Normally it’s national politics on display when the Manteca Tea Party Patriots gather on Thursday nights at Angelano’s Restaurant.
But this time it was the Manteca City Council and five of the six people that are running for it that were on the hot seat. There wasn’t much that they disagreed with when it came to the policies and plans to carry Manteca into a new era.
But that doesn’t mean that isn’t any variation in the choices.
“I think if you listened to our answers tonight we agreed on pretty much everything,” retired Manteca planner Ben Cantu said. “It just comes down to two things really – age and experience. Some of my answers were a little bit more detailed because of the experience I have with the city, and some of the other guys had a perspective that was a little bit different – it depends on the person.
“I think it also shows that we’re all on the same page when it comes to doing what’s right for the citizens of Manteca.”
Cantu, who has been running for a local elected office in some capacity for the last 10 years, said that the decision to do so wasn’t necessarily to get elected each time he put his name on the ballot, but interject issues into the public consciousness that often times aren’t talked about or are ignored by those seeking office.
Candidates like Gary Singh, a political newcomer when it comes to elected office, pointed out that he’d like to see a reworking of how the city deals with prospective business owners who seek permits, and streamline things to make it easier for those who want to make Manteca the home of their business.
“I’ve heard from people that come down to the city to seek a permit and it takes up to six months before that happens,” said Singh – who currently serves on the Manteca Planning Commission along with fellow candidates Jeff Zellner and Eric Hayes. “That’s too long – if you’ve got loans and you’re not making any money you can go bankrupt before you ever actually get the chance to open your doors.
“We need to be cognizant of that when we’re talking about bringing in people who create jobs in our community.”
Zellner also commented on the way that things work their way through that department, noting that he himself has been subjected to months of waiting for something that ultimately took minutes when it was finally reviewed.
When asked about the increase in gang activity, Zellner pointed out that the Manteca Police Department is still recovering from the decision by the Manteca Police Officers Association to lay off officers rather than take a pay cut – which the Manteca Firefighters Association did do – and that as the city’s finances normalize, those issues will be able to be addressed.
Hayes cautioned that while it may be easy to make promises and point out issues that need to be addressed, that each of those cost money and will need to be thought out because of the city’s existing overhead – paying police officers, firefighters and civic workers in addition to providing maintenance services to vehicle fleets and parks and everything else they’re responsible for.
And while he’s the youngest person in the race, David Cushman – who was one of the founders of the Manteca Tea Party Patriots – said that his age will also be part of the unique perspective he can bring to the table if voters see fit to elect him next month.
“It’s important to have somebody that reflects the next generation,” Cushman said. “Something that isn’t talked about very much is how 40 percent of Manteca’s population is under the age of 24, and they need somebody on the City Council that represents their views and will do what’s best for them.”

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.