Eric Arias for Bakersfield City Council · Ward 1

Delivering Ward 1’s fair share.

Eric Arias is fighting for safer neighborhoods, stronger parks, better infrastructure, and practical investments that improve daily life in Southeast Bakersfield.

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Meet Eric

Public service backed by real operational experience.

Since 2020, Eric Arias has represented Ward 1 on the Bakersfield City Council while also serving as President & CEO of United Way of Central Eastern California, leading a regional nonprofit that serves more than 10,000 people annually across Kern, Inyo, and Mono counties.

On the Council, Eric has fought for fairer district maps, major Southeast Bakersfield investments, park improvements, traffic calming, affordable housing, and structurally balanced budgets that protect core city services.

Priorities

What Eric is focused on for Ward 1.

These are the campaign priorities pulled from the Ward 1 re-election materials: crime reduction, quality of life, and a fair share of investment for Southeast Bakersfield.

01

Reducing crime & strengthening public safety

Eric supported Bakersfield’s violence-intervention strategy and related public safety investments as homicides declined from 60 in 2021 to 26 in 2024 and shootings fell from 109 to 44.

  • Backed the Park Ranger Program now patrolling more than 60 city parks.
  • Supported traffic-calming tools including speed humps, speed feedback signs, and bike-lane improvements.
  • Worked with BPD on catalytic converter theft and organized retail theft enforcement.
02

Improving quality of life

Ward 1 deserves safe parks, maintained streets, cleaner corridors, and reliable city services — not promises that stop at City Hall.

  • Championed the redesign of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park and Community Center.
  • Helped support Linnell-Brahma Park, one of the newest parks serving Southeast Bakersfield.
  • Backed street safety, alley resurfacing, libraries, learning spaces, and neighborhood basics.
03

Fighting for Ward 1’s fair share

Eric has consistently pushed public investment toward historically underserved neighborhoods in Southeast Bakersfield.

  • Helped secure more than $22 million for Southeast Strong climate, housing, sidewalk, bike lane, and anti-displacement investments.
  • Supported a $4 million MLK Boulevard sewer investment to unlock about 1,400 new homes and future commercial development.
  • Supported affordable housing and an emergency $100,000 food-bank allocation when families needed help.

Supporters

Community leaders and working people are with Eric.

Confirmed supporters from the campaign’s endorsement materials.

Organizations

  • IBEW Local 428
  • LIUNA Local

Individual supporters

  • Rudy SalasFormer California State Assemblymember
  • Andrae GonzalesBakersfield City Councilmember
  • Christian RomoKCDCC Party Chair
  • Leticia Perez5th District Supervisor
  • Esmeralda SoriaCalifornia State Assemblymember
  • Nelson EsparzaFresno City Councilmember
  • Noe GarciaCalifornia State Regional Director
  • Fiona MaCalifornia State Treasurer
  • Hortencia CabralGreenfield School District

Media

Fiscal discipline and investment are not a false choice.

Op-ed

Bakersfield’s Budget Needs Fiscal Discipline and Investment, Not a False Choice

Eric argues for a structurally balanced budget that protects core services families rely on — fire response, parks, code enforcement, public safety staffing, and quality-of-life investments.

“We don't have to choose between a balanced budget and investing in our community, we can do both.”
Read the op-ed PDF

Get involved

Help keep Ward 1 moving forward.

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Campaign contact

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