FRESNO (KMJ) – Elliott Balch is jumping into the Fresno mayor’s race.
The 38-year-old is the chief operations officer of the Central Valley Community Foundation, and was one of the major supporters of the “Measure P” campaign.
“I think the number one issue that we have to keep squarely in view is the fact that that by and large we have a lower wage economy, and we have some pretty serious economic challenges and economic disparities in the community, so we’ve got to maintain a really strong focus on prosperity as a goal,” Balch said.
He joins a number of candidates, including former congressional candidate Andrew Janz and city councilman and former school board member Luis Chavez, who describes himself as an extreme moderate.
“It’s like that old Ronald Reagan saying, right, that anybody who disagrees with you 80% of the time, is still 20% your friend,” Chavez said. “I live in that 20% world. I like to get things done.”
On Wednesday, Fresno police chief Jerry Dyer was joined by dozens of supporters at Manchester Center in Central Fresno to make official his intention to run for mayor.
KMJ Political Correspondent Clint Olivier reports.
