City manager Josh Pinheiro appears to have changed the rules for a long-running annual event in an attempt to throw a spotlight on one of his political allies.
The Salute to Seniors is an annual city event – a luncheon and information festival hosted by the Golden Agers club. This year’s event is Sept. 27.
Over most of its previous 38 years, the city’s police chief and a member of the Golden Agers club emceed the event, making introductions and presenting awards.
In past events, there have been tables for offering services or products aimed at seniors, or government agencies providing information. In even-numbered years, there have always been tables for political candidates sprinkled among them.
Not this election year.
Pinheiro has made two quiet changes to the program:
•He banned political tables. Both former Mayor Mike Amabile and councilmember Deborah Lewis have been told by city staff that candidate tables will not be allowed. It is the first time such a ban has been put in place.
•Pinheiro turned over emcee duties to current Mayor Paul Llanez, supplanting both the police chief and a Golden Agers representative. Llanez is among the council majority that rehired Pinheiro in 2023 after his firing as city manager in 2022. Llanez faces two opponents for mayor.
“Our mayor has never done that (emceed the event) before,” said Lewis. “This is a campaign push for the mayor.”
Lewis said changes began last year, when she was assigned a seat at the back of the room. In previous Salutes to Seniors, Los Banos city council members were always invited to sit close to the front and often helped present awards.
Last year, Lewis said she was the only council member to attend.
Amabile, who is catering the event, took the changes in stride.
“I understand why (Lewis) would feel like it isn’t fair,” he said. “If these are the new rules, that’s fine with me. But I won’t play their games.”
That doesn’t mean the former six-term mayor doesn’t have a plan: “What you do is get elected, then change the rules.”
