KSEE, CA
Dec 5 2007

Fresno Mayoral candidates face-off in debate

YouNewsTV’Story Published: Dec 5, 2007 at 3:13 PM EST

Story Updated: Dec 5, 2007 at 10:16 PM EST
By Preston Phillips

Watch the story With less than six months to go until the June
primary, five of the six candidates for Fresno mayor faced-off in the
first debate since they made their announcement to run for office.

Former councilmember Tom Boyajian, businesswoman Ashley Swearengin
and current city councilmembers Mike Dages and Jerry Duncan, along
with council president Henry T. Perea were asked a series of
questions written by various leaders from around the region, ranging
from economic development, to what candidates, if elected, would do
within the first one hundred days of office.

But the issue of how to better ensure public safety was at the top of
every candidates list.

"As mayor, I’m gonna add 150 police officers and continue the
re-building of our fire department… and we’re gonna get rid of
gangs,’ said councilmember Jerry Duncan.

But Duncan also said that would cost $15 million a year and would not
be easy.

Businesswoman Ashley Swearengin’s approach was quite the opposite."I
don’t think its enough to just sit up here and say we’re gonna be
tough on crime, we’re gonna throw money at something, we have to be
tough on crime, but we have to be smart on crime. And what that means
is we have to take our existing resources and get better outcomes for
it."

Councilmember Mike Dages says Fresno is too management heavy, and
believes many positions need to be eliminated.

`That money can be diverted, which would put the general fund money
back into the police and fire departments,’ said Dages.

Two departments that Duncan says are facing personnel cuts, if the
city doesn’t start doing something now about the $18 million deficit
it’s facing in 2011.

Former councilmember Tom Boyajian says the key to improving public
safety is economic development. "We have to induce companies to come
to Fresno and diversify the economy, that’s really important, so we
can get more money for the general fund, which helps you know,
prevent crime."

But council president Henry T. Perea asked,k what he referred to as
the million dollar question, `How do you pay for increased public
safety?’

He says it can be done through a combination of services that include
growing the general fund, utilizing technology and capitalizing on
government efficiencies.

"The hands on experience that I have coming in as a council member, I
think this gives me a great opportunity to address this as your next
mayor,’ Perea said.

Jim Boswell, the sixth candidate to announce a bid for mayor sent an
e-mail to KSEE 24 News saying that he was not invited or allowed to
attend Wednesday’s debate.

Bob Garcia, executive director of CEN-CAL Business Group, the company
that put on today’s mayoral debate told KSEE24 that Boswell was not
invited to debate, because he announced his bid for mayor too late.
However, Garcia says that Boswell was invited to attend the debate.

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