OXNARD : Firefighters Back Kato for Council
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The Oxnard firefighters union on Friday endorsed former Mayor Tsujio Kato for a vacant City Council seat, saying he has a record of emphasizing public safety issues.
Bill Gallaher, president of the 72-member Oxnard Firefighters Assn., said Kato’s record of opposing Police and Fire Department cuts swayed the union’s decision.
“There were several good candidates, but for us, Dr. Kato was the sure thing because he makes public safety and the Fire Department a priority,” Gallaher said.
Kato, 54, is seeking office after a decade-long absence from politics. He was recalled by voters in 1984 after being convicted for shoplifting $22 worth of barbecue utensils at a local Sears department store.
Thirteen candidates and one write-in contender are vying for the seat in a special election to be held March 2. The seat opened when Councilman Manuel Lopez was elected mayor in November.
Also on Friday, the Mexican American Political Forum endorsed council candidate Roy Lockwood.
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