Dear editor,

On Oct. 7, Stan State hosted Turlock’s Mayoral Debate. There were questions directed, specifically, to each candidate. One question directed to Mayor Bublak was, “Why didn’t you support Measure A?” Her answer was that it seemed too much to ask of her constituency after COVID.

When Mayor Bublak took office in late 2018, the City was facing financial headwinds. Over the next two years, between 2018 and mid-2020, Turlock continued deficit spending. The City repeatedly drew from its General Fund reserves to pay basic operational bills. By 2020, these reserves plummeted to a critical $9.8 million, prompting warnings about potential insolvency.

To pass a balanced budget for the 2020–21 fiscal year without collapsing into bankruptcy, the City Council had to slash over $4million from the budget. This immediately froze 35 vacant municipal positions, leaving Public Service understaffed and with interim leadership for its Police and Fire departments.

Tracking data estimated that the backlog to fix Turlock's deteriorating roads had ballooned to a massive $230 million—a number the city had zero means of addressing through traditional budgets.

The City Council majority and the Turlock Community Priorities Advisory Committee concluded that internal budget cuts were no longer enough, leading to the referral of a sales tax measure. Mayor Bublak insisted that budget cuts could resolve the financial crisis. She voted to not put a tax measure on the ballot. Her opposition was not limited to her council vote, Bublak refused to participate in promotional or advocacy efforts to encourage the passage of Measure A.

This wasn’t a close call; Turlock was in a financial crisis. Two City Managers had warned Mayor Bublak that the city was heading to possible bankruptcy. Turlock needs a leader who works with, and listens to, our City Manager. Jim Reape is a commonsense individual that believes in teamwork. I hope he is elected Turlock’s next Mayor.

— Jeani Ferrari