BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Bakersfield Vice Mayor Manpreet Kaur says she is seeking re-election for Ward 7's seat to continue building on the progress she says began during her first term, which encompasses portions of southwest and south Bakersfield.
- Kaur's top priorities include expanding pedestrian safety projects, constructing new affordable housing units, and investing in education and workforce development programs.
- She says she pushed for two financial accountability changes now in place: monthly city council budget meetings open to residents and regular city council meetings to break down proposals before council members decide on new city item rates.
- Kaur says she measures success by tracking how many of today's youth choose to stay, work, and continue growing with Bakersfield.
"This is a place where you can still afford a home. In California, that is a long faraway dream for most." Kaur said.
Among her priorities, Kaur says expanding pedestrian safety projects is critical to protecting families and reducing traffic dangers throughout the community.
She also points to the construction of new affordable housing units as a key investment in a city she says continues to grow.
Kaur says leadership starts with listening and advocating for residents, outside of delivering results. She adds that attracting and retaining a young workforce is essential to strengthening Bakersfield's economy by creating long-term opportunities.
She says she measures outcomes by looking at the retention rate — how many of today's youth decide to stay, work and continue growing with Bakersfield.
To show financial accountability, Kaur says she pushed for two major changes now in place:
1. Monthly city council budget meetings for residents to participate in.
2. Regular city council meetings to break down proposals before council members decide on new city item rates.
Kaur says her commitment to the community transcends political differences.
"Whether I am on the opposite ends of someone politically, my goal is to always to speak a common language and make sure that we can do the best we can for the residents of Bakersfield." Kaur said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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