Vote Vic!
Gonzalez gains campaign experience
By Mike Feinstein
Green Party of California

In his first run for office, 32-year-old Victor Gonzalez garnered exactly 5,200 votes for Pasadena Unified School Board, finishing second with 37.9 percent of the vote.

Born and reared by Latin American immigrants in the Pico-Union area of Los Angeles, for the last dozen years Gonzalez has served as an inner city middle school and high school teacher, magnet coordinator and secondary literacy expert.

Gonzalez was endorsed by the local Arroyo Seco Greens, as well as the Green Parties of Los Angeles County and the state of California.

Gonzalez ran on a platform of zero-based budgeting, giving greater control of schools over to local communities, building sustainable schools and meeting the needs of local families.

His grassroots campaign was able to distribute over 6,000 flyers, make over 5,000 phone calls and post dozens of his campaign signs around Pasadena, which consists of over 100,00 eligible voters. His website, www.votevic.org, also provided info about his campaign.

While he did not win the election, Gonzalez remains optimistic and a committed Green. "It was an incredible experience," said Gonzalez. "I look forward to sharing it by urging and helping other Greens to run."

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