Page 6 - Dinuba Sentinel 5-24-18 E-edition

A6| Thursday, May 24, 2018 Forum Continued from Page A1
Community
The Dinuba Sentinel
Devon Mathis
Jose Sigala
establishment. He could have run that way four years ago, in 2014 - but he’s been up there for four years now.
“Cap-and-trade is tied to high speed rail. He refuses to acknowledge that ... He can’t say he’s adamantly opposed to high speed rail and then vote for cap- and-trade which has financed that.”
Lavers closed the discussion, questioning Gubler’s statement. He said, “I find it interesting that you attacked Devon Mathis over cap-and-trade and high speed rail. You are 100 percent correct, but at the same time, you should be attacking yourself for the exact same reason. He has admitted, on video, which we have, that he voted for (high speed rail).
“I as a conservative Republican from the very beginning looked at cap-and-trade and said, ‘Hey, this is a bad deal. This will bankrupt the state.'”
The California Assembly District 26 covers more than 98 percent of Tulare County, including Dinuba and nearby areas, as well as Inyo County and a small portion of Kern County.
Assembly members research, write, and vote on legislation, and serve as oversight for the executive branch.
Constituents of Tulare County District 4 and California Assembly District 26 will be able to cast their votes in the primary on June 5. The two candidates for each position in office who receive the most votes will move on to the general election on Nov. 6.
Jack Lavers
Warren Gubler
of life, proper staffing, homelessness, youth development, water and infrastructure.
“A lot of our youth today don’t have opportunities readily available,” Valero said. “I’m doing that through YMI (Young Men’s Initiative), giving students life skills and job readiness skills, as well as employment opportunities.”
Thusu emphasized public safety, water and infrastructure. “I will do whatever is within my power to give them (law enforcement) the tools, the power, the technology and the training so they can keep us safe,” Thusu said. “Water is critical, not just for our farmers, but clean drinking water as well. We have to make sure we have the infrastructure in place. The state has turned its back - in our local area we need a surface water area where we can harvest, store and distribute clean water for human consumption and
farmers.”
On the topic of ethics, Valero
answered. “I believe that ethics is of priority. I grew up in a household where my parents taught me right from wrong and that I was able to live with those decisions I would make on the daily.
“I have a servant’s heart and when I go out to my meetings with my pastor we talk about benevolent leadership - serving from the middle so we bring people up from our trenches and so we begin to understand it’s about heart, it’s about passion, it’s about love, it’s about compassion I am a man of transparency, I am a man of integrity.”
Thusu explained, “Ethics, in many people’s eyes, is their own perception. Once it’s their own
perception, they derive all kinds of inferences without knowing facts. When they don’t the facts, they start calling you unethical. If somebody wrongs you, if I’m supposed to tolerate that wrong, am I ethical? I can guarantee one thing - in the name of ethics or transparency, if somebody throws an injustice on me or anybody else, I will not tolerate it. In my world, to dole out injustice to anybody is wrong, but to tolerate it is worse.”
In the closing statements, Valero said, “For me, growing up as a kid, I was often labeled as a scholarship boy. I went off to these great universities and I decided I needed to come back. Why? Because Cutler-Orosi believed in me before I believed in myself. I want to go around this great region so that people can also believe in themselves and believe there are great opportunities for this district.”
Thusu concluded the forum, saying, “Dinuba has been very kind to me. Tulare County has been very kind to me. I’m at a stage in life where I have gained enough knowledge and skills that I will give my 100 percent - 1,000 percent.
“When I get to this position, I’m with the motive of making sure I will make the necessary change. I will safeguard what works, I’ll change what doesn’t work and I’ll build on something that needs to be great for our generations to come.”
The Tulare County Supervisor District 4 position represents Dinuba, Cutler, Orosi, Monson, Sultana, London and other nearby Tulare County areas, including the north end of Visalia. The supervisors oversee budgets, land-use decisions, appointments of non-elected officials, meeting with regional
agencies. Tulare County ordinance codes, operations policies and assisting citizens in solving problems.
Assembly
Cattle Rancher Jack Lavers was the first of four California District 26 Assembly candidates to speak. He introduced himself as someone who can relate to small towns, while emphasizing water issues and his experience in Sacramento on water-related items.
Lavers said, "I understand the frustrations that a lot of small towns have. My town is 131 people - We have been underrepresented for years and it's frustrating.
“It’s a frustrating situation to have people show up to say ‘yes, we’re here to work for you,’ and once they’ve received your vote they are gone again. That’s not who I am going to be because I am just like you. I have been in the situation where we’re not being listened to in these rural communities. We have to have a voice and what we think matters.”
Warren Gubler, Mayor of Visalia, explained that he was born and raised in Tulare County, is a local businessman of 35 years and local official in Visalia for nine years.
“I tell you that because the past is the preamble for the future,” Gubler told the Dinuba audience. “I can take that success which I have enjoyed in Visalia and go to Sacramento and represent you successfully there.”
Gubler pointed to the main issues of water, jobs, public safety, and effective representation - pointing to disagreements with incumbent Devon Mathis’ voting record.
Mathis next spoke to the audience - He also attended Dinuba’s political forum in 2016 when he sought his first reelection to the two-year position. He introduced himself as a native of Porterville, a Reedley High grad and a military veteran who served in Iraq.
“It’s always interesting when people talk about business and leadership,” Mathis said. “I did it where it really mattered. Where people’s lives were on the line and you weren’t necessarily getting to work with people you liked.
“Every day in Sacramento is like a group project. I don’t get to pick who I work with up there, but I’ve got to work with them. We’ve done that. I have an outstanding record - I’ve worked on nearly 400 pieces of legislation that have brought water here, brought jobs here, protecting plumbing for our school, helped our small businesses and I plan to continue to do that.”
Jose Sigala, councilman for the city of Tulare, identified himself as the lone Democrat in the race, the son of immigrants, and spent 16 years working for state legislature in Sacramento.
“I got to learn a lot about how Sacramento works and how we can make a difference," Sigala said. "As a council member, I’m very proud to represent the west side of Tulare where I was elected to fight and make sure that part of the city has what it deserves ... That’s why I decided to run for State Assembly, to make sure we had someone in Sacramento who also had relationships with the leaders up there - to fight for this district.”
While the supervisor candidates stuck to the issues, the assembly candidates did make some remarks to their counterparts as they met for their seventh forum in the district.
Mathis, in response during his closing statement, said, “I’m here for the people. My opponents want to talk about leadership - I’m sorry I’m not into party leadership. If I wanted to run for a party office I’d run for a party office. I ran to represent the people, the same people I went to war and nearly died for protecting.
“I’m sick of the politics, I’m sick of these guys putting political party, twisting things, which has been done in this election. We’ve got guys trying to turn my cap-and-trade vote, which has brought in millions and millions of dollars back to our local economy - Don’t let them use political propaganda to twist your arm and try to turn it into a gas tax.”
Mathis previously invited the audience to “get the facts” on cap-and-trade and amendments that were made.
Gubler followed, saying of Mathis, “He is the establishment. You can’t run for beating
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