CVPPAC – June 2016

**This Content is Paid for By the Central Valley Progressive PAC**

CVPPAC Endorses Perea for Mayor

After decades of Republican mayors in this city, we have the highest concentration of poverty in the country, air that is not healthy to breath and a corrupt political system that benefits those with close ties to City Hall. Progressives in Fresno demand a change.

At the Central Valley Progressive PAC’s endorsement meeting on May 14, members discussed the mayoral candidates and voted to endorse Henry Perea for mayor because he is the only candidate running that can and will change the course of this city to move in a more progressive direction.

The other three major candidates in the mayoral race (Spees, Brand and Vagim) eliminated themselves from consideration by participating in a Tea Party debate that exposed their bias in favor of right-wing “solutions” to city issues. They are all opposed to raising the minimum wage, believe that “market forces” should determine growth and development and tripped over each other trying to get Tea Party support. You can watch the video on YouTube.

Perea, on the other hand, supports a living wage for workers, believes in improving and expanding public transportation and will listen to progressive concerns about a wide range of public issues. Progressives will have a seat at the table when Perea is elected mayor of Fresno.

CVPPAC members did have concerns about Perea (e.g., his close ties with builders and developers), and nobody has any illusions that we are going to agree with him on every issue. But he is far closer aligned with progressive values than anyone else in the race.

Another compelling argument for voting for Perea in the June 7 primary is that it is possible for him to win outright with more than 50% of the vote and avoid a November runoff. The Republicans will split their vote and if enough people turn out in June, particularly those who live in the southern part of Fresno, Perea will win. Polls already show that he has more than 40% of the vote, and if progressives turn out in large numbers we can be the decisive factor that puts him over the top.

After a long discussion about the mayoral race, CVPPAC members voted overwhelmingly to support Perea for mayor.

Dan Ronquillo for Board of Supervisors District 3

The Central Valley Progressive PAC endorses Dan Ronquillo in his race against Sal Quintero in the Fresno County Board of Supervisors District 3 race. This is the seat that Henry Perea vacated to run for mayor, and he is supporting Ronquillo in the race.

Ronquillo is a former Fresno City Council member and is closer to progressives on most issues than his opponent. The issue of homelessness came up at the CVPPAC endorsement meeting. Quintero, while he was on the City Council, had an ordinance come before him that would ban the homeless from sleeping on sidewalks, alleys, etc. He said that he was undecided until he received a letter from Larry Arce at the Rescue Mission, which he read aloud, talking about how the homeless needed to have their shelters destroyed—that the tough love would bring them into the programs they needed to get off the streets.

Ronquillo’s approach to the homeless issue is different. Both he and Perea are willing to discuss establishing safe and legal places where the homeless can live with dignity and start to receive some of the services it will take to get them off the streets and into a home of their own.

Everyone who spoke about Ronquillo at the CVPPAC meeting had good things to say about him, and he received the group’s endorsement.

Candidates for the Democratic Central Committee Get Support

The Central Valley Progressive PAC endorsed three candidates running for the Fresno County Democratic Central Committee (District 2). They are as follows:

• Michael D. Evans
• Tom Hernandez
• Jeni-Ann Kren

This was the first time the CVPPAC has voted to endorse candidates running for a central committee of any political party. The discussion about the endorsement centered on supporting the positive and progressive direction of the local Democratic party under the leadership of Michael Evans, who is the chairperson.

Because the CVPPAC is only able to endorse candidates who submit answers to a questionnaire sent to them, the full slate of candidates could not be considered. But you can find the full slate supporting Evans in this issue of the Community Alliance newspaper.

If you are interested in the responses of the candidates who responded to the CVPPAC questionnaire (for mayor, the Board of Supervisors and the Democratic Central Committee), they are available at www. cvppac.org.