Q&A with city council District 8 candidate Forescee Hogan-Rowles

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Forescee Hogan-Rowles is a second-time candidate in the 8th district city council race. And this time, she said, she plans to win.

"I lost that race to Bernard Parks and I determined then that if the district wasn't doing better in eight years, I would run again," Hogan-Rowles said.

If elected, Hogan-Rowles says she intends to bring jobs into the community through redevelopment.

"There's a number of things that have gone unattended under the leadership or lack of leadership of Bernard parks," Hogan-Rowles said. "The first thing I want to work on is new job creation because we have the highest unemployment and that's coupled with expanding local business and expanding new local business development within our district. Our corridors don't have enough businesses operating in them and so if you have new business, then that will create new jobs."

Hogan-Rowles served as commissioner for the Department of Water and Power, as well as commissioner for the California Commission for Economic Development. In both positions, she said, she focused on how to create jobs, and "impact new industries and support existing industries."

Hogan-Rowles is one of incumbent Bernard Parks' competitors. But Hogan-Rowles says what distinguishes the two of them is their relationship with the community.

"I actually like to attend meetings and enter into dialogue and hear the responses of and requests of people so we can work through and build consensus," Hogan-Rowles said. "So when we do make a decision, everybody knows what it is. The people united will never be defeated, so we will win on March 8."