Oak Park nurtures political process, hosts Senate debate

The Community Foundation for Oak Park hosted a debate between Democrat Henry Stern and Republican Steve Fazio, both of whom are state Senate candidates in the Nov. 8 election, at Oak Park High School Thursday, Oct. 6. in G-9.

The event started off with speeches from candidates for several local races. After speeches from local water district board candidates, California assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, also delivered an address to the community. The final portion of the evening was allotted to a debate between the two candidates for state Senate.

“[G-9] was packed,” Oak Park board clerk Derek Ross said. “It was filled to the brim, every seat was taken.”

This is not the first time the Community Foundation has hosted a debate. The Foundation has been hosting political debates at the high school for about 25 years.

“We try to create an awareness within the Oak Park community about the good work done by the Community Foundation for Oak Park,” Community Foundation treasurer Jay Kapitz wrote in an email.

Ragini Aggarwal, executive assistant to the superintendent, is also a member of the Community Foundation.

“The idea was that this forum was maybe one of the only opportunities for voters to meet and hear in person from candidates running for several key statewide and local offices,” Aggarwal wrote in an email.

During the debate, audience members asked each candidate questions. Those who attended the debate said it was a success for both the candidates and the community.

“I thought [the candidates] both held their own,” junior Sean MacKinnon said. “They were both really respectable to each other.”

Despite being held at the high school, adult community members vastly outnumbered the students in the debate audience. MacKinnon, who attended the debate and briefly spoke with Stern, went because he was interested in the politics.

“I have been [interested] since I was eight years old,” MacKinnon said.

Oak Park Board President Allen Rosen said he went because he wanted to hear the speakers’ points of views on issues.

“I wanted to see our state Senate candidates discuss their views and how they would address the issues that are facing our school district, our community and our state,” Rosen said.

According to Kaptiz, organizing the debates each election cycle is a relatively simple process.

“We simply contact the candidates and invite them,“ Kaptiz wrote.

Oak Park High School faculty members were also involved with the execution of the debate.

“I set up the room, set up the mics,” social science teacher Russel Peters said. “I take care of all the tech at school.”

The state Senate candidates said they were appreciative that the Community Foundation volunteered to host the debate.

“[The debate] was well-attended, thoughtful questions were asked and the facility space for these types of events was one of the best that we’ve experienced since we started the campaign,” Fazio’s campaign manager Jim Gibbons said.