As a member of the Encinitas City Council, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside dynamic and diverse leaders committed to our community’s future. Serving Encinitas has been the honor of my lifetime, but this year, I have decided not to run for re-election, and I’m proud to endorse Destiny Preston to replace me.
Destiny embodies what Encinitas needs: fresh energy, innovative thinking, a sharp intellect, and a genuine passion for public service. Her journey — from senior government roles to advisory boards — demonstrates her commitment to serving our community with integrity and purpose.
Destiny is in touch with the lived experiences of Encinitans, many of whom work hard to afford our high cost of living, leveraging numerous income streams so they can live in our slice of paradise.
Our city is often described as having a “funky” community character. It is composed of a diverse group of individuals, nonprofits and businesses representing people from different walks of life who are all united in their love for our great city.
Effective leadership means embracing diversity and fostering a community that is inclusive and welcoming to all rather than focusing on the interests of a small group that may seek to limit opportunities for visitors and young professionals who have not had access to the same generational wealth and advantages that some residents have enjoyed.
For those who weren’t born in our city, how long did it take for you to fall in love with Encinitas? Witnessing a single sunset at the iconic D Street Beach Overlook is enough to foster a love for our treasured coastline. Destiny grew up in our region, and her roots run deep.
While her single mother could not afford to live in Encinitas, in 1994, her aunt and uncle moved here with her younger cousin, who attended Flora Vista Elementary.
Her childhood experiences exploring our open spaces with her biologist uncle informed a lifelong passion for environmental protection. Every time she visited her dad, a North County resident for the last 20 years, they always made it a priority to spend time in the heart of our city: Old Encinitas.
Over the years, a realization emerged — Encinitas felt like home — and she firmly decided there was no other place she wanted to be. After Destiny graduated with an advanced degree in city planning and had a few years of post-graduate government work experience under her belt, she was able to achieve her dream of making Encinitas her permanent home. Her family’s close ties and her professional endeavors show that she isn’t just here for a fleeting moment — she’s here to make a lasting impact.
Destiny’s public service record reflects her genuine concern for smart, sustainable growth in Encinitas that preserves our unique community character while allowing us to evolve and adapt to the needs of present and future generations. Destiny understands that within reason, in the appropriate location, some increase in density brings affordable housing, reduces traffic congestion, and increases walkability — all of which improve our quality of life. Her understanding of these complex issues, along with her environmental policy expertise, positions her as an advocate who can balance progress with preserving the charm of our city.
Anyone who meets Destiny is left with the sense that, due to her vast talents and insight, she is profoundly capable of improving the world around her. I’d encourage you to ignore the outright lies on social media and reactionary fear-based rhetoric. Get to know her instead.
Not only is she one of the most intelligent, accomplished, and hard-working people I’ve ever met, but she’s also one of the kindest. The kind of person we want representing us.
We need leaders like Destiny who are prepared to guide us thoughtfully through the challenges we face. Her dedication to enhancing public safety, environmental stewardship, and economic vitality for local businesses shows she understands what it takes to keep Encinitas thriving.
I see Destiny Preston as someone who is ready to serve, to listen, and to lead. Her qualifications are evident in how deeply she cares and how diligently she works for all of us. As an experienced public servant, local small business owner, Leucadia 101 Main Street Association board member, and devoted community advocate, Destiny is the right person to lead Encinitas as our next City Council representative.
That’s why I’m voting for Destiny Preston for Encinitas City Council (District 2), and I hope you will, too.
Kellie Shay Hinze represents District 2 on the Encinitas City Council.
9 comments
Councilmember Hinze: Your leadership supported and created opportunities for all Encinitans. You have been a voice of inclusivity, reason, collaboration and compassion. Your grace, composure and courage as a champion for our most vulnerable community members despite endless attacks by the entitled has made the majority of us District 2 residents proud. I endorse Destiny Preston for all the reasons you have eloquently stated. Our City Council needs to continue to include a voice for our millennials who are facing enormous economic challenges that have blindsided us who have adult children who were born and raised here, are responsible, work hard as educators, social workers, city staff, medical staff and in public safety…and cannot afford to live here. Destiny has the expertise required to collaborate with county, state and federal government entities to secure funding for much needed responsible infrastructure. A vote for Destiny Preston District 2, Allison Blackwell for District 1 and reelecting Mayor Tony Kranz is a vote to strengthen our community and prevent it from becoming a city where only the wealthy have the opportunity to be residents.
Bob loves to spread lies.
First off, Jim agreed to a debate that Destinty Preston (is this her actual name, she seems to have a few of them) backed out of because she didn’t like the group that was sponsoring it, saying that it was partisan.
Then she gets the League of Women Voters to sponsor a debate that she and her supporters claim is non partisna, while two of those participating actually contributed to Destiny’s and Allsion Blackwell’s campaign. Gee, that doesn’t sound bipartisan to me.
Bob says people are picking on Preston, how would she know since she has blocked multiple residents already from her Facebook Groups and other social media ans campaign page. Does that sound like someone who wants to represent all of us?
