Former Associated Students, Inc. President Artemio Pimentel willtry to improve his hometown of Woodland as the next step in hispolitical career, since graduating from Sacramento State in spring2002.

Pimentel will run in the election for Woodland City Council inMarch 2004 as part of his first steps to be part of thecity’s government.

There are three positions up for grabs in the election he isrunning in. The candidate with the most votes would become vicemayor of Woodland for two years and mayor for two years, anopportunity Pimentel said that he and his campaign are shootingfor.

Pimentel said there are a plethora of issues in the city thataren’t being addressed, such as the lack of affordablehousing in Woodland.

“I want to create affordable housing so that long-timecitizens of Woodland will be able to own a home or buy a largerhome for their growing families,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel was born and raised in Woodland by his parents, twomigrant farm workers from Michaocan, Mexico.

Educational improvement is also high on Pimentel’spriority list.

“What I would like to do is establish a youth council thatcan make recommendations to the City Council about the needs ofyoung people in Woodland,” Pimentel said.

The 24-year-old started campaigning for the March 2 electionabout a month and a half ago.

He held a fund-raiser at the Woodland Masonic Center on Sunday.For a $10 donation to his campaign fund, attendees were treated tofood, music and a meet and greet with Pimentel. About 200 membersof the community came throughout the day to show their support,including former Woodland Mayor and City Council member DudleyHolman.

“I admire his youth,” Holman said. “Too manypeople wait until they are older to get involved in thecommunity.”

In addition to more fund raising, Pimentel hopes to hold voterregistration drives to motivate citizens to be more activelyinvolved in the democratic process.

While he was a student at Sac State, Pimentel was involved withthe College Assistant Migrant Program and the campus debate team.He was also the co-founder of Students for Political Awareness.

An internship with Assemblyman Tony Cardenas led to being hiredas a legislative assistant.

It was shortly after this that Pimentel became executive vicepresident of ASI and eventually president in the 2001-02 academicyear.

The following year, he was elected as chair of the CaliforniaState Student Association.

He graduated from Sac State with a bachelor’s degree insocial sciences in spring 2002.

Several alumni of Sac State were in attendance at Sunday’sevent, including David Serena, a resident of Woodland.

“I think Art represents the emergence of a new diversityin California,” Serena said.

Pimentel and his campaign can be contacted [email protected].