\u00a0 CALIFORNIA CITY – Hello there Calif. City; candidates are already announcing their candidacy for the upcoming Nov. 3rd mid-term general election, and we had a chance to talk to one of the candidates running for Calif. City Mayor; Mr. Isaac Barcelona.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Mr. Barcelona announced his candidacy during the Aug. 4th East Kern Healthcare District meeting under Public Comments (see meeting minutes on district website).<\/p>\n
\u00a0 This is an exclusive interview and here\u2019s what he had to tell us concerning his stand on issues happening within the city and his proposal on the continuing issues at hand.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN: Hello, Isaac, it\u2019s nice to talk to you. I hope everything is well with you. The first question we wanted to ask you is, why did you decide to run for mayor of California City and is anyone endorsing you?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: I decided to run for Mayor because the current Mayor and I have very different philosophies on how to govern and what Leadership means.\u00a0 He gets excited by Maxine Waters, and I get inspired by Ronald Reagan.\u00a0 That simple.\u00a0 He appoints questionable characters to our Commissions while I would appoint the best possible applicants that could benefit our city.\u00a0 In under two years, under his watch, we just had a second city Manager resign.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 This has been a huge problem and damaging issue for our city for over a decade. Nothing can be accomplished without a good City Manager at the helm.\u00a0 The fact that we have not been able to keep City Managers for over a decade is a clear sign of poor leadership and poor people management on the part of the Mayor and City Council and this has to change if we want our city to succeed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Partial List of Endorsements: Assemblyman Tom Lackey; Second District Supervisor Chris Parlier; Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares; former Congressman Steve Knight; Hertz Ramirez,<\/p>\n
LiUNA (Laborers international Union of North America) Local 220, Kern County; Domingo Gutierrez, Domingo\u2019s Boron; Anthony Myers, Safe Haven; Jerry & Amanda Heller, High Desert Development; Pastor James & Leta Robinson; Roberto & Gloria Romero, Gloria\u2019s Mexican Restaurant; AVUHSD Trustee and our next Assemblyman Charles Hughes; PSD Trustees Nancy K. Smith & Ralph Velador; Vallarta Supermarkets Owner Alfredo Gonzales; Cal City Community News; Jessica Rojas, Cal City Chamber of Commerce President.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN: Next question; if you are elected as mayor of California City, what are your three main goals?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: First and foremost, contracting the best City Manager who can help us navigate and straighten out the Ship. Someone I can learn from who knows what they\u2019re doing in all aspects of their job and who has the experience, contacts and resources available to attract industry and solve the problems we are facing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Accomplishing this will help toward realizing every goal envisioned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN: What are your plans for economic development for California City?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: Everything evolves around having a City Manager with the abilities I mentioned.\u00a0 As Mayor, and as a City Council, it is our job to listen to the recommendations of staff and then approve or not what is presented.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Among other things, we need to improve our look, and our infrastructure, including the Golf Course, Airport and Parks, and then we can have an active marketing campaign to attract industry, new homeowners, and business.\u00a0 Let\u2019s start there.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN: Next question; if you are elected mayor of California City, how do you plan on solving the roads and water infrastructure issues?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: We need to explore Grants, and fresh sources of Income for the City.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN: How do you plan on keeping an open mind concerning city issues and personnel?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: Leadership requires a deep dive into the facts and situations in every case and having an open mind is essential if you are going to be a good leader.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 In regard personnel, that is the City Manager\u2019s job, the Council is not there to micromanage personnel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN: Do you have a road map to increase city staff and stabilize the city, and if so, what is it?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: Once again, the Mayor and the City Council do not do any of the hiring of personnel.\u00a0 The City Manager recommends hiring if departments are understaffed and we can approve or disapprove the recommendations.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN: How do you plan on balancing the budget?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: By living within our means, avoiding wasteful or unnecessary spending, and by ensuring staff provide accurate, timely, and verifiable financial reports.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN: What are your plans concerning the Calif. City Airport and the golf course?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: I believe they are potential great assets to our community, there has been a great deal of discussion about this throughout the past year, so there are possible options on how to proceed, and I am on the side of restoring and making them operational and profitable.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN \u2013 What improvements do you think California City needs and why?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: Let\u2019s start with the obvious, cleaning up our medians, restoring Balsitis and Central Park and its Lake, fixing the roads, replacing aged water piping and infrastructure, beautifying the grounds at City Hall to display pride in our city.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN \u2013 If elected as mayor, are you going to propose any new taxes?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: The reality is that things seem even worse than I was told when I first started considering being in leadership.\u00a0 Our city is rumored to be on the brink of bankruptcy, and we need to restore trust from our community before we discuss anything like raising taxes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN \u2013 Do you see the need for added city personnel and how would you fund them?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: Bigger government is not always the answer, if growth and prosperity dictate additional city services, then that can be considered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN \u2013 If you are elected mayor, will you enforce cannabis taxes and if so, how?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: There is already a policy in place for that, and a person in charge of that.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN \u2013 What would you do differently if you are elected as mayor of California City?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: I have a different style of management, I bring decades of business, governance, and leadership experience that I believe can help.\u00a0 I will be a Mayor for Everyone\u2026Yo Sere Un Alcalde Para Todos!<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN – One final question; in your opinion, how accurate are the reports from JM Powers?<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: I know that he puts in a lot of work and diligence, and I appreciate his efforts and dedication.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 MDN: Thank you very much for talking with us, Isaac. I really do appreciate this, and good luck in your run for mayor of California City.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Isaac: Thank you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u00a0 CALIFORNIA CITY – Hello there Calif. City; candidates are already announcing their candidacy for the upcoming Nov.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":72976,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[28245,28211,28232,28223,92,28240,28212,28239,378,28208,28225,28213,28243,14422,28244,28242,28222,28228,28229,5700,28236,28227,28231,28241,28210,28238,28221,28209,28218,28216,28214,28226,28233,28206,28224,28207,28219,4526,28237,27248,28246,28234,28230,28235,28215,28217,28220],"class_list":["post-72975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-barcelona","tag-alfredo-gonzales","tag-anthony-myers","tag-assemblyman","tag-avuhsd-trustee","tag-barcelona","tag-bigger-government","tag-cal-city","tag-cal-city-chamber-of-commerce","tag-california","tag-california-city","tag-charles-hughes","tag-chris-parlier","tag-city-airport","tag-city-council","tag-city-hall","tag-city-manager","tag-city-mayor","tag-city-services","tag-current-mayor","tag-decentralization","tag-domingo-gutierrez","tag-general-election","tag-gloria","tag-good-city-manager","tag-good-city-manager-at-the-helm","tag-hertz","tag-high-desert-development","tag-isaac-barcelona","tag-issac-barcelona","tag-james-leta-robinson","tag-jerry-amanda-heller","tag-jessica-rojas","tag-kern-county","tag-local-government","tag-maxine-waters","tag-mayor","tag-nancy-k-smith","tag-president","tag-roberto-gloria-romero","tag-ronald-reagan","tag-second-city-manager","tag-second-district-supervisor","tag-steve-knight","tag-suzette-martinez-valladares","tag-tom-lackey","tag-union-of-north-america","tag-velador"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72975"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72975\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72976"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/spain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}