to stay connected to the district if you are elected and how will you keep in touch with the needs of residents?
A: I plan to maintain district offices in each county and conduct regular office hours with my constituents. I also plan to rely on public meetings, such as town hall forums, to communicate with the voters who elected me.
Q: What do you see as the top three issues facing the 28th Assembly district?
A: It’s hard to limit my response to three issues. Education is a key issue across the board as is ending the borrow-and-spend approach of state government, which is bankrupting California. The need to control the crime and gang problem is also high on my list. I have also made fighting corruption in state and local government a key plank in my platform. My greatest concern, however, is returning tax dollars and authority from Sacramento to the cities and counties.
Q: Part of your platform is “reconstructing government” which you say means bringing money and decisions back to local governments from Sacramento. If you think local governments should be making decisions, why not run for a local office rather than the Assembly position?
A: The only way to restructure our state government is to be in Sacramento working with other legislators to make changes. In San Benito County, for example, we receive 11 cents for every dollar we send to Sacramento. I believe it should be the other way around so we can invest in our own infrastructure rather than paying for pet projects for San Francisco and Los Angeles, such as the proposed $30 billion bullet train. I will work hard to make the changes necessary and I can promise everyone that I will make a positive difference.
Endorsements for Ignacio Velazquez (partial list):
Gilroy City Council member Dion Bracco
Watsonville City Council member Dale Skillicorn
Hollister Mayor Rob Scattini
Hollister City Council member Brad Pike
Hollister Planning Commissioner David Huboi
San Benito County Supervisor Jaime de la Cruz
Monterey City Council member Jeff Haferman
Former Hollister Mayor Tony LoBue
Former Hollister Mayor Tony Bruscia
Former Hollister Mayor Richard Boomer
Former Hollister Mayor Ken Duran
Former Hollister Mayor Cliff Cardoza
Former Santa Cruz County Supervisor Ray Belgard
San Benito County Planning Commissioner Richard Bettencourt
San Benito County Planning Commissioner Mike Smith
