Take 5: Nelson Esparza on His City Council Run

By David Taub, Senior Reporter

Published 7 years ago on

January 25, 2018

Nelson Esparza says he wants to positively affect the lives of more people in Fresno. So, he is running for higher office.
Voters elected him to the Fresno County Board of Education in 2016. Now, Esparza is asking voters to send him to the Fresno City Council.
Esparza is running in District 7, covering much of central Fresno. He seeks to replace Clint Olivier, who terms out at the end of this year.
In this edition of Take 5, we ask Esparza his thoughts on how to make Fresno more business-friendly, his assessment of Mayor Lee Brand’s performance, and whether the city should allow recreational marijuana shops. Esparza also addresses being fined for fundraising violations at the start of his city council campaign.
The other candidates for the District 7 seat are attorney Brian Whelan and healthcare advocate Veva Islas.
The primary is June 5. If a candidate wins a majority of votes, he or she wins the race outright. If not, the top two meet in a November runoff.

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David Taub,

Senior Reporter

Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email