To the Editor
San Fernando SUN
Reference: Candidates Forum
Kudos is due San Fernando Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring the Candidates Forum at the Middle School on February 16. This was a wonderful opportunity for voters to know the candidates and ask questions to find out how they stand on current issues.
However, we were unhappy (others, too) that the public was not allowed to ask questions directly to the candidates during the program.
We failed to understand why a person who does not live in San Fernando instead was chosen to moderate the event and determine which questions were important and which were not important to ask the candidates. (Some questions selected didn’t even pertain to city government.)
How can a person outside of our community know what questions are best to choose from the pile of questions submitted to the moderator. More importantly, San Fernando residents have a history of active participation in the political process. Unfortunately, the chamber of commerce unknowingly took away this important tradition.
We know that the business organization has the best intention to serve the city. I trust it will be more inclusive next time.
We know Richard Katz well. He served San Fernando effectively years ago as a state assemblyman.
Also, we know that a lot of work was put in the planning and preparation of the event and we appreciate this as well.
Sincerely submitted,
Jose Hernandez, Ph. D., former Councilman and Mayor of San Fernando
Rosa Chacon, former Councilwoman and Mayor of San Fernando