Hollister
– The two candidates for District 28 Assembly seat have been
pounding the pavement. Despite temperatures nearing triple digits,
incumbent Simon Salinas, D-Salinas, and Republican Bob Perkins, the
executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, have been
walking precincts to inform voters of
their views as the November election fast approaches.
Hollister – The two candidates for District 28 Assembly seat have been pounding the pavement. Despite temperatures nearing triple digits, incumbent Simon Salinas, D-Salinas, and Republican Bob Perkins, the executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, have been walking precincts to inform voters of their views as the November election fast approaches.
Salinas is finishing up his first four-year term and this is Perkins’ first time running for public office. Perkins’ focus is making the state economically prosperous by bringing jobs and businesses back, and rolling back taxes, fees and regulations that he said are driving businesses out.
While Salinas doesn’t have as much time to commit to campaigning because his Assembly duties keep him busy, he is trying to touch base with as many of his constituents as possible.
Salinas’ campaign focus in San Benito County is how to deal with growth, diversifying the economy and bringing in affordable housing, he said.
“Right now I’ve got a couple bills (on the governor’s desk) on farm worker housing, which is very critical here in San Benito County,” he said.
The candidates have differing viewpoints on one of the county’s current hot issues – the possibility of a casino being built near the border of San Benito and Santa Clara County.
Perkins said he doesn’t have a position on the casino because he has too many questions that haven’t been answered, but Salinas is already opposed to the idea.
Salinas supports Indian casinos when they’re built on reservations to help with economic development, he said.
“My problem with casinos is when they’re going into more urbanized areas,” he said.
Perkins said he’s not against gambling or casinos as long as they’re a positive influence.
“I’d want to know what it will do to surrounding economies, good or bad, and do people want it?” he said.
Perkins has served on numerous community advisory committees in Monterey County and has had a long-standing fascination with politics, he said. The Salinas resident decided to run for office last November after the governor was recalled because he believed people were ready for a change, he said.
Perkins spent the past weekend traversing precincts in Hollister and believes San Benito County is the most important part of the 28th District.
“People are concerned how lower population areas can be heard in Sacramento,” he said.
Now that Salinas has time to commit to campaigning, his staff is working on sending out mailers and walking precincts to make people aware of the election, said Greg Sellers, Salinas’ campaign manager.
A dinner for Perkins will take place from 5:30 to 7:30pm Sept. 29 at Old City Hall, 7400 Monterey St., Gilroy.
Also, a candidate forum sponsored by the Gilroy Rotary Club will take place from 11:30am to 1:30pm Oct. 12 at the Gilroy Elks Lodge, 2765 Hecker Pass Highway.
