By Jennifer Karmarkar
March 15, 2010
The chance to meet and greet Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-47) and Fullerton Mayor Pro Tem Pam Keller brought around 100 people to a campaign kickoff in the Maple neighborhood of Fullerton March 13.
Both candidates used the opportunity to talk about the issues facing residents, register new voters and canvas the 3-square-block neighborhood just east of Harbor Boulevard.
Sanchez has served the 47th Congressional District for seven terms. Keller was elected to the city council for her first four-year term in 2006. Both are up for re-election in November.
Fullerton City Council member Sharon Quirk-Silva attended to lend support to both candidates, saying that it was exciting to hold the event in the Maple neighborhood.
“It’s a very established neighborhood with longtime residents and that’s the way these campaigns are won,” she said. She added that Sanchez likes to make sure that the residents are involved and that they have a voice.
Susie Dittmar, 47, lives in the Maple neighborhood and attended the event with her sister, Jill.
“I’m very civic minded and I’ve never been on a walk with either Sharon (Quirk-Silva) or Pam Keller so this was a good opportunity,” she said. “I’m hoping to ask Pam about the recent gang activity and trimming some hedges along the public sidewalks.”
Live rock ‘n’ roll and the smell of pizza filled the afternoon air as the crowd gathered in the front yard of homeowner Vicki Calhoun. Sanchez arrived a little after 2 p.m. and spoke to the crowd for about 10 minutes.
Education was foremost in the mind of many attendees, and Sanchez focused on what she was doing to help repair California’s troubled school system.
“Orange County alone got about $178 million dollars to keep the schools open but we’re not out of the woods yet,” Sanchez told supporters. “Speaker Nancy Pelosi, being a Californian, understands that our schools are in trouble here in California. And we’re doing everything that we possibly can to work on getting more money into the system because we know that 92 percent of all our kids go to public schools.”
Sanchez added that she was working toward passing legislation that would improve the student loan program and increase Pell Grants, “so that Cal State Fullerton will have more money for students, teachers and programs.”
That idea resonated with Fullerton resident Rose Matthews, 54, who recently earned her master’s degree in education at CSUF.
“When she was talking about the Pell Grants and that they’re increasing them to Cal State Fullerton, that’s so important,” she said. “I know it was so tough for me to go to college and it’s even harder now with tuitions rising and rising to uncontrollable rates.”
After the speech, Sanchez addressed concerns about the nearly $6 million dollar budget shortfall facing the city of Fullerton.
“The reality is (Fullerton) has been a really well-run city. I know that as the city makes their cuts they’re going to try to eliminate those things that least affect people,” she said. “They have come to me to ask for more money for the Boys and Girls Club, more money for the Seniors Program, more money for police and fire protection as well as infrastructure projects like the train crossings. I’m going to work as hard as I can to bring back money here to Fullerton.”
Later, Sanchez, Keller and about 30 campaign volunteers canvassed the neighborhood to meet homeowners and pass out information about the candidates.
