City of Fillmore

[Editorial Note: Last month, Fillmore City Clerk Clay Westling refused to accept candidate statements from Douglas Tucker and Manuel Minjares which would appear on the November ballot. Westling demanded changes to unobjectionable wording. Below are the before/after statements. The question is – was politically motivated bias shown against the candidates by the present City Clerk?]

Manuel Minjares
REFUSED STATEMENT: The City of Fillmore is and has been facing significant hurdles in all aspects of City governance. Parks and community facilities face closure, local residents have been laid off in favor of high priced out town consultants, businesses have left and commercial vacancies continue to linger. Our city attorney has been removed and replaced with more expensive legal counsel and our sewer treatment plant operator may soon be replaced which can lead to dire financial consequences in the future.
Getting the City back on solid financial ground, keeping our cherished parks and community facilities open and attracting new businesses will be the main goals of my tenure as a City Council member. I understand that this will not be an easy task. However I feel that my love for this community, previous experience as a city planner for Fillmore and present experience as a property supervisor have afforded me with the technical and communicative skills to be the City Council member our town needs. Together we can make a difference in our community. I respectfully ask for your vote.
ACCEPTED STATEMENT: The City of Fillmore is and has been facing significant hurdles in all aspects of city governance. The choices we make today will chart our path for years to come. I feel that my love for this community, previous experience as a city planner for Fillmore, present experience as a property supervisor, and manager of the Fillmore Youth Basketball League have afforded me with the technical and communicative skills to be the City Council member our town needs. Together we can make a difference in our community. I respectfully ask for your vote.
La Ciudad de Fillmore está y se ha enfrentado a obstáculos significativos en todos los aspectos del gobierno de la ciudad. Las decisiones que tomamos hoy en día trazarán nuestro camino en los próximos años. Siento que mi amor por esta comunidad, la experiencia previa como planificador de la ciudad de Fillmore, la experiencia presente como supervisor de propiedad y de gerente de la Liga Juvenil de Baloncesto de Fillmore me han proporcionado con las habilidades técnicas y comunicativas para ser el miembro del Concejo Municipal que nuestra ciudad necesita. Juntos podemos hacer una diferencia en nuestra comunidad. Respetuosamente les pido su voto.

Doug tucker
REFUSED STATEMENT: Vision, Compassion, Dedication, Experience and Integrity, these are just a few words that I would use to describe why I feel I am Your choice to serve on the city council. Simply put, we need to get back on track. My service on the Fillmore Planning Commission and North Fillmore Neighborhood Committee, including Chair, has given me the opportunity to appreciate and relish our community. We truly are the last best small town in California. We need to have true leadership and accountability in our elected officials. I bring to the table a no-nonsense, logical and common sense approach to solving our city problems. I have the experience, determination and knowledge that will make the difference for our City and get us back on track.
My pledge to you is to do my absolute best to get the budget back under control, to eliminate High Priced Out of Town Consultants, to encourage citizenship and enhance our civic pride and to ensure that our vision will survive well into the future, we are not just any town USA we are Fillmore, USA.
ACCEPTED STATEMENT: Vision, Compassion, Dedication, Experience and Integrity, these are just a few words that I would use to describe why I feel I am Your choice to serve on the city council. My service on the Fillmore the Planning Commission and North Fillmore Neighborhood Committee, including Chair, has given me the opportunity to appreciate and relish our community. We truly are the last best small town in California. We need to have true leadership and accountability in our elected officials. I bring to the table a no-nonsense, logical and common sense approach to solving our city problems. I have the experience, determination and knowledge that will make the difference for our City.
My pledge to you is to do my absolute best to get the budget back under control, to eliminate High Priced Out of Town Consultants, to encourage citizenship and enhance our civic pride and to ensure that our vision will survive well into the future, we are not just any town USA we are Fillmore, USA.