In a forum that allowed voters to hear from candidates running for Stockton’s City Council District 2 seat in next month’s primary election, only two of four candidates made an appearance.
Stockton’s former mayor Anthony Silva and county technology manager Waqar Rizvi were present at the Feb. 7 forum and answered seven questions posed by panelists.
Their opponents Pamela Pettis-Houston and Mariela Ponce were not present and have not attended other candidate forums this election season.
According to the city’s website, District 2 is located in the North Stockton area and is currently represented by Councilmember Dan Wright, who is vying for a chance to become Stockton’s mayor in the March 5 primary election.
Stockton’s election process states that to be elected as councilmember, a candidate nominated from a council district must receive the majority of votes cast by voters of that district in the primary election. If no candidate receives a majority of votes, a runoff election shall be held at the general election in November.
Anthony Silva
During the introduction part of the forum, Silva said his family had deep roots in Stockton and said people knew him as the people’s mayor.
Silva served as mayor for the city from 2013-17, was the CEO of the Stockton Kids Club — a nonprofit organization — and was president of the Stockton Unified School District board.
In 2017, Silva was arrested at San Francisco International Airport on suspicion of committing financial crimes, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office.
Prior to the arrest, a search warrant was served at his home as well as the Stockton Kids Club and he was charged with money laundering, embezzlement by a public officer and grand theft. The year before, he was also arrested on suspicion of recording a confidential conversation and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Ultimately, he pleaded guilty to one felony charge of conflict of interest as part of a plea deal.
“The conflict of interest related to Silva’s position as the Mayor of Stockton — while Mayor, he caused a disbursement of city funds to an organization he controlled,” the District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
Judge Charlotte Orcutt sentenced him to 90 days in county jail and ordered him to pay $19,783.69 in restitution.
During Wednesday’s forum, Silva said, “I didn’t take money from the oligarchies, the rich in the city who liked to control politics. I did things my own way.”
Waqar Rizvi
Rizvi is also not a stranger to the city and said he attended San Joaquin Delta College and is on Stockton’s planning commission.
In 2016, he ran for the same City Council position but did not win.
When both candidates were asked why they were running for City Council and what their qualifications were, Silva said the city has become full of homeless people, liquor stores and smoke shops.
“We deserve better. Our city is not safe, especially at night. The homeless crisis is out of control,” Silva said.
Rizvi pointed out the ongoing issues in the city such as public safety, homelessness affordable housing and said he thinks he could help bring people together to create solutions.
“I believe that being on the City Council, as District 2 representative, I can bring people together,” Rizvi said. “Being a City Council member is about collaboration and I believe I can do that.”
Another question answered by the two men was what they saw as the biggest issue or challenge in District 2 and how they would make a positive change in the area.
Rizvi reiterated the issues of public safety and homelessness and said leaders and residents need to understand why people are unhoused.
Additionally, he said he saw opportunities for the city to have a police substation back in the area.
On homelessness, crime, business and more
Silva agreed about the homelessness problem and the potential of more police stations.
He said the encampment sweeps that Caltrans does and police efforts have done nothing because those people return to the same spots.
“Once I’m elected and put back on the City Council, I’m going to address that in the first 90 days,” Silva said.
The panel also asked them to share their expertise on building consensus, how they would work with other councilmembers and how they would effectively communicate with citizens and involve them.
The fifth question asked was how the city might incentivize local businesses to create more job offerings for college-educated residents in order to attract and retain the highly skilled applicants.
Silva said he thinks the city should use community development work grants to help businesses hire residents.
“I think the city of Stockton community development grants could award $30,000 to a business willing to give a full-time job to someone that’s college educated, especially if they have a degree from Stockton so they stay in Stockton,” Silva said.
Rizvi said much of the city’s talented workers leave to work in the Bay Area each morning and believes the city needs to create partnerships such as higher education places.
Wednesday’s forum was the first of four hosted by San Joaquin Delta College centering on local elections, with a second taking place Thursday and two more to be held this week, Feb. 12 and 13, beginning at 6 p.m.
