WATSONVILLE — Aurelio Gonzalez is vying for the District 2 seat on the Watsonville City Council.
He will face off against Jenni Veitch-Olson in the June 5 election for the seat that was vacated by Oscar Rios following his resignation in March.
“I’m just a community guy,” Gonzalez said. “I want to show the community that if you get involved, good things will happen for the city of Watsonville.”
Gonzalez, who was born in Texas, moved to Watsonville with his family when he was a toddler. He graduated from Watsonville High School and attended Cabrillo College.
He served in the Army National Guard for 12 years, and currently works in the construction trade.
Gonzalez has served on a number of boards over the last 30 years, including the Watsonville Planning Commission, Santa Cruz County Housing Authority, Pajaro Valley Unified School District Budget Committee and others.
While on the planning commission, Gonzalez voted to approve new housing projects across the city, including the Blackbird Homes development on Harkins Slough Road behind Ramsay Park, as well as a 49-unit townhome project on 221 Airport Blvd.
Tackling the “housing crunch” is one issue Gonzalez said he will address if elected to the city council. He added that the city needs to make sure it has not only affordable homes, but “high end” developments as well.
“We need to attract a diversity of people,” he said.
Finding homes for an aging population is another issue Gonzalez said will become a major issue for Watsonville in the near future. Describing himself as the “last of the baby boomers,” he added that there will be a “real housing issue for seniors” by the time he turns 65.
“There are going to be a lot more seniors who require housing but won’t be able to afford it,” said Gonzalez, 55.
Gonzalez said the city should reconsider its “restrictive” alcohol ordinance as a way to encourage businesses to invest in the downtown area.
“We are making it hard on them, when we should allow them to do something different and attract the younger generation,” he said.
Watsonville officials should be working on making the city more “business-friendly,” he added, and encourage new businesses to set up shop by “streamlining” the planning process.
If elected, Gonzalez said he wants to get more residents involved in their local government and the issues that affect them.
“I don’t have a problem knocking on doors and trying to get people involved,” he said. “People always tend to react when something is going to be taken away from them. When it comes to the good of the community, they don’t get involved.”
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The candidate who wins the District 2 election on June 5 will fill the remainder of the term, set to expire in December 2020.
For information, visit www.votescount.com.
