Plant Maintenance Supervisor, James Butler, is one of the candidates interested in leading the city of Stockton in 2013.
James Butler, is one of the candidates interested in leading the city of Stockton in 2013.
“I was raised in a small town in Oklahoma,” said Butler, “I first came to Stockton in 1970 while on R&R [Rest & Recuperation Leave] from my first naval tour overseas … I fell in love with Stockton and it citizens.”
After his service in the U.S. Navy, Butler settled in Stockton.
“There was no chance of a higher education for me, but if you could work with your hands you could make a life for you and your family,” says Butler, describing his empathy for working class families of Stockton. “I am still a working class person…I experience every day the decisions that working class citizens make to provide food, shelter, transportation and a future for their families.”
Seeing the many poor decisions made by City Management sparked his desire to run for mayor, says Butler. “When I questioned these [decisions] I was told I do not understand the big picture!”
While the City of Stockton continues the battle to prevent bankruptcy, if elected mayor, by the time Butler takes office the bankruptcy will “either be in process, completed or stopped,” he says.
“This would be the best time to take the reins…we will be working with real dollars instead of the inflated information.”
If elected, Butler says he will focus on providing long term jobs and assisting the working class citizens in purchasing homes and building businesses. “This will bring up home values in the neighborhoods and assist in lowering crime. If we put our citizens back to work I believe the crime will reduce itself.
Other candidates running against Mayor Ann Johnston are: bar owner Jimmie Rishwain, Boys & Girls CEO Anthony Silva, Gregory Pitsch, and former council member Ralph Lee White.
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