Espinoza wants Shafter to prosper

Final in a series of articles on candidates for the Shafter City Council election on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Other profiles can be seen on TheShafterPress.com.

Pete Espinoza has served on the Shafter City Council since 2020, demonstrating a commitment to the community by advocating for economic development, safety and youth support. He is seeking re-election for a second term, motivated by a straightforward goal. "I don't like complicated things. To me, when I first ran, it was all about that. It's pretty much the same thing. It hasn't changed. I've only gotten more focused on what I've been doing, which I believe has been very helpful for the city of Shafter."

Espinoza takes pride in the many accomplishments he has achieved as part of the council. "I am very happy to be a part of many things going on in Shafter, like the Shafter Library & Learning Center. I'm proud to back educational and recreational opportunities for our youth. I'm excited about the new swimming pool that is near completion. We've opened a new skate park, made improvements to our existing parks and we're getting ready to break ground on a new park in north Shafter. I'm proud to support First Fridays, the Farmer's Market, the Christmas Parade and Cinco de Mayo. Finally, I'm also proud to be a part of the new police substation and fire department at Gossamer Grove."

Regarding his role among fellow councilmembers, he said, "It is an impressive list, but I'm just one of five. I'm happy to serve with a council that is like-minded and focused on improving the community. I just want to be a brick in the pillar. I want to help move things along and make Shafter a better community."

When asked what sets him apart from other candidates, he replied, "I'm not looking for a title or a position; I am looking for what is best for the city. It's not about putting one group over another or one side of Shafter against the other side. I'm for what is good for the city, and I believe if the city is doing well, then the people of Shafter will be doing well. I don't have an agenda; I want the city of Shafter to prosper."

He wants to continue serving because he believes the council is moving in a positive direction. "We are working well together, and I would like to continue on the projects we were working towards. I feel like I have something to contribute to Shafter, and I still want to be on the council for one more term to complete some of the things that are still in progress."

Espinoza has a passion for young people. "I've been a youth football coach for 22 years, starting back in '02. On Fridays, you can find me at Shafter High watching the football games, where many of the boys I coached as kids are now playing."

He is dedicated to Shafter, stating, "I'm not planning on going anywhere. My roots are in Shafter. I've lived my whole life here. I'm not going to move. I'm probably going to be here until the end. I call myself the small-town farm boy ... Shafter, through and through. That is all I've ever been. I'm blue and gold, and the deeper you get, the brighter the colors."

His message to the community of Shafter is, "Thank you for trusting me with your support."