Louis Fuentes, an air-conditioning business owner and Republican who previously held elected office in Imperial County, is running for county supervisor representing District 1. The San Diego Union-Tribune asked him and all the candidates running a series of the same questions about the big issues f acing South County, and their priorities and plans if elected. Here’s what he told us. 1.) Why are you running, and what makes you the best candidate? I am a proven leader in economic development and job creation, dedicated to fostering growth along the California-Mexico border. As president at Air Conditioning Guys and a three-term Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) board member (2016-2022), I have strengthened regional economies and improved community quality of life. A UC Berkeley graduate in development studies with a focus on economics, I have represented California’s border economic perspective at national and international levels. Elected to the Calexico City Council in 2006 and elected mayor (by the council) in 2008-2009, I championed cross-border collaboration. Appointed to the Imperial County Board of Supervisors by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2009 and elected chair in 2010, I advanced economic and infrastructure development initiatives, including the 125 and 211 initiative. I have been a successful county supervisor already. I bring proven leadership, real results and a business perspective and experience that other options don’t have. 2.) What are the top 3 issues facing this district and the county generally? Economic opportunity: More job creation. Public health: All the social services that the county can provide need to be coordinated better with those in the neighborhoods working with people in those neighborhoods. There has to be a better integration of public-private service providers so that the people that need help the most can get it. Depression and anxiety is so rampant after COVID-19 that our kids have not been able to cope and really excel in their daily lives. Safety of our residents: From kids and young adults to the elderly, the most vulnerable of our communities need to feel they are safe — safe in schools, on the streets, at the park, walking around the neighborhoods, at social events. Enhance our district’s funding for first responders, so that they are better equipped to handle everyday issues that may arise and well prepared for emergencies. 3.) What are the first 3 things you would do in office if elected? — Review all projects that can generate jobs and a better life for District 1 residents to push them to completion without unnecessary barriers. — Ensure our fire and law enforcement agencies have the necessary tools to protect the citizens of San Diego County from natural disasters and threats. By working with local cities, we can pull federal dollars to do so with my contacts in Washington, D.C. I’m a bit worried the state may not be the enhanced funding source, with our current state of financial circumstances. — Review the sanctuary county policy. 4.) What are your plans for addressing homelessness in San Diego County and in this district specifically? This is a national issue. There are many cities and counties facing this crisis — although San Diego County has a significant homelessness challenge, particularly with chronic homelessness, veterans and individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders. Given the mild climate, high cost of living and large veteran population, perhaps we can implement best practices that have been the most effective approaches in similar areas, taking examples from: — Housing-first expansion, with a coordinated entry system (Houston’s “The Way Home”)— Navigation centers for encampment reduction (San Francisco’s model)— Veteran-focused housing and job programs (Virginia and Chicago)— Employment-driven homelessness solutions (LA:RISE and Ready, Willing & Able)— Tiny homes or alternative transitional housing (Seattle and Austin’s models) 5.) Recent wildfires in Los Angeles County have brought renewed attention to the potential effects on areas with high fire risk. Do you think the county should encourage development in rural unincorporated areas, and if so, how should it mitigate fire risks in them? Also, what more should the county do to combat the region’s housing and affordability crisis? The county should always encourage development. That brings jobs, opportunities and a tax base. The process of how that development can be managed by mitigating the threats that may occur in those rural unincorporated areas. Landscaping requirements, sprinkler systems, hardscaping, brush-clearing buffer zones as part of approval, technology, researching all funding sources available to channel to our first responders, firefighters and sheriff personnel, so that the response is quick and diligent. Upgrading our first responders’ equipment and outdated resources. Water helicopters that can operate at night is a good move. Ensuring our water reservoirs are always kept at closest to full capacity so as to not repeat the issues that happened in L.A. 6.) San Diego County recently drew national attention for its effort to bolster its immigration “sanctuary” policies. What are your positions on immigration enforcement and goals for immigrant communities, and how should the county pursue these and respond to federal crackdowns? What