Merced County Board of Supervisors candidates, District 4: Fidel Cervantes

Fidel Cervantes, a trustee on the Delhi school board, said running for supervisor is an “extension” of his public service focused on youth.

Cervantes, 24, has lived his whole life in Delhi after his parents, Cecilia and Cuauhtemoc, immigrated from Michoacan, Mexico. After attending Delhi schools, Cervantes graduated from UC Merced in 2014 with a degree in political science and economics.

He works as an employment specialist at the International Rescue Committee in Stanislaus County. In 2011, Cervantes was appointed to the Delhi Unified School District governing board. He was re-elected in 2012 and is the president of the board.

Cervantes said the decision to run for District 4 supervisor was a “personal decision.” During his time on the school board, he began to understand how many residents in the unincorporated portions of the county heavily rely on county services. “There’s so much left to do to improve the quality of life,” he said.

Q: The Merced County Sheriff’s Office is facing a high vacancy rate as veteran deputies leave to better-paying jobs. As supervisor, how would you retain sheriff’s deputies, and what would you consider a fair compensation package?

A: In terms of a fair compensation, the absolute minimum we could provide is a cost-of-living adjustment. However, if we are truly serious about retaining our deputies, then we can’t just talk about a pay raise. Once you factor in costs such as medical insurance, we must ensure that deputies’ take-home pay still is greater than it was before.

Q: Each supervisor is allocated $40,000 every fiscal year to use as they please. Typically, supervisors choose to spend the money on community projects or nonprofit organizations. The leftover amount at the end of each fiscal year rolls over to the next. Do you agree with this policy? Why, or why not?

A: While discretionary funds have been used for good causes over the years, their time has come to pass. Out of fairness to my constituents, I will not reject the funds while the rest of the board continues to use theirs. However, once there are two other supervisors who are willing to move away from this system, I will follow suit.

Q: Crime statistics show violent and property crimes in Merced County are on the rise. How should the Sheriff’s Office tackle crime in the county?

A: A county supervisor cannot dictate how the sheriff fulfills his duties. From a supervisor’s position, we do have the power to invest more into youth initiatives and prevention measures. We also are in a capacity to facilitate economic growth, which will in turn create household stability.

Q:What should be done to spur economic development in Merced County?

A: We can address small-business growth through tax incentives and continue our focus of recruiting large-scale industries by training our workforce and improving our infrastructure. I believe our county is in a prime position to foster an environment that promotes entrepreneurship among our residents.

Q: Merced County has been negotiating a revenue-sharing agreement with city governments for about 10 years. The agreement would help cities win authorization to annex land and provide services such as sewer and water to new developments. In your opinion, what needs to be done to finalize the agreement?

A: Having stability at the county CEO and city manager positions is key to fostering a long-term, trusting relationship. Ultimately, when both parties broker an agreement, their primary goal is to come out of negotiations with a greater share of the revenue. Since neither side has appeared willing to compromise, the only way I foresee an agreement is if the city or county takes a greater loss in revenue.

Q: The county allows residents with a medical marijuana card to grow 12 plants per parcel. Do you agree with medical and/or recreational marijuana use? Do you think the county should change its policy on marijuana? If so, what kind of policy would you propose?

A: While I do not condone the recreational use of marijuana, I do believe that patients should have the freedom and peace of mind to acquire medical cannabis. With respect to the 12-plant ordinance, I believe it is time the county reviews its overall impact and finds new ways to make growing operations safer and more transparent.

Q: Do you support high-speed rail coming through the Central Valley, specifically Merced? How do you think the High-Speed Rail Authority’s current proposed plan, which bypasses Merced, will affect the county?

A: I believe it is important for our state and region to invest in alternative methods of transportation. Unfortunately, the high-speed rail experiment has been set back by rising costs and mountains of litigation. With the current proposal, Merced won’t even see the benefits of manufacturing jobs. In its current state, the train offers us very few benefits.

Q: The Merced County Association of Governments is proposing a half-cent tax to be placed on the November ballot to improve county roads. Would you support this tax? Why or why not?

A: I prefer a tax that reinvests the majority of its funds into our existing communities. Unfortunately, this half-cent sales tax does not reflect that. Its emphasis on major regional transportation projects, while important, runs contrary to how it’s being sold to local residents.

Q: California is emerging from a historic, five-year drought that has impacted the Central Valley’s agricultural economy particularly hard. Moving forward, how should Merced County proceed on water-related issues?

A: It is vital that we ensure the security of our groundwater for generations to come, not just for agriculture but for our residents as well. As a county, we must be proacative with our water policy. This means having constant communication with our local water utility companies and taking action on matters of accessibility, cleanliness and affordability before the state contemplates issuing another mandate.

Q: If elected, what would be your top priority?

A: With the recent string of gang-related violence in my district, it is clear that public safety has become the top priority, although infrastructure is a very close second. Merced’s elected officials owe it to their constituents to work toward an increased standard of living, where residents don’t have to live in fear of leaving their own homes every single day.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Merced County Board of Supervisors candidates, District 4: Fidel Cervantes."