Hanford has had it's fair share of struggles over the past several years. The city has had seven city managers in six years. This year, six new candidates, who have never served on council before, are hoping to give the city a fresh start.
Gary Pannet, District C Candidate, says "Right now is the time to step up. If we don't now, then when?"
Six Hanford City Council Candidates agree the time to make a change is now. Gary Pannet is one of four men running for District C.
Pannet says, "My goals are to bring more jobs to Hanford. My other goal is public safety. I think we need to put the resources, equipment and the personnel in place to ensure we maintain a great public safety like we have now."
According to District C Candidate Meik Head, Hanford's downtown is dying. He wants to fill up vacant buildings by letting future business owners lease property for $1 a year while they get on their feet.
Doug Soper is another District C hopeful. He says some city department heads are suing council members for voting to make them "at will employees."
Doug Soper says,"My first number one goal is to try and improve the communications between everybody."
Mike spicer is also fighting for the District C seat. He wants to do away with wasteful spending and get city hall back on track.
"We need to get in a healing phase. We need to reach out to department heads and then we need to work with our citizens out here and we need to start working and not arguing," says Spicer.
That's been a big problem with people.
Robert Moreno, Hanford resident says, "When that happens then some programs get slipped through the gaps." " I would like to see more focus on parks and more focus on kids and more dedication to the new jobs, better tax breaks."
Business attraction and retention is the goal of Robin Mattos. She's campaiging for the District B council seat.
Robin Mattos says, "I promote spending money here locally, because money that's spent here locally we'll be spent on us locally. It enhances our public safety. It enhances our fire department which is public safety. Makesour public works departments and the streets look cleaner."
Her opponent is Russ Curry. He hopes to drive up tax revenues by bringing focus back to economic development.
"Through the economic development, I would like to see a planner assigned to the person that's interested in coming to the city to walk you through the process. In other words, hand in hand," says Curry.
What people seem to really want is less talk and more action.
"Everything that they promise that they want, start seeing it come unfold," says Moreno.
TXT 24
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