Candidate for
Mayor; City of Riverbank

Hello,

My name is Chris Crifasi and I would like to thank you for your interest in my campaign to become Riverbank's next Mayor.

My wife, Becky, and I have made Riverbank our home for the past four years. I was born and raised in Modesto and have lived in this area all of my life.

I am a graduate of CSU Stanislaus with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. I worked for 10 years as the Manager of Accounting for a local privately-held company before leaving to pursue additional experience in order to become a Certified Public Accountant. I am currently employed as a Senior Tax Accountant at a large regional public accounting firm in Stockton.

I admire the positive changes that Riverbank's City Council has made over the past years with Mayor Bill O'Brien at the helm. I believe the Council has taken a strong stand for controlled growth. However, I also feel that without a strong and competent leader on the Council it would be far too easy for Riverbank to become just another in a long line of victims of urban sprawl. I believe that growth is going to happen but it must be controlled growth and not just growth for growth's sake. I believe that growth must pay for itself.

I believe that Bill provided that leadership in the past and I appreciate his endorsement of me for Mayor. I know that my experience in both public and private accounting and my work with large and small companies makes me the candidate best qualified to continue that leadership.

It is also my desire to see Riverbank become a safer community. As Riverbank grows, public safety issues continue to become more and more important. I want to see more and more officers on the streets patrolling our community and policing traffic laws as dangerous speeding becomes more of an issue in Riverbank. We also need to take a hard look at our arrangement with the Consolidated Fire Department. With continued cost overruns, are we going to be able to continue to count on that department to provide us with the fire protection that Riverbank needs?

Lastly, I want it to be known that I am pro-business. I want Riverbank to be known as a business-friendly community. With the revitalization of the Downtown area and the construction of our new shopping center on the corner of Oakdale and Claribel I think that Riverbank is at a crucial point in our city's history. I believe that a thriving business community makes for a thriving community and I will do whatever I can to help create a thriving business community.

I believe that a vote for me is a vote for continued progress in Riverbank and a vote against taking a step backward.

Again, thank you for your interest in my campaign and your support in helping me get my message out to the public.

Chris Crifasi, CPA Candidate for Mayor of Riverbank