Jose Luis Barajas

Statement:

• José Luis Barajas was born in Mexico and arrived in the U.S. when he was 2 months old. His parents came to the Salinas Valley and worked as farmworkers before opening their own small business selling refreshing aguas frescas at local farmer's markets and flea markets like El Mercado Popular in Watsonville. His parents gave him the opportunity to work hard and achieve the American Dream. This experience has motivated him to get involved in his community and driven him to look out for those who need a helping hand to succeed.
• José Luis has taken his life lessons from working at his parents’ small business to work for SUBA. Today, as a Business Support Specialist, he helps businesses access the resources and support they need to be successful and thrive in Monterey County.
• José Luis has also been very active in the community as a volunteer and working to make our government more efficient and more effective. He serves on the Monterey County Housing Advisory Commission addressing affordability issues in Salinas. He serves on the Boards of Directors of Salinas Valley Pride Celebrations and the Salinas Valley Young Professionals Organization.
• His Salinas City government experience includes serving on the Salinas General Plan Update Steering Committee as a voice for the business and entrepreneurial community and advocating for increased economic development opportunities for all residents.
• José Luis also serves as the Chair of the Measure E Oversight Committee, analyzing budget reports and helping the committee work with the City Council to make sure the funds are spent wisely. He advocates for investments in quality of life improvements for residents city-wide and promotes fiscal responsibility with taxpayer dollars. Additionally, he is the current Chair of the Housing Advisory Committee.
• As a City Councilmember, he will bring an understanding of how business works combined with an institutional knowledge of how government works, allowing him to fight to improve our community by promoting job creation.

Website: joseluisbarajas.com