Ramon Casas Jr. promises conservative 'family values' if elected to city council

Ramon Casas Jr. is an English teacher at St. John Bosco High School. He is running for Downey City Council, District 1. (Photo by Vincent Medina)

DOWNEY – Ramon Casas Jr., a Downey native and English teacher at St. John Bosco High School, is campaigning for economic growth, community engagement, and “family values” as he runs for Downey city council’s District 1 seat.

After graduating from St. John Bosco, Casas earned his degree in city planning from the University of Southern California. He worked for a Southern California commercial real estate firm but decided to pursue teaching later in his career and returned to his alma mater.

“I come from a very conservative background and I have a policy background,” Casas said. “It’s critical that we establish ethical policies that align with family values that are sustainable for the future.”

Casas has a three-year-old daughter.

Family Values and Inclusivity

The council candidate expressed his desire for more communal events that cater to families from diverse cultural backgrounds. While acknowledging the importance of events celebrating Downey’s prominent Latinx population, he advocated for celebrating other ethnicities like the city’s German, Italian, Irish and Asian residents.

While Casas advocates for inclusive events celebrating different ethnicities, he expressed his opposition toward events catering to the LGBTQIA+ community.

“I’m not an advocate of the Pride Fest. I believe that we need to be inclusive, and that is very exclusive because it solely caters to LGBTQIA+ people,” Casas said. “I’ve talked to many families and senior citizens; they don’t feel comfortable at the pride fest. So, I believe that it’s fine that we have various organizations involved in a festival, but make sure it’s inclusive.”

Ramon Casas Jr. is one of three candidates for Downey City Council District 1. (Instagram)

He proposed a Downey Community Fest that embraces a broader spectrum of demographics, including the traditional family dynamic, LGBTQIA+ individuals and people from various ethnic backgrounds.

“It’s global diversity month, across the world in the month of October. So have the traditional family dynamic,” Casas said. “The nuclear family invited as well invite the LGBTQIA+ individuals and people from different ethnicities, where everyone’s inclusive.”

Casas also emphasized his pro-life stance on abortion. He advocated for protecting the sanctity of life, advocating for alternatives to abortion, and emphasizing adoption as a viable option. He acknowledged the complexity of cases involving threats to the patient’s life, emphasizing that medical decisions should be left to the professionals.

“If someone is in dire need or her life at risk that’s the doctor’s decision, but outside of there not being a medical issue, it’s best if the woman has the child,” Casas said. “God willing, she wants to keep the child, but if she does not she could give the baby up for adoption.”

Economic Revitalization

Casas’ campaign has promised to stimulate the local economy through public and private investments. Drawing from his background in commercial real estate, he plans to leverage connections with private equity individuals and corporations to attract family-friendly businesses.

“I could reach out to private equity individuals and corporations, get a consensus to what the city really wants and needs, and determine our budget from the community development funds,” the council candidate explained. “Supermarkets like Sprouts or Trader Joe’s, entertainment options like Dave and Busters, and festivals that celebrate our diverse population are essential to livening up our downtown.”

Casas also addressed the need for revitalizing downtown Downey, a critical area that he feels needs to catch up in terms of development and vibrancy. He suggested making the site more pedestrian-friendly and family-friendly.

“Downtown Downey is really outdated and we need newer infrastructure. It looks the same as when I was here in the 90s,” Casas said. “We need more infrastructure redevelopment. We could bring in public funds and private funds because something needs to get done.”

Law Enforcement and City Employees

Casas expressed his belief in a more substantial police presence to ensure safety in a city that he said has experienced an influx of businesses and population. The concern over rising crime rates was an important factor behind the call for additional policing.

He criticized Mayor Claudia Formeta for denying funds for extra officers to police chief Leslie Murray.

“[Murray] has addressed the council, and she requested more police officers as well. She was denied seconds after requesting it,” Casas said. “There are a lot of DUI accidents in Downey. We should incorporate an increase in the budget for more DUI checkpoints entering the city.”

Casas expressed his commitment toward public services and city employees by promising to advocate for improved wages and benefits. He believes proper funding allocation and financial accountability are crucial to enhancing public services while avoiding wasteful spending.

“Our city employees are the foundation of our community, and we must ensure they’re adequately compensated for their hard work,” he said.

Opponents’ Absence and Lack of Specifics

Casas also criticized his opponents, Elvira Meraz and Horacio Ortiz, for their absence from city council meetings and a lack of concrete policy details.

“With strong family values as my guide, I aspire to infuse every aspect of Downey’s growth and development,” he remarked. “Our city is already remarkable, and together, we can elevate it to new heights.”

The Downey city council election is set for Nov. 7.