BAKERSFIELD. CALIF, (KERO) — Candidates Mike Madrigal, Kevin Oliver, and Larry Koman share similar priorities in addressing key city issues.
- Three candidates are running for the Ward 5 city council seat: Mike Madrigal, Kevin Oliver, and Larry Koman.
- Current councilman Bruce Freeman emphasizes focus on crime, public safety, landscaping, and homelessness.
- Election day is November 5th.
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Broadcast transcript:
The current Ward 5 councilman Bruce Freeman is hoping for the best candidate to fill his position. As election day gets closer we have asked each candidate their reason for running.
The three candidates running in this year's Ward 5 city council election are Mike Madrigal, Kevin Oliver, and Larry Koman. The current Ward 5 city councilman Bruce Freeman says some of the candidates' main focus should be on crime, public safety, landscaping, and homelessness.
Bruce Freeman, Ward 5 councilmen says, "We have been getting a lot better. I think we are lucky we are a little bit of a newer ward, so the roads are newer. It's much more of a planned community feel so we have an advantage."
Each candidate is taking a similar approach to their key topics, focusing on law enforcement, public safety, and addressing homelessness issues.
Mike Madrigal manages a waste management company and he says he wants to serve the city of Bakersfield by having these goals as his focus. Mike Migdrial says, "I'll summarize it this way. Number one police, fire, and a positive business climate."
Mike Madrigal says that his main priorities include increasing the police force not by increasing the entire staff but actual front-line officers as well as budgeting. "I want to make sure that type of spending is as stretched it optimizes those departments." He said.
Kevin Oliver is a realtor, who has been a city and county commissioner and currently sits as a county planning commissioner. "I think that I can bring both the corporate America as well as small business to our council chambers and be able to help our city out." He said.
He says that his goals include supporting law enforcement, addressing the homeless, and promoting small businesses. "I believe in smaller government. I think if we can reduce bureaucracy that is in some of our processes."
Larry Koman has been involved with the city for over 20 years. He's been on the redevelopment agency for the city of Bakersfield, a planning commissioner, and is currently on the Measure N tax oversight committee. "The important things for Ward 5 are really maintaining our conservative values, maintaining financial accountability for the city council, and making sure that we continue to have safe streets." He said.
He tells me his focus is public safety, supporting law enforcement, addressing homelessness, and having financial transparency.
However, Bruce Freeman says having a seat isn't easy and that there are a couple of factors that come into play to doing the job correctly: time and commitment.
The city council elections for Ward 5 is November 5th.
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