Race for Los Banos mayor begins. Plus, city council, school board seats up for grabs
Los Banos residents will have will have plenty of decisions to make in the upcoming election in November, including two candidates for mayor.
Paul Llanez, a business owner and retired police officer, will face off Nov. 3 for the city’s top seat against Tom Faria, who is a city council member and music teacher. One of them will take the leadership reins from Mayor Mike Villalta, whose term ends in November.
Paul Llanez
Llanez, 41, grew up in the Central Valley and moved to Los Banos in 2003. Llanez attended Dos Palos High, Merced College and Fresno State. He worked as a full-time police officer from 2003 until retired in 2015.
He stayed on the police department as an unpaid reserve officer and was also elected as president of the Police Officers Association. He has been re-elected by the POA members four terms in a row.
Llanez is married to wife Brooke, a registered nurse and has three children, Ashton, Mia and Jack. He owns a small business called, Knowledge Saves Lives Inc., which is an emergency preparedness consulting, and training firm. The company now has twenty-six employees with divisions in both Northern and Southern California.
“My experience with city government began 5 years ago as the president of the police officer’s union in Los Banos,” Llanez said.
“Since then, in the private sector with my company, I have worked with several city and county governments across the state. I have experience writing strategic plans, negotiating contracts and working on multi agency unified responses to issues. I have consulted for city, county, state and federal government agencies and officials during the last 10 years.”
Llanez says he’s had so many people share their comments and concerns for the community. The top four issues he’d like to address for Los Banos are public safety, creating a public information officer position with the city, implementing a strategic plan regarding the homeless population and focus on bringing in family-oriented businesses and resources.
“As a resident of Los Banos, I want and expect to feel safe within my community,” Llanez said. “I also want a stream of information coming from a single source within the city, to help my family and I make the best decisions regarding issues like emergencies, hazards and traffic.”
“If the pandemic and fires have taught us anything, it is that communication is a vital part of everyday life. I also want the growth of the city to be spread evenly within both housing and infrastructure, so services like public safety, public works and economic development can grow with the population. It is because of these expectations, I wanted to run for office. I know I can be a part of change and progress for Los Banos and I look forward to the challenges ahead.”
Tom Faria
Faria, 59, moved to Los Banos in 1985 with his wife, Bertha, and they have two daughters Gabriella and Ariana.
He grew up in Tracy, graduating from Tracy High and then received his degree in music education from University of the Pacific’s Conservatory of Music. He taught two years at Central Catholic High School in Modesto before moving to Los Banos. He’s been teaching music in Los Banos for 35 years.
Faria has been a member of the Los Banos City Council for 14 years.
“Before I was elected to City Council, I had taught music to every grade at nearly every school in Los Banos for over 20 years, including Merced College,” Faria said. “I believe I developed a good sense of what the hopes and aspirations of our citizens were and are through all those contacts.
Faria has been re-elected to the council three times, and has previously served as mayor pro tem.
He says Los Banos has been the foundation for his family for the more than a century. His grandmother was born in Los Banos in 1901 and his father was born here in 1921.
“Our city has made some great progress over the past few years; but much of that progress could be undone if the city revenues are not handled cautiously, with a focus on getting through the COVID-19 crisis and hitting the ground running after the crisis has passed,” Faria said. “Despite all our progress, Los Banos has much yet to accomplish.”
Faria says it’s important Los Banos continues to build its economic base, expand retail and industrial opportunities.
Public safety is another key issue for Faria. He says, when crime and gang activity got out of hand in the past, the city received help from the state and county to arrest criminals in the area. He feels that city may need to do so again.
“We must continue to combat crime through increased staffing and improved technology with the help of Measure H funding,” Faria said. “We need to continue to pursue increased staffing, training, and facilities for all our first responders, including fire, with the help of Measure(s) H, P, A, and K funds and the development of an ever-growing economy.”
“I believe jobs, crime, housing prices, homelessness, schools, and traffic on Highway 152 are among the biggest challenges facing Los Banos. And, now, of course, the ramifications of COVID-19,” he added.
Faria believes his experience on the City Council would provide valuable know-how, should he become mayor.
“I believe I have shown that I can handle difficult challenges, and that I can lead the council in important decisions,” Faria said.
“During my tenure, I have worked with the mayor, the council, the county, the school district, the local chamber of commerce, local veterans’ associations, local churches and non- profits such as The Salvation Army and Rescue Mission, to continually improve the lives of the citizens of Los Banos.”
Other races on the ballot
Also on the Nov. 3 ballot, a seat on the Los Banos Unified Board of Trustees position and a District 1 seat on the Los Bano City Council are up for grabs.
The District 1 city council candidates are business owner Kenneth Lambert and engineer Dave Newman.
District 4 city councilmember incumbent Deborah Lewis is running unopposed. There are two candidates for Los Banos Unified School District Board of Trustees for Area 2 and three candidates for Area 6. Incumbent Gary Munoz is running unopposed for Area 4.
In Area 2, incumbent Luis Castro is running against Merced College Administrator Jessica Moran. Three three candidates in Area 6 are incumbent Margaret Benton, Certified Public Accountant Alex Dvorkin and retired educator Mark Duffy.
