Can south Merced get a grocery store? Mayoral candidates speak on that and other issues
With the official candidate filing deadline passed and the Nov. 3 general election ever-nearing, Merced mayoral candidates on Monday night laid out where they stand on some of the city’s most hot button issues.
Mayor Mike Murphy’s two two-year terms at the head of the city are ending come November. Four candidates are now vying for his spot.
Monday’s forum, hosted virtually by the Merced chapter of the NAACP, focused on police, community relationships, the economy, and jobs.
Candidates Michael Belluomini, Anthony Martinez, and Matthew Serratto each attended the forum. Monica Villa did not participate.
Merced mayoral candidates debate
Belluomini
“I want to help the community improve itself by being the mayor of Merced,” Belluomini said. His background, he said, prepared him to understand the issues coming before the city and facilitate development.
Belluomini, a retired city planner, has been involved with City of Merced happenings for 40 years, including five years on City Council until 2018.
“I have history with the town, I raised a family here,” he said.
Martinez
When he first ran for City Council in 2016, Martinez said he saw a disconnect between the people and City Council. Although strides were made, the fact that disenfranchised groups often go unheard by local leadership has been magnified recently, he said.
Martinez said he chose to campaign for mayor because “I wanted to establish the voices of the people,” and especially the “voice of those who are traditionally marginalized.”
Serratto
Also elected to City Council in 2016, Serratto said his decision to shift his ambitions toward mayor was made on account of wanting to take his action with the city to another degree and get in front of helping the community.
“I love the work, and I’m excited to hopefully take it to the next level and do my best to serve everybody and bring everybody together,” he said.
Police, crime and community relations in Merced
Martinez
Asked what needs to be done to help end racism in Merced, Martinez said, “It starts off with calling it out.”
Martinez voiced frustration over what he said are euphemisms used to mask racist language. He referenced hearing terms like “responsible growth” to dispute certain housing projects in north Merced, while similar projects moved forward in south Merced, despite similar outcry.
He said the euphemisms thinly disguise a “not-in-my-backyard” attitude.
Martinez applauded the recently formed community advisory committee that reviews the Merced Police Department’s use-of-force policies and procedures. He also recommended creating a race-relations committee.
“If you have a committee dedicated to it that meets regularly and reports to council, it’s no longer ignored,” he said.
While Martinez said most of Merced’s police officers do good work, he also said he believes it’s fair to scrutinize law enforcement’s budget and attempt to maximize efficiency.
Serratto
Serratto pointed to initiatives like the Loughborough neighborhood revitalization project to foster positive relationships between police and residents.
The project, which was scheduled to next make its way to south Merced before the coronavirus pandemic, is intended to invest in targeted neighborhoods prone to crime and hampered by outdated infrastructure.
Seeking to foster family-safe festivities, a “block party trailer” was purchased as part of the project.
The project includes events aimed at lowering crime and the need for police involvement, like neighborhood cleanup, public safety, workforce development, and youth services.
“I think we need to get to know each other better,” Serratto said of tension in the community. “The big thing to me is we need to find common ground and bond over what we share in common.”
Belluomini
Asked about Merced City Council’s recent decision to reject a “Black Lives Matter” mural in downtown Merced, Belluomini said, “I think there is kind of a misunderstanding.”
Belluomini said it was clear that residents who spoke against the mural focused on the word “Black” as divisive.
He instead suggested painting the words “justice for all” from the Pledge of Allegiance as a compromise, because those words are essentially what the Black Lives Matter movement is arguing for, he said.
While police generally do a good job protecting the people of Merced, Belluomini said his preferred tactic to reduce crime veers away from beefing up the police force.
Reiterating that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Belluomini stressed the efficacy of targeting positive activities and careers for youth.
He also suggested a citizen advisory board to the police chief to bring monthly feedback and concerns. “That’s a very useful approach that’s been done in other places successfully,” he said.
Jobs and the economy
Serratto
Questioned about a long-time complaint by south Merced residents of being underserved by grocery stores and banks, Serratto said the issue is complex and difficult to address from the city-level. Private property decisions are not easy for city leadership to influence, he said.
The city’s role in attracting desired businesses to south Merced, Serratto said, is to focus on infill, revitalize what exists and improve public safety.
“We have to in so many ways make it appealing for private development,” he said.
As far as getting Merced’s youth employed locally, Serratto noted opportunities at Merced College for students to kick-start their careers.
Belluomini
Belluomini said a key element of his platform is retaining promising Merced youth beginning their careers, or attracting those who leave to return to the city.
“That problem, along with several other problems in Merced, are a result of the lack of economic opportunity in Merced, the lack of jobs in Merced,” Belluomini said. He noted the need for not just more jobs, but different kinds of jobs, too.
“The city’s main role in providing jobs is to be competitive with other cities in terms of attracting industry,” he said.
As far as helping bring a grocery store to south Merced, Belluomini said the city should try to identify a viable property and a developer who’s interested.
“There are things in the way in terms of development in south Merced that prevent that kind of thing from happening,” he said, noting needed sewer, water, road access, curb and gutter improvements.
Martinez
Martinez said the city could use policies to create incentives for businesses to hire locally, ensuring Merced jobs go to Merced residents.
He also noted that if the city decides to move on the possibility of a downtown arts and culture district, the area must extend into at least part of south Merced. Including it in the arts district creates communal sense and sends the message that south Merced is a positive part of the city, he said.
Plus, the city could re-zone areas of south Merced to encourage higher-paying employers to set up shop in the area.
This story was originally published August 26, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
