Duane Vasquez, founder of I Love Cal City, used to interview city office candidates, but now he's the one being interviewed as he's running for mayor.
- Duane Vasquez moved to Cal City about six years ago and started I Love Cal City to promote pride in the desert town. He also produced videos featuring city office candidates to inform the community.
- Vasquez invited 23ABC's Steve Virgen to interview the mayoral candidates. Entire video interviews will be released in the coming weeks.
- The mayoral candidates will have a public forum in the coming weeks.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Two candidates for Mayor of California City answered questions regarding the future of the high desert town in a pre-recorded forum.
I'm Steve Virgen, your neighborhood reporter... and I was invited to moderate the discussion on pre-determined topics.
"I don't have anything to gain from this. I'm not invested in a company. I don't have investments or connections with people. I don't have political aspirations. My goal is: I want to live in a nice city."
Duane Vasquez, the founder of I Love Cal City, tells me why he is running for mayor of the desert town against current mayor Kelly Kulikoff and resident Marq Hawkins.
Vasquez says he can be the voice of reason.
"The council members seem more into their petty differences than actually wanting to work together. It seems like I'm the only person who knows them and considers them friends and can work with all of them."
About six years ago Vasquez started I Love Cal City to promote pride in the city.
I was asked to moderate the discussion this week...
A switch for Vasquez... who used to produce videos with local officials... asking questions to keep citizens informed.
"Like most people, I've seen the city decline in the last several years and there's things that I have to be mayor to address."
Kulikoff says his business background gives him the ability to grow business and detect those who want more for themselves.
"I'm looking at different angles to move the city forward and I'm also looking at the city's best interest when it comes to people coming into California City or special interest groups trying to take advantage of the city."
Hawkins declined to be interviewed because he says he's concerned there's a conflict of interest as Vasquez is the founder of I Love Cal City and determines the questions for the interview.
Vasquez tells me the entire interviews will be available in the coming weeks.
"In our attempts to save the budget we kind of lost the focus on actually serving the people."
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