Twelve candidates for City of Calexico

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - We are several months away from the November elections and Calexico is the only city in Imperial County that has all of its five seats open this election.

Despite the recent recall of Gilberto Manzanarez and Raul Ureña, both candidates say they are running again.

"It's time for people to have someone that truly represents the working class families now more than ever people are struggling to put food on their table...pay their rent...there is a huge need for affordable housing and then now that there is a threat of increasing water rates in Calexico," said Gilberto Manzanarez.

Manzanarez and Ureña are running for a full four-term and they say they taking another shot for a seat on the city council.

"I was, unfortunately, a victim hate and political recall that set the course of Calexico politics backwards. We are trying to get back into the Calexico City Council and continue to see the growth," said Ureña.

Both candidates share things they you will change if elected.

Ureña says he will bring back the former City Manager Esperanza Colio, who has put on administrative leave back in June.

"We quadrupled the City of Calexico's budget with Esperanza Colio's expertise and contacts with the city. We brought down millions of dollars for the new river...a brand new transit center in Downtown and we fixed both fire stations," said Raul Ureña.

Manzanares says one of the things that the city needs to change is fundamental change.

"We are paying the wages of two city managers simply because of politics...We have a city manager who we hired and we paid very well too...who is on administrative leave... paid administrative leave simply because there are council members still right now that don't like her personally and they keep her away to do politics...and why do we the taxpayers have to be paying for two city manager salaries," said Manzanares.

Both candidates encourage voters to go out and vote this November.