Candidate for
Council Member; City of Watsonville; Council District 1

Representing District 1 on City Council since April 22, 2003, it is Manuel's hope to continue what he has set into motion over the last fifteen months, focusing on issues such as youth, local education, crime and safety, industrial clean-up and the completion of the new library and courthouse on the 200 block of Main Street. Manuel envisions hope and aspiration for the youth of District 1 as they walk past the new court building on their way to Watsonville High School, to one day serve the community in careers in public service and government.

One of Manuel's focus points is to assist working class families of Watsonville to gain affordable housing, develop a revitalized and prosperous downtown center, provide access to an excellent education in the local K-12 district, gain greater access to vocational and higher education and finding sufficient and well-paid employment locally. Manuel desires to work to attract more businesses to Watsonville so that families do not continue to leave Watsonville in order to make a decent living or own a home. It is his desire to help the City Council make hard financial decisions that are faced in this economy, to protect the city services that serve so many of Watsonville's citizens, and to look for external resources to assist the City.