A horrible thing happened to the community of Fairfield this week. Matt Garcia was killed by an unknown assailant. This attack on Matt brings home the fact that Fairfield has become a totally different community than the town I moved to twenty-eight years ago. I am personally angry that this could happen here. As a community, we need to find this unacceptable and press for a quick resolution of this crime.
In politics they always speak about the failure of today’s youth to be involved in the politics of the community. If you talk to youth, they will tell you that they don’t become involved because they feel that they can’t change anything. Obviously Matt Garcia didn’t share that belief. As a person who loves to follow politics and watch players enter and leave the field, I was excited to see someone with youth and enthusiasm step up to play the game. Matt had stepped forward to run for the City Council up against a list of much more seasoned candidates. I’m sure many people believed his would be one of those Don Quixote campaigns with no hope of victory. That didn’t come to pass. Matt was open with the community, honest, with no falseness, and built bridges that led to his being elected.
I was at a Neighborhood Watch Organizing meeting several months ago, and Matt was one of the speakers. As he spoke about the city and the improvements to services in the community it was easy to see his enthusiasm for what the Council had done, as well as plans for the future. There was a discussion about gang activity in the community and the city’s plans to try to curb it. Garcia and John Mraz both spoke about how upset the gangs were regarding the new plans. I hope that Garcia’s death isn’t tied to any of the gang activity that was spoken of that evening.
As members of this community we should all feel betrayed that something like this senseless death could occur here. The fact that no information that could help solve this case has come forward is disappointing. We need to remain incensed about the crime and we need to demand that all the resources of this community be put towards solving the crime. Matt Garcia stepped up as a community leader and he worked very hard to help move a number of issues forward in our community. He and his family deserve closure on this horrendous crime.
I would also hope that this crime doesn’t cause others, who may be thinking of a career in politics, to reconsider their decision. As we have seen through the politics of the last eight years, it’s time for new ideas and different ways of governing to come to the fore. The way things have been done in the past isn’t getting it done. We need to find more young people ready to pitch in and help build the future. I want to thank Matt Garcia and his family for their work. As we grieve for Matt, in his honor, we need to celebrate and build upon the beginnings for which he was responsible.
GOOD LUCK
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