ESCONDIDO — As next month’s election approaches, some of Escondido’s council candidates have responded to a series of questions that detail how they intend to lead the city if elected.
District 3, which encompasses the south-central part of the city, has incumbent Deputy Mayor Christian Garcia facing off against challengers Christine Spencer and Veronica Cigarroa.
In District 4, where Councilmember Mike Morasco is retiring after 14 years, voters will choose between Judy Fitzgerald, a Republican, and Rod Howell, a Democrat.
The Coast News reached out to all Escondido City Council candidates earlier in October. Only District 3 candidates Garcia and Spencer responded to the questionnaire.
DISTRICT 3
Can the state-mandated housing requirements be balanced while still maintaining local control? Does the RHNA process need to be reformed, and if so, what would that look like?
GARCIA: No, it is not. Sacramento does not understand the needs of Escondido. Every city has different needs, and therefore, our laws need to be tailored to serve the people here. We should not sacrifice more local control to Sacramento. Earlier this year, under my request, the city council sent a letter to the state in opposition to increasing restrictions and bureaucracy related to our RHNA goals. Look at cities throughout the region – cities are not meeting these unrealistic goals.
Advocates for increasing RHNA laws hurt our ability to serve our population, hinder development and increase the cost of rent by limiting supply. I support realistic approaches that bring developers into the fold and help them get to “yes” on more of their projects.
SPENCER: I think the current RHNA requirements for cities in California are not attainable. Reforms need to be made with insight from the cities who know their residents the best, not state officials. The current RHNAs were based on an income level algorithm instead of speaking with the local cities and their officials. Each city in California is unique and has different struggles with housing, not just based on numbers. The state of California needs to begin speaking with city officials rather than mandating processes that will not work for communities.
Some residents worry that providing more services for homeless individuals will impact their quality of life. What can you do to provide homeless services while also maintaining residents’ quality of life?
GARCIA: We can continue to provide homeless services and should continue to serve our most vulnerable population. That’s a must. But we must also prioritize and serve our families. I support an approach that requires those who receive city services to have ties to Escondido to avoid becoming a magnet for those in need from surrounding communities. I also support a public safety-first approach to homelessness, meaning we enforce laws, increase police and fire resources and personnel, and ensure that no one is permitted to live on our streets.
Unfortunately, the other candidates in this race believe we should reconsider our encampment bans, RV bans and our support for Prop 36. These are all essential policies to help law enforcement protect the quality of life of our residents. We must prioritize Escondido families and business owners when dealing with homelessness.
SPENCER: I do feel there are options, and an effective policy needs to be created that addresses the various reasons why someone is experiencing homelessness. Allowing people to sleep on the street is not a valid solution, though. There needs to be a policy created where various organizations addressing the issue of homelessness in different ways can come together to develop innovative solutions where the city also has a seat at the table.
For example, Interfaith Community Services has been in Escondido for many years, and this organization offers more than 75 programs that include nutrition, employment, and housing assistance to help clients return to self-sufficiency. The city of Escondido should be working with this nonprofit to augment services to not just get people off the street but also keep people from becoming homeless.
How do you ensure fiscal responsibility? What are some ways that cities, particularly Escondido, can raise revenues?
GARCIA: Long-term fiscal responsibility means stimulating economic growth to drive sales tax revenue and approving more housing to drive property tax revenue. I have a good relationship with our Chamber of Commerce and other business organizations, and I am constantly hearing the needs of them on a daily basis. I am working with our economic development team on a daily basis to improve the business climate and make Escondido a more attractive place to do business.
I helped launch the East Valley Parkway Business Association to give a voice to underserved businesses in our community. I also have been a strong proponent of increasing attainable housing. We must continue to draw in more families to our city by providing attainable options for first-time buyers. This will allow families to achieve generational wealth and plant their roots in Escondido. I have been working to strengthen our relationships with developers to ensure viable projects reach the City Council that will produce more middle-income, for-sale housing in Escondido.
SPENCER: To ensure fiscal responsibility, a city should clearly define what positions and roles are crucial and what costs the most money with limited benefits. Monitoring provides oversight by assessing the effectiveness of internal controls through ongoing activities with analyses and separate evaluations such as internal audits. There should be a monthly financial review to allow employees to carry out their duties without overtime, if possible.
If overtime is being used, additional positions need to be considered. Consultations should be used only when absolutely needed until there is no budget deficit. The sales tax is a great example of a revenue stream that so many other cities in California have passed and Escondido has not yet with this major revenue stream. Escondido needs to look and learn from other cities that are taking the lead in creating other revenue measures to see if they are a right fit for this city.
Piggybacking on the last question, how can and/or should Escondido address its current structural deficit?
GARCIA: Over the past year, we have leveraged our relationships with county, state and federal leaders and obtained grants on all levels to fund various priorities without going to the general fund. We have been able to reallocate money when necessary while maintaining our services. Regardless of whether Measure I passes, we must reduce government waste by cutting back on unnecessary spending. We will continue to do this and create a lean city government that still fulfills the needs of our citizens.
SPENCER: The city of Escondido needs a budget overhaul. This means going through each line item and getting to the root of what the money is being spent on, not just public safety and pensions. There should be an audit by a third party to ensure money is being spent in the places that help the city and its community members the most.
Do you support the one-cent sales tax measure? Why or why not?
GARCIA: As a citizen, I will be voting yes on Measure I. As a council, the more important question to ask is what we plan to do with any new revenue. My first budget priority, whether Measure I passes or not, is to increase fire and police personnel and resources. Then we also must look at using available revenue to expand homeless services, finally allowing local control in how we address this issue.
SPENCER: The city of Escondido has one of California’s lowest sales tax rates. Other cities, especially in San Diego County, have used this increase to fix budget deficits and redevelop their city. It is time for Escondido to utilize this revenue stream to help with budget issues, keep essential community services open, and continue to provide these services at a low cost to residents who need them.
What’s a decision the council made in the past term that you supported? What about disagreed with?
GARCIA: I have a good relationship with my colleagues on the City Council. Working together, we have had overwhelming agreement about how to proceed on those key issues I mentioned earlier; homelessness, housing, and economic development. That being said, there are times when we don’t all agree. One example was a senior housing project that came before the council earlier this year and didn’t pass. I am a strong advocate for creating housing opportunities for all people of different income and living situations, and I supported that project.
This was one that could’ve helped our most vulnerable but we couldn’t get to agreement on certain impacts the project would have had on the neighborhood. But disagreement is okay. We can not see eye-to-eye on certain projects or proposals but then come together to continue working on solutions to the larger, broader issues facing our community. I am proud to have the endorsement of three out of my four colleagues on the council, who likewise value that partnership and collaboration.
SPENCER: I agree with the City Council’s decision to halt the construction of battery storage units. There needs to be additional time spent on environmental impact studies before making this decision. I agree with the reversal of their decision made in December 2023 to create a storage unit in a very populated area of Escondido and take the time to investigate it.
I do not agree with the City Council’s decision to enact a request for proposals for the property where the California Center for the Arts the Escondido Foundation (CCAE) is located and currently operates. If another nonprofit or for-profit entity takes over the property, CCAE may not be able to remain there, and this organization is vital to Escondido. It is so important to provide opportunities to experience and learn different forms of art and communication, no matter the ability to pay, which is what CCAE offers the community.
