Jeandron: Three decades of Commitment and Service
Police Chief Gary Jeandron still desires to serve the people. He elaborates in his own words.
Marisela Garcia
La Prensa Hispana
Gary Jeandron retired as the Palm Springs Police Chief after a 34-year career in law enforcement at the end of 2007. Most people would be happy with retirement, but Jeandron decided that his years of service were not over. He determined to continue his efforts to “keep our streets safe and provide children with a quality education”.
“I have devoted my life to helping others and I know that I can help our community as our next Assemblyman,” Jeandron said in an interview with La Prensa Hispana.
Jeandron, also a Palm Springs Unified School Board member, has been traveling across the entire 80th Assembly District stressing the importance of giving every child the opportunity to succeed and stay out of a life of crime.
“It is critically important that we do not cut off funding for education so that we ensure every child has the opportunity to attend college or seek a quality paying job after high school,” Jeandron said.
Jeandron believes education is an investment in our future and stresses that his years of experience and leadership have made him a strong consensus builder. He is quick to point out that not only is he supported by colleagues on the Palm Springs Unified school board and a majority of Desert Sands Unified board members, but many of his opponent’s colleagues on the Coachella Valley Unified School Board are supporting him as well.
Jeandron’s demeanor changes from the statesman like candidate to a proud husband, parent and grandparent when asked about his family.
“My wife and I really enjoyed parenthood, but I never knew how much I would enjoy being a grandparent,” he said. Jeandron has been married to his wife Vicki for 29 years and has two adult children. His daughter is expected to give birth to his second granddaughter around Election Day.
“Winning this election will be great, but it will absolutely be overshadowed by the idea of adding another beautiful granddaughter to the family,” Jeandron said.
On family values, Jeandron differs with his opponent, Manual Perez, on two critical issues – gay marriage and abortion. Proposition 8 would define marriage as only between one man and one woman. Jeandron supports this traditional definition while his opponent “supports same-sex marriage”.
Proposition 4 would require parents to be notified before their underage daughter can get an abortion. Jeandron supports parents being notified so they can help guide their child through a very stressful time. “Perez opposes Prop 4 and believes that current law – which allows children as young as 12 to get an abortion without parents ever knowing – should be maintained”.
On the economy, Jeandron was very excited to share his plan to revive our local economy, create new jobs and oppose raising taxes. “My opponent thinks that raising taxes by billions is the solution to our economic problems, but he doesn’t understand how hard working families and business are already stretched to the limit just trying to afford their mortgages, rent, food and gasoline,” said Jeandron.
Jeandron outlined his detailed plan to create “business incentive zones” in the eastern portion of the Coachella Valley concentrating around Indio, Coachella and the Salton Sea. “When the economy is struggling and people are in financial trouble, they can’t afford to give more money to the government,” asserted Jeandron.
Gary Jeandron is running against Manuel Perez for the 80th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Indio, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, El Centro, Calexico, La Quinta, Coachella, Brawley, Desert Hot Springs, Blythe, Imperial, Calipatria, Holtville, and Westmorland. Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, who is unable to run again due to term limits, currently occupies the seat.
