Candidate Rudy Ramírez easily recognizes his strengths in running for mayor of Chula Vista.
"I am part of the community. I was born and have lived my entire life in Chula Vista. I have been an entrepreneur all my professional life with a metal business on Main Street, and I was also a city councilman, from 2006 to 2014, which includes the biggest recession we have had in recent times," said Ramírez in a conversation with Chula View Today.
In addition, of the six current candidates for mayor of Chula Vista, Rudy Ramírez is the only one who speaks Spanish fluently and naturally.
With those advantages, if Ramírez wins the mayoral election this year, he plans to address his campaign priorities. He said they are staples for critics for Chula Vista.
"The first thing is security," he said. "On the one hand, we have a deficit of at least 40 police officers, but, on the other hand, you see that the police officers we have are going from one place to another, most of the time responding to emergency calls because they lack elements."
"But, on the other hand, we already approved a small increase to the sales tax in the city, to finance that security, that police hiring that we need," he said.
He explained that by allocating that income to hiring police officers, the department would have enough agents but could also promote preventive programs, which he considered critical.
As Mayor, Ramírez aims to address Chula Vista's housing shortages.
The candidate explained that rising mortgage prices and rents threaten to make housing in Chula Vista prohibitive.
"There is a solution. There are options to consider. For example, we can promote the construction of houses and apartments on the commercial corridors of the city, Third Avenue, Broadway, H and E streets, with good planning", he said.
Rudy Ramírez also believes it is vital for the city to promote new investments and attract better wages. Another of his priorities is to solve the homeless community in Chula Vista.
"Homeless people are beginning to create a crisis, and we have to find an adequate solution because until now, we have only continued their suffering," Ramírez said.
Ramírez's priorities with his platform as a candidate, are "basic, but critical" issues, which in his opinion, the Chula Vista government should now attend.
He is looking for the current mayor, Mary Casillas Salas, who will leave when she completes her second term in office in December.