Blocking residents, does that remind you of someone we all know? Blakespear is the one who asked Destiny to run and she is the product of candidate mill Emerge.
Do we really want another go around of The Blakespear/Kranz crowd still trying to turn Encinitas into an overcrowded bike lane obsessed mess?
Do we want them to appoint yet another Allison Blackwell instead of elections?
It’s beyond time to get rid of these elitist gentrifying frauds.
Bruce Ehlers for Mayor
Luke Shaffer for D1
Jim O’Hara for D2.
I fully endorse and support Destiny Preston for all the reasons stated by Councilperson Kelly Hinze …and more. A big part of the “more” has to do with the other candidate. O’Hara’s qualifications do not compare to Destiny’s (few can compare to Destiny), O’Hara’s continued refusals to engage in a one-on-one debate, his alleged failure to comply with Encinitas Business Registration rules, his deferring to the coat-tails of Ehlers, his refusing to publicly demand a stop to the on-line abuse of Ms. Preston by his supporters, his unstated political beliefs…all of it adds up to an O’Hara we do not need in Encinitas. Destiny Preston, Allison Blackwell and Tony Kranz will take us forward with professionalism, civility and good governance. Bob Ayers, Old Encinitas.
Hinze was a cheerleader for The Goodson Project and voted for every high density project, removing vehicle lanes for bike lanes, streetscam, basically everything that is wrong with Encinitas Hinze had a hand in.
Is Preston her actual real name? Apparently she uses at least 3 different names, which I find to be quite odd
Preston may be “qualified,” but not for Encinitas city council. If you can get her to respond to you she’ll show her ignorance of the specific issues that face our city. Her experience as a bureaucrat at the state level does not transfer to our particular needs.
Read her webpage qualifications closely, they are written at the high level and at no point does she refer to Encinitas’ issues nor does she exhibit Encinitas-focused experience.
Citing her extended family’s time here and exaggerating her brief visits here as a child to make it sound like she has spent extensive time in Encinitas is lying to pad her familiarity with the city.
Please see this same day opinion piece. Tells a clear story why NOT to elect any candidate endorsed by Ms. Hinze:
https://thecoastnews.com/letters-neglect-and-double-standards-at-clark-avenue-apartments/
Nice try Kellie – speaking as a D2 resident, the last thing our Leucadia community needs is a repeat of your policies for the next 4 years. Not only did you vote for every community destroying density project in your district, you didn’t even have the courtesy to show up for the Clark and Piraeus appeals.
You did however, have the audacity to show up at a recent council meeting while on maternity leave to vote yes on L7, hopefully denying residents a park on property that was bought and paid for with taxpayer monies for that very purpose.
As it turns out, Destiny is little more than Kellie lite. She’s got a more fancy resume, yes, but she’s made it clear she’s not interested in communicating with residents directly, doesn’t mind that they pay more taxes by supporting Measure K and actively avoids interfacing with her potential constituents. We’re not even getting the courtesy of a debate or forum between her and her opponent. This has me concerned that she hasn’t sufficiently learned community issues and while avoiding residents, has her proxies speaking on her behalf.
Kellie, please retire with dignity and stop pushing the ideological agenda that got this city in the overbuilt, overcrowded, over budgeted mess that it’s in.
D2/Leucadia is ready for common sense and real leadership.
Kelly Hinze is endorsing Preston solely because Blakespear told her to, just as Blakespear asked Preston to run for office as she is a member of Emerge, a female only Democrat candidate mill set up solely to elect Democrats who agreed to sell their souls to corporate landlords and developers
Blakespear, Kranz, Hinze, Lyndes, Mosca, Blackwell are all part of the same club. The club that is gentrifying Encinitas while claiming that thousands of market rate apartments are going to reduce rents.
It is a scam. All of it.
Add on promoting bike lanes at the expense of vehicle lanes and parking spaces (their complete disregard for seniors and the disabled borders on sociopath) and vanity projects like StreetScape that put us into debt instead of improving our infrastructure. Remember our sewage problems? Kranz and Hinze certainly didn’t.
Our streets badly need to be paved, something else this crew ignored.
Hinze is part of the problem, she cheered on the Goodson Project which is in the process of being built thanks to her. Over 1,000 apartments on Quail? Hinze voted for all of them.
If Kellie Hinze is supporting someone, that is a clear sign to support her opponent.
Bruce Ehlers for Mayor
Luke Shaffer for D1
Jim O’Hara for D2.
Take back Encinitas from Catherine Blakespear and her remora’s.
Enough is enough.
Thank you, Kellie, for this honest tribute to Destiny Preston. You give us truth, unlike Garvin Walsh, who did everything he could to malign her, using unsubstantiated statements. Destiny Preston is one of most qualified candidates for Encinitas City Council I have ever seen. For those who would like to know more about Destiny’s qualifications and experience, visit her webpage https://www.destiny4encinitas.com/