The Undercurrent is pleased this month to bring you, our dear readers, interviews with Fresno’s two mayoral candidates. Henry T. Perea (Fresno City Councilmember) and Ashley Swearengin (Director of Community and Economic Development at CSU Fresno) are facing one another in a run-off election on 4 November, after finishing first and second, respectively, in an 11-candidate mayoral primary in June, with Perea winning by a mere 216 votes. We asked both candidates the same five questions. Here are their answers.

In light of our current water crisis, what can the City of Fresno (as opposed to its residents) do to conserve water
Water is one our area’s most precious and increasingly diminishing resources, and therefore, I support a variety of measures that will help the City of Fresno preserve its water supply. I support the use of conservation irrigation technology as well as water efficiency plant technology for all City-owned properties. I would also advocate increasing by 10% the use of recycled water and the implementation of a sustainable urban watershed planning process. Per state law requirements, I would ensure that Fresno meets the mandate of installing water meters on residential and commercial buildings by 2013. Additionally, I would take the lead in working with the media, educational groups and other public agencies to develop a regionally based water conservation program of benefit to the broader community, and establish measurable goals to monitor the City’s progress.

With the rising cost of gas, the sad state of our air, and the pedestrian-unfriendly design and climate of much of Fresno, what place do you see in Fresno’s future for the improvement of public transportation
We must invest in smart transportation systems. I support alternative fuels for mass transportation, and leading a joint effort with local school districts as well as Fresno County to purchase clean-air municipal buses in order to greatly reduce emissions. I am committed to re-evaluating the FAX bus system to meet passengers’ needs and restore dignity in the mass transit system. I will invest in additional bus-stop benches, faster service and more routes that carry people to work, school and medical services. I support the Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT—express buses on high-traffic routes such as Blackstone Avenue and Kings Canyon Boulevard—within one year, instead of two years like my opponent favors. I am also in favor of adding bike lanes to provide people with alternative ways to get to get around the City. On the issue of light rail, I have experience building coalitions around fresh ideas, and I'll do the same to make light rail possible in Fresno’s future.

There are gangs all over Fresno. Some argue that heavy policing is the solution, while others stress alternative strategies like after-school programs, mentoring, etc. What are your thoughts?
My plan for public safety attacks the problem with prevention, intervention, and enforcement measures. I support job training and after school programs to keep young people on the right track, and I am in favor of expanding our commitment to education both inside and outside the classroom. I also support neighborhood programs.

Having grown up in a neighborhood where crime was prevalent, I know first hand the effects that gangs have on neighborhoods and their residents. There is no place for fear and violence in our community, and we must take every measure to insure the public’s safety. By the same measure, I have witnessed the difference that education and alternative programs have made in transforming ex gang members. My pledge is to take a comprehensive approach to make Fresno a gang free city.

What’s your opinion of the fact that a full 50% of our city’s budget goes to the police?
Actually, the 50% figure quoted in the question includes funding for the City’s fire department, too. So it is inaccurate to say that half of the City’s budget goes to law enforcement. I strongly support our current efforts to crack down on crime and gangs. The fact is that certain categories of crime are down from years past, and we are implementing aggressive strategies and tactics to rid the city of gangs. While crime has increased across the country, that trend has been curbed in Fresno. This is due in large part because the city council has worked with the police department so that we have more officers on the street to ensure that we never get below 1.8 officers per 1000 residents, with a goal of 2 officers per one thousand residents.

With that said, we must recognize that we are facing serious funding challenges due in large part to the ailing economy. The release of more parolees will create even more financial difficulty for California cities. Given the current state budget crisis, we must find new, alternative ways of funding public safety programs, including:
•Utilizing asset forfeiture money from drug arrests
•Lobbying the federal government to bring back COPS grant funding
•Aggressively pursuing Cal GRIP, state funds directed toward intervention/prevention programs for gang members

How do you explain the stark geographic divide between your supporters and those of your opponent, and how is this relevant to your campaign for mayor of Fresno?
Unlike my opponent, I am drawing support from a wide range of people—on both the north and south ends of town—which are truly representative of Fresno. Teachers, businesses, police, fire, the Sierra Club, working people, residents from all walks of life—all contribute to my broad-based support. The reason: I have a track record for working to improve the quality of life of all Fresno residents. I am passionate and committed to the issues that affect us all: public safety, creating jobs and improving our air quality. Having been born and raised in Fresno, I know personally the challenges residents face on a daily basis, and I have the experience and the vision to overcome these challenges and move our City forward.