By Macy Meinhardt, Voice & Viewpoint Staff Writer
Alysson Snow’s journey into politics begins with her licking envelopes and placing campaign signs around her hometown as a child growing up in Florida.
It was a shared activity between her and her grandmother at the time, beginning a lifetime thread of advocacy and public service that would lead her to the 48th mayoral seat of Lemon Grove.
The former councilmember and housing rights attorney ran a year-long campaign marked by the promise to fight for the financial success and security for working class families. Challenged by two-time incumbent Racquel Vasquez, and other council colleague Liana LeBaron, Snow captured approximately 40% of the city’s vote.
Sitting down for an interview with Voice & Viewpoint, she shares a vision that will mark a new chapter for the city. Accomplished by prioritizing economic and infrastructure revitalization, collaboration with state and federal resources, resident affordability, and community healing.
“I want people to take pride in where they live. I want them to be able to be like, ‘yeah I live in Lemon Grove, it’s a cool little nugget with super good vibes,” says Snow.
From Courtrooms to Council
Snow’s experience as a consumer justice and housing rights lawyer served as a defining strength both in her mayoral campaign and during her two years as a city councilmember.
Receiving a law degree from Brigham Young University, Snow got her start in big law, working as an associate attorney for DLA Piper, a global law firm that specializes in business law.
Practicing during the time of the 2008 financial crisis, Snow recalls being assigned to represent a corporate executive from Countrywide, a key player in the subprime mortgage crisis.
It was a turning point in her career, she reflects. “I realized I should be helping the people who lost their homes, not this guy,” Snow says.
This realization led her to the Legal Aid Society of San Diego for the next 13 years, earning her reputation as an “aggressive litigator” in the field of consumer protection. Throughout her tenure, she ran their consumer protection division and also founded the region’s first bankruptcy self-help clinic and multiple debt defense clinics.
Snow’s legal career would also introduce her to legislative advocacy up in Sacramento, working with state lawmakers on issues such as payday lending, debt collection, and car loans. Over time, this work inspired her to pursue elected office. “I realized the effort it took to convince someone else to carry these issues forward,” she explains. “So, I decided to run for office myself.”
Soon she would realize the amount of work it would take to run for office. As a mother of five juggling a busy career.
“ I had to learn to pace myself,” she says.
Deciding that local politics was the best fit, she sought out mentorship from the women in the Emerge California program, a coalition that supports and trains democratic women running for office.
“To be able to help Lemon Grove people be able to make it during tough economic times–that’s my skill set. I have spent my career making sure families can make it during tough times,” she says on her intention for seeking a public position.
Mayor Snow
Serving on Lemon Grove City Council since 2022, when former Mayor Racquel Vasquez announced her run for California State Assembly, Snow along with encouragement from council colleague Jennifer Mendoza, decided to run for the open mayoral seat.
The prolonged effort of door-knocking, fundraising, networking, and securing endorsements finally culminated on the evening of Dec. 17. Hundreds of residents packed the Lemon Grove Community Center room for the official swearing in ceremony of Snow, and other newly elected councilmembers “Sitivi” Steve Faiai and Jessyka Heredia.
District 79 Assemblymember Dr. LaShae Sharp-Collins was present to administer Snow’s oath of office.
“Tonight marks the beginning of the new chapter of collaboration, vision and progress for this community. I have no doubt that under your leadership, Lemon Grove will continue to rise and will also continue to thrive,” said Assemblymember Sharp-Collins.
What to Look For In The Next One Hundred Days
In the new dawn of the city’s leadership, Snow shares that the team has already met and has initial goals for what they want to accomplish in the first one-hundred days.
“I’m really excited. I’m full of hope. There’s a change in the tenor and the dynamic. It’s a team that wants to work together, and there’s a lot of collegiality there and respect, and I’m looking forward to that,” says Snow.
Street repair is on the top of the list, she says. In November city council approved $4 million for street repair. Snow says she anticipates spending that money immediately to ensure street maintenance is “on time and on track.”
The recent passage of a one-cent sales tax, Measure T, will further the city’s mission to revitalize the infrastructure of Lemon Grove. So far the city faces a $171 million backlog in areas such as storm drains, parks, roads, and community facilities. The sales tax will grant the mayor and the council an additional $5.96 million a year to work with to make necessary upgrades around the city.
It is a revenue flow that Snow will be inheriting as mayor. During the inauguration ceremony, outgoing city leaders and Mayor Vasquez emphasized the long winded effort to get the sales tax passed—stretching back to 2010.
Snow also intends to act swiftly on the SANDAG grant to redevelop the cities downtown, aiming to “bring it out of the 1970s and into 2025.” Within the first 100 days, she intends to form a community advisory committee and hire a consultant for the project.
Bringing recreation back into the city is another immediate priority. The new mayor hopes this can be done through the establishment of a Lemon Grove Parks and Recreation foundation, modeled after those in La Mesa and Santee.
This foundation would independently fundraise to support recreation programs at Lemon Grove’s recreation center.
One of the last components Snow emphasized for the next one hundred days is the importance of fostering unity and community healing, acknowledging past tension within the community and leadership.
There is currently deep division in the community over issues like homelessness, fueled by misinformation and polarized debates. Much of this has played out online, notably over the approach the city and county has taken towards a tiny home project for homelessness in Lemon Grove.
“There’s not going to be a solution that makes everyone happy. At the end of the day, I see our responsibility is listening to everyone and then making a tough decision on what’s going to best benefit the most people and also protect the most vulnerable people.”
Lemon Grove, “is too small for that kind of friction,” she shares, expressing hope for collaboration and progress in the months ahead.
