No to outside politicians

Dear Editor: As a father, husband and resident of Downey, I feel some sense of responsibility with the city to make sure it continues to be the great metropolis I knew and for which I decided to move and raise my family 10 years ago.

Being proud of my Mexican heritage as well as a citizen of this great country, I always want to see a young Latino succeed because it is a reflection of our community, particularly because we need good role models. However, not always is a Latino last name in power a reflection of our success in our community.

I am talking about Salvador Franco, the former councilman from Bell Gardens, who now wants to reprsent the people of Downey. As a Latino, I feel sad that this so-called "leader" considers our community stupid enough to vote for him just because his last name is Latino or because he is a Democrat. Does he think that we are not going to know about his past? What did he do or not do in the city of Bell Gardens that he couldn't even get reelected there? Why not stay in Bell Gardens and try to earn the trust of that community that believed in him in 2001? He preferred to move to the next city over where no one knows him.

Despite his past, in six years that he said he has lived in Downey, I haven't heard of him doing anything for the community. I am really concerned, espeically when I read that most of his campaign contributors are outsiders which include the city manager from Huntington Park - a city where John Noguez came from and now he is in jail.

Please do your research and vote for the candidate who really cares for the community, not someone that just moved in to run for council. We need to make sure we send a message to all those people that just move in for personal interests to not run because we are watching and we do not want Bell Gardens politics to move into Downey. Agustin Munoz Downey

********** Published: November 1, 2012 - Volume 11 - Issue 29