Candidates to appear in forum

DOWNEY - Candidates for Downey City Council and the local state assembly will participate in a candidate's forum Oct. 18 at the Gas Co. Energy Resource Center. The forum is sponsored by the Downey Chamber of Commerce and is from 6-8 p.m. Admission is free.

Two council seats are up for grabs this November. In District 1 (south Downey), Luis Marquez, Michael Murray and Mark Vasquez are looking to replace David Gafin, who is being termed out.

The District 5 citywide seat is being sought by Salvador Franco, Gabriel Orozco, Ricardo Perez and Alex Saab.

Cristina Garcia and Patricia Kotze-Ramos are in a runoff for state Assembly District 58.

Some of the candidates have strong ties to the Downey Chamber, which is sponsoring the forum. Kotze-Ramos is president of the Downey Chamber of Commerce, and Saab is president-elect. Murray sits on the chamber's board of directors and was honored as "Director of the Year" last month.

********** Published: October 11, 2012 - Volume 11 - Issue 26