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Aimee Espinoza<\/p>\nBAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) \u2014 KGET sent the candidates running for the Kern County Auditor-Controller-County Clerk seat a questionnaire asking basic questions about themselves as a way for the voters to learn more about them.<\/p>\n
We asked each candidate the following questions:<\/p>\n
Hometown, current city and neighborhood of residence<\/p>\n
Brief educational history<\/p>\n
Party registration (for how long have you been registered with this party)?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Length of residence in that district\u00a0<\/p>\n
In 300 words or less, please describe your political philosophy<\/p>\n
Below are responses from the candidates running for the Auditor-Controller-County Clerk seat in Kern.<\/p>\n
Aimee Espinoza<\/p>\n
Age: 49<\/p>\n
Hometown, current city and neighborhood of residence: \u201cBorn and raised in Kern County. Lived in Delano up until 3rd grade, then moved to Bakersfield and have lived here ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n
Family: N\/A<\/p>\n
Brief educational history: \u201cAttended St. Mary\u2019s School in Delano and Horace Mann Elementary in Bakersfield for elementary school. Graduated from North Bakersfield High School then attended Bakersfield College, transferred to California State University, Bakersfield where I earned an B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brief career history: \u201cOut of college I taught mathematics at East Bakersfield High School then started my career with the Kern County Auditor\u2019s Office as an entry level Accountant in January 2006. In October 2012, I promoted from a Senior Accountant to a Fiscal and Policy Analyst in the County Administrative Office where I promoted to a Senior Fiscal and Policy Analyst before being appointed as the Assistant Auditor-Controller-County Clerk in July 2019. I was elected by Kern County voters in 2022 to serve as the Auditor-Controller-County Clerk and have served in this capacity since January 2023.\u201d<\/p>\n
Party registration: \u201cNot applicable as I am seeking a non-partisan position.\u201d<\/p>\n
Desired office: \u201cI believe in the work the Auditor-Controller-County Clerk\u2019s Office does to support Kern County employees, departments, cities, special districts, school districts, residents and taxpayers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Length of residence in that district: \u201cI have lived in Kern County my entire life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Political philosophy: \u201cNot applicable as I am seeking a non-partisan position.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Carlton M. Lennon<\/p>\n
Age: 59<\/p>\n
Hometown, current city and neighborhood of residence: Delano<\/p>\n
Family: Married with six children<\/p>\n
Brief educational history:<\/p>\n
1st Degree: UCLA (Math Economics)<\/p>\n
2nd Degree: Bakersfield College (Real Estate\/Accounting)<\/p>\n
3rd Degree: CSUB (MBA\/Accounting emphasis)<\/p>\n
Brief career history: Dean Witter Morgan Stanley, Prudential Securities, Wachovia Securities, AXA Advisors, Bank of the Sierra, Citizens Business Bank, City of Delano, One Stop Financial Inc 35 years in the Banking and Brokerage Business<\/p>\n
Party registration: \u201cNot registered to any party but have voted Democrat for 30 years. Conservative Democrat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Desired office: Auditor Controller is desired office<\/p>\n
Length of residence in that district: Lived in District for 30 years<\/p>\n
Political philosophy: \u201cI represent the best of America. I\u2019m in the middle of the ground where both parties meet. I am a Democrat, yet I am \u2018Pro Life,\u2019 a believer that all citizens should have the rights that married people have, but that religious \u2018Sacred Rights\u2019 should be respected, and the term \u201cmarriage\u201d should be defined and instituted by various religious norms. I believe in lower taxes for the middle and lower class, and that upper classes should pay their fair share. In general, I feel that Americans are extremely overtaxed.<\/p>\n
I believe in small government, but not so small that the corporatocracy exploits the poor. I believe that we should balance our budget, but not while giving the extremely rich companies unfair tax breaks and bailing out the corporate sectors every time they fall apart.<\/p>\n
There is an overlap between both parties. The MAGA Right and the liberal Left are the people who divide most of this country. We should be able to create an America where there is a \u201cwin-win\u201d situation for all Americans. We should be able to respect the religions (marriage), while respecting the gays (equal rights), respect the rich (lower taxes) while respecting the poor (real progressive tax rate), respect the corporation (less regulations) while respecting the consumer (protecting criminal behavior by producers).<\/p>\n
We, as Americans, Black, white, straight, gay, religious, non-religious, poor, and rich shouldall be respected in a \u201cwin-win\u201d situation creating policy and procedures that set the example ofa multicultural, multi-mindset, multi-race country for the rest of the world to follow!\u201d<\/p>\n
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