is your response to the sheriff’s refusal to comply with new county policy? Every country has a right to uphold its own immigration policies. These issues are better tackled by our congressional leaders that represent our communities, including the ones that represent all of San Diego County districts. These are topics that are so complex that there really has not been any type of solution or reform for decades. Every presidential race, every candidate has a solution — yet it continues. I do agree with the position that if there is any person who is to be released who has committed a crime, there should be some sort of communication with federal authorities to determine if they are also wanted for federal crimes. As the party responsible for our detention facilities and inmates, Sheriff Martinez has every right to use the laws available to that position as most benefits our residents. If they broke the law, their documented status is irrelevant; there are consequences. 7.) Are you satisfied with the county’s handling of the sewage crisis thus far? What specific actions would you take to tackle the issue, and what relief would you seek for constituents? I believe that the work that South Bay mayors and elected officials have done these past four years is commendable. This is an issue that hits close to home in District 1. It’s important to the health of our families, children, the elderly and business activity. BUT I believe my unique experience can provide a solution to this issue, which has been politicized, and to some extent turned into a legal battle, when it truly is a management issue. I think this could be solved within a year. I say this confidently because if you read my biography, my experience, history, contacts and understanding of Mexico’s politics is an invaluable piece to solving this issue once and for all. Lobbying Sacramento and D.C. is good to bring the issue to them, but it really won’t be effective unless we get to the real decision-makers in Mexico. That’s the reality. 8.) What else should be the county’s top priorities on public health and, separately, on behavioral health? Do you support the county’s current courses of action on both, and how do you think it should improve? We always need to improve. What the current supervisors have done should be acknowledged. I — having had some public health experience at UC Berkeley and Loyola in Chicago — would have some insight into the issues and would welcome more thorough discussions on what has been done, what was believed to be the solution, did it work or not and why not, and I would reach out to my network of other county boards of supervisors across the border states that have similar issues to replicate best practices. I strongly believe our own county health officials and staff, private industry nursing and medical (providers) can be great partners at coming up with innovative solutions to the issues facing San Diego County. 9.) District 1 has borne the impacts of climate change in the form of recent wildfires and floods, as well as the health effects of climate-warming emissions. How would you improve climate resilience within the district, and how would you improve transportation options that reduce emissions? I feel for everyone that experienced the recent (Border 2) wildfires that spread very quickly in the South Bay. I saw it extend over the landscape from approximately 3 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next morning. I lived the anguish of getting the evacuation order at 3:30 in the morning — rushing to pack up important documents and all the photo albums of my children growing up. Everything was ready to load the truck and leave. The first responders did an amazing job at containing and protecting the Eastlake and unincorporated areas of District 1. I would gather those involved in responding to this disaster and that were part of the command center and hash out what went wrong, what could we control, what got out of control and (whether we could) mitigate any of these factors that change so rapidly. Again, if they have the best equipment to battle these fires, their professionalism and bravery is all we can expect. 10.) The CaliBaja region — the combined economies of San Diego and Imperial counties and Baja California — is the largest integrated economic zone along the U.S.-Mexico border. How would you protect this cross-border economy as the presidential administration threatens heavy tariffs on Mexico, and how would you make the county friendlier to businesses, small and large? This is an area that I have a passion for. I have to tell you that in 2001 to 2002, I, along with the president of Mexicali’s economic development arm (CDEM), Rene Acuña, wrote the framework and created the precursor to the CaliBaja Mega-Region. At that time it was known as the “Tri-Valley Alliance” between Coachella-Imperial-Mexicali Valleys. We saw the potential then. And it wasn’t until we garnered attention with our campaign that said we were “HOTTER THAN PHOENIX, it’s not our temperature, it’s our location” — playing on our proximity to metropolitan areas and abundance of water, labor and land — that the U.S. Economic Development Administration recognized the potential. When the Imperial Valley and San Diego economic development corporations decided to approach EDA for funding, it was a no-brainer. The rest is history. ...read more read less