Q&A: County supervisor candidates face off in runoff election
District 2
Lee Lor, 34, Merced, executive director of the Merced County Education Fund
What differentiates you from your opponent?
Integrity, accountability, action, modern skills, advanced training, experience, age and gender. We are positioning Merced County to be a leader in various industries. This is also a world of evolving technology. We need someone who leads by example, has a well-rounded, modern experience, someone who takes initiative, adapts and can implement new strategies. We need a strong foundation, and we must build a stronger economy. We talk about jobs that do not exist yet. Will we be ready? To be competitive and to better equip our community for our growing future, we need competitive, forward-thinking leaders.
What’s the one thing you would like to see become a reality in your county district?
Lee Lor as District 2 county supervisor to move Merced and Merced County forward with new energy, new vision and new leadership. Together with you, we can and we will.
What is your position on the proposed transportation tax and why do you take that position?
The proposed transportation tax can provide a vehicle to elevate Merced County, putting us in a more competitive position. Residents talk about safer, more appealing neighborhoods, healthier lifestyles and more family activities. Businesses talk about the best place to open shop. Here is our opportunity to create roads and paths to success. We can see the benefits of a transportation tax in other counties. Can we position Merced and Merced County to be a leader where other counties say, “Let’s try what Merced County is doing?”
What projects could you begin in the upcoming term to improve each of the following: Public safety, jobs and poverty, health care and housing?
An initiative like Merced Ahead that increases civic engagement where local people solve local problems. Merced Ahead began with two people, growing to 15, then to 230. Additional projects will empower and equip youths, women and families, supporting them and their development. We will use technology and shared strategies where each sector will be familiar with what others are doing. This combines resources and eliminates duplicate efforts. An approach like this would provide all pieces of the puzzle, a place to come together instead of addressing each need like public safety, jobs and poverty, health care and housing separately. I want us to take the first steps to increasing the income level for our families, and it begins with us as people.
Hubert “Hub” Walsh, 66, Merced, incumbent
What differentiates you from your opponent?
I understand community strengths and challenges. I led successful multigroup efforts to address issues such as water sustainability. My success is shown in my support: Merced County Farm Bureau, Greater Merced Chamber of Commerce, and labor. I build consensus so those who work on issues have their voices heard and move toward solutions.
What’s the one thing you would like to see become a reality in your county district?
The one thing I would like to see is the fulfillment of the UC Merced 2020 plan. It represents great opportunities for education, employment and economic development for the entire county.
What is your position on the proposed transportation tax and why do you take that position?
I support Measure V. We are investing in ourselves and our future. There is local control over the funds. The focus is on roads and street repair. The community can leverage local funds to gain state and federal dollars.
What projects could you begin in the upcoming term to improve each of the following: Public safety, jobs and poverty, health care and housing?
My economic development focus has been and will be jobs, jobs, jobs.
On jobs and poverty: A workforce development task force to assist private-sector employers and entrepreneurs. Partners would include chambers of commerce, Merced College, UC Merced, Merced County Office of Education, economic development offices, trades, and business employers. A higher education, UC Merced and Merced College consortium emphasizing workforce development and skills training. Continued privatization of Castle Commerce Center and improved outcomes for the county one-stop permitting process.
On health care: Identifying and advocating for strategies to increase health care services while working with Mercy Medical Center, the health department, health care professionals and Merced College to identify expanded career training.
On housing: I already work with stakeholders involved in housing issues and will develop, review and implement with them mutually acceptable options for housing for all members of our community. I also will advocate for funding for Continuum of Care and its partners to help address the homeless issue.
District 4
Rich Ford, 58, Gustine, owner of Ford’s Farm Supply
What differentiates you from your opponent?
I have 24 years of experience on the Gustine City Council, including eight years as the mayor. I am currently serving on the Merced County Planning Commission. Over the nearly 30 years in public office, I have been involved in every aspect of government including, but not limited to, providing law enforcement, balancing budgets, planning, housing, protection of valuable farmland, safe drinking water, business expansion, and parks and recreation.
What’s the one thing you would like to see become a reality in your county district?
I would like to see a reduced crime rate in our rural communities by 25 percent in the first year of my term. Then continue to keep the pressure on the criminals to drive them out of our county.
What is your position on the proposed transportation tax and why do you take that position?
I can’t support the sales tax initiative the way it is written. The rural roads in the county continue to deteriorate to the point where they are barely drivable. There is no guarantee of funding for rural road rehabilitation specifically for individual unincorporated communities. A major portion of sales tax money from small unincorporated communities is already going to the retail centers in the larger cities.
What projects could you begin in the upcoming term to improve each of the following: Public safety, jobs and poverty, health care and housing?
On public safety: I would propose a public safety district to provide full-time sheriff’s deputies dedicated to each of the unincorporated communities. The districts would be voted on by the residents in each district so that each community can decide for themselves if they want to participate.
On jobs and poverty: We can work with our ag industry to attract business that provide service and supplies to the farmers, ranchers and dairyman in Merced County. It is easier to get a small business to relocate to the county. The more small businesses that move here, the more momentum we can build to attract larger industries and other specialty fields .
On health care: Offer incentives to doctors, labs, research facilities and other health care providers to locate in Merced County.
On housing: Offer a variety of housing options that encourage home ownership and create pride in your community.
Lloyd Pareira, 54, Merced, salesman for APG Solar
What differentiates you from your opponent?
I believe what differentiates me is both my broad base of support, ranging from agriculture to small business to labor to elected officials, and my 18 years of experience on the Merced River School District board, having a great working relationship with our teachers and being able to maintain that relationship even through tough economic times. Also, my experience both in agriculture and as a small businessman gives me a unique perspective on the board that will benefit the county as a whole
What’s the one thing you would like to see become a reality in your county district?
I would like to see economic growth across the district, enough that we can improve the quality of life for the constituents (fix roads, more deputies and nicer parks), yet not so much that we lose our rural way of life. For example, the citizens of Delhi would like to become incorporated, so we need some industrial and/or business growth to increase their tax revenue so that can happen. I want to be an advocate for helping them achieve their goals.
What is your position on the proposed transportation tax and why do you take that position?
I am 9 times out of 10 opposed to tax increases. This is the one time that I would be in favor. Our roads are in such disrepair that it’s incumbent upon us to invest in our county roads. Better roads will benefit public safety, our local small businesses, agriculture, and the working men and women who have to commute to work every day.
What projects could you begin in the upcoming term to improve each of the following: Public safety, jobs and poverty, health care and housing?
On public safety: We need to provide our sheriff’s deputies with a better compensation package. As far as what is fair, we need to survey the agencies that we compete with and where our deputies have left to and come up with a compensation package that is at least comparable.
On jobs and poverty: We must play to our strengths, collaborate with our agricultural community and our very own UC Merced in order to attract new industries which are a natural fit for our community. Also, we need to repair and improve our county’s infrastructure in order to be able to attract and retain good, high-paying jobs. This includes fixing the current state of our county roads, upon which our companies and employees travel on a daily basis.
On health care: UC Merced’s collaboration with the University of California system in getting doctors trained will aid health care access in our area. We must create an environment where doctors and medical professionals are attracted to our county. We do this by creating better, high-paying jobs and fixing our transportation infrastructure.
On housing: As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats. With the creation of better, higher-paying jobs, we can grow and sustain a population that will be in a position to afford good, quality homes and help grow our economy.
This story was originally published October 24, 2016 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Q&A: County supervisor candidates face off in runoff election."