BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — When it comes to Kern County, Bakersfield City Councilwoman and Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur said she’s as local as it gets.
Kaur, who represents Ward 7, said her parents bought their first home in Ward 7 and that she was born at Kern Medical.
“Bakersfield always brought me back,” Kaur said. “That’s why I’m running for re-election.”
As the vice mayor, she’s worked to engage more communication between the city and the county, improve infrastructure in her ward and improve street safety in South Bakersfield.
“Public safety, road safety, investment infrastructure. Seeing a growing city and making sure we have smart growth where families go in day and day out — that needs to continue,” Kaur said.
After losing the Primary Election for State Senate District 16 to incumbent Melissa Hurtado and Republican challenger Guillermo Gonzalez in June, Kaur is running for re-election against Angie Valdez, a Bakersfield social worker and self-described nonpartisan candidate.
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With Ward 3 City Councilman Ken Weir retiring next year, a new slate of candidates have risen to join city’s ranks. Kaur says she’s seen changes like this before, and welcomes the opportunity to work with a new voice.
“With a new colleague joining the city council, I’d be honored to sit up there with a new colleague on the city council as well and we’ll have an opportunity to share ideas, and that’s what democracy is,” Kaur said. “It’s having a bunch of different ideas and seeing where we can find common ground, which is taking care of the residents of Bakersfield.”
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