\t\t\t\t\tWhat\u2019s at stake?<\/p>\n
Candidates at all levels of government are starting to more prominently face the public ahead of the June 2, 2026 primary election.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Among those races is the fight for the District 1 seat in the Fresno County Board Of Supervisors. Five of the six candidates showed up at a candidate forum on Thursday night to share their platforms to dozens at the West Fresno Center.<\/p>\n
Dozens of west county residents got to take a first look at who may be their next representative on Fresno\u2019s Board Of Supervisors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thursday\u2019s candidate forum was hosted by a handful of local community organizations, and moderated by members of Fresno City College at the West Fresno Center Campus.<\/p>\n
Featured candidates included Felipe Perez<\/a>, a Firebaugh City Councilmember since 2014; Lupe Flores<\/a>, a Mendota Unified School District board of trustees; Eric Payne<\/a>, a local businessman and nonprofit executive; Maria Pacheco<\/a>, mayor of Kerman; and Omar Hernandez<\/a>, a farmer and member of the West Hills Community College District board of trustees.\u00a0<\/p>\n Candidate Mike Karbassi did not attend Thursday\u2019s forum.<\/p>\n District 1 of Fresno\u2019s Board of Supervisors represents west Fresno County, including the cities of Firebaugh, Kerman, Mendota and San Joaquin. Supervisor Brian Pacheco has been in the seat since 2014. He\u2019s leaving the seat at the end of the year to pursue office in the state assembly<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The region consistently ranks among the worst areas in the nation for environmental quality, negatively affecting the long-term health of its residents. Cities in the district have also cited poor road infrastructure leading to numerous fatalities and poor quality of life.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, Thursday\u2019s candidate forum comes ahead of an election where West Fresno County residents will be handed a rare opportunity to totally shape their local government.\u00a0<\/p>\n The county board\u2019s 4th District, which covers southwest Fresno, will also be up for grabs this year. Two of Fresno\u2019s three west city council seats, Districts 1 and 3, will also see new candidates this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n The third west Fresno City Council seat could also see an election in 2027 if current councilmember Mike Karbassi<\/a> wins the race for the board\u2019s 1st District.\u00a0<\/p>\n In front of a crowd of nearly 100, how did the candidates respond to the Q\u2019s?<\/p>\n The five candidates at Thursday\u2019s candidate forum were asked questions ranging from environmental quality to housing and mental health services.\u00a0<\/p>\n When asked how they\u2019d help create greater, easier access to health services in the district\u2019s rural communities, most candidates shared ideas for mobile health clinics. Though the county already provides a similar service<\/a>, the candidates floated either expanding the policy, or creating new ones entirely to fill gaps the services can\u2019t cover.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hernandez, in particular, said he sees an opportunity in helping local community colleges continue to lobby to provide bachelor\u2019s degrees programs for nurses \u2014 the first response of the night to garner an applause from the audience.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Central Valley has long had a shortage of nurses<\/a>. Community Colleges have wanted to become a new provider of bachelor degrees for some time now, though they\u2019ve been met with some opposition from four-year colleges<\/a> and Gov. Gavin Newsom.<\/p>\n Most candidates seemed to give their most robust answers to policies surrounding housing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Payne said he was the only candidate with \u201cdirect affordable housing experience,\u201d and that he hopes to use that experience even more at the board through the county\u2019s role in designating land use in the region\u2019s unincorporated areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n In a rapid-fire round, all candidates said they were against the county\u2019s anti-encampment<\/a> ordinance<\/a>.<\/p>\n When asked what areas they\u2019d like to see greater emphasis of the county budget going toward, Flores said she has long admired the work of Visalia-based affordable housing developer Self-Help Enterprises, and she would be open to continuing to collaborate with them in bringing more homes to the area.<\/p>\n Perez said he\u2019s open to increased funding toward government housing, particularly in farm labor housing \u2014 something he and Flores have both experienced firsthand. They both said it\u2019s a need for the region that should be expanded.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not ashamed of that,\u201d Flores said, adding that she is keeping an eye out for state legislation that could put more money toward farm-labor housing \u2014 a funding source she\u2019d want to pursue if elected supervisor.\u00a0<\/p>\n When asked about public safety, Pacheco said she\u2019d like to invest in re-entry programs and youth services. She said she sees those programs as long-term preventative programs to help solve local issues.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s not enough investment in programs like that that really support Black students\u2026all students of all colors need that investment,\u201d Pacheco said.\u00a0<\/p>\n All six candidates will be on the ballot for the June 2, 2026 primary election. Unless a candidate can muster a majority of the votes, the top two vote-getters will face off against each other in the November 3, 2026 general election.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tRelated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What\u2019s at stake? 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