By San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Staff
The countdown is on for the March 5th primary election. While voters take a pen to the nominees they believe will best represent their district, District 4 City Council candidates are still out in the field for this special election, hoping to make the most of their final days on the campaign trail.
In the past two weeks, candidates running for the 79th Assembly member position and City Council special District 4 election have taken the stage on multiple occasions here in Southeastern San Diego. Primary questions voters are interested in knowing is what future leaders will do about the flood, homelessness, affordable housing, small businesses, community investment, road repair, communication, and education.
79th State Assembly District
The three candidates running for the 79th Assembly district seat include; current Mayor of Lemon Grove, Racquel Vasquez, Educator, Lashae Sharp Collins; and La Mesa Councilmember, Colin Parent.
Vasquez notably became the first African-American female Mayor of Lemon Grove, and is currently serving her second term in office. During the Voice & Viewpoint candidate forum held on Feb. 15th, Vasquez spoke on the achievements she has accomplished on behalf of her city, which included Lemon Grove being one of the only 13 cities in California that successfully met the state mandated affordable housing requirements.
Parent, who is currently serving his eighth year on the La Mesa City Council, discussed his work with the Department of Housing and Community Development, the State Housing Commission, and his non-profit, Circulate San Diego.
“Due to my background in having served in the Governor’s administration in the state department of housing, I am going to be able to make an impact on [homelessness] on day one.” said Councilmember Parent.
Meanwhile, Sharp-Collins takes pride in the fact that she is the “only candidate born and raised” in Southeastern San Diego. In addition she notes that she brings nine years of experience already working in this specific office, as she served as the District Director for the now Secretary of State, Dr. Shirley Weber.
Positioning herself to be the “voice” of her district, Sharp-Collins asserts, “I am running because of you. It’s time to have someone up there to bring a different mindset. It’s time we start to reimage how we are going to approach the various issues that are facing our current district.”
San Diego District 4 Councilmember
The race for San Diego District 4 City Council seat is a competitive one, with implications that will most likely affect the dynamics within City leadership. Three candidates– two of which have close ties within city hall–are vying to fill the vacant seat left by former Council Member Monica Montgomery-Steppe: Henry Foster III, Chida Warren-Darby, and Tylisa Suseberry.
Henry Foster III, is a third generation resident of District Four, and is a longtime Chief of Staff for Supervisor Monica Montgomery-Steppe.
“I know what our community needs, and I have the experience to make it happen. I’m running to build a stronger, more sustainable, and thriving District Four and keep putting people first at City Hall.” said Foster in his Ballotpedia profile.
Prior to his role as chief of staff, he held the position of Equal Opportunity Contracting Program Manager for the City of San Diego for six years, in which he was later terminated for by Former Mayor Kevin Faulconer.
“I’m the only candidate that has both operational experience and legislative experience,” said Foster at the Feb. 21st Councilmember forum.
Yet at the Wednesday night debate held at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church, Warren-Darby, denied Foster’s claim. Warren-Darby currently serves under Mayor Gloria’s administration as the Director of Boards and Commissions, working to bring more equitable representation into the region’s fifty commissions and “ensuring that communities of color are heard at the table.”
Throughout her campaign she has highlighted her commitment to install a better emergency preparedness plan for the community, increasing communication, empowering community-based organizations, and business investment. As well as infrastructure and public safety that’s designed for the community.
Meanwhile, Tylisa Suseberry has been a resident of the district for 50 years, works for three large local non-profits, and has held multiple roles working for local government offices as a policy advisor and staff for State Senator Toni Atkins.
“We have to do more in our district, our district deserves better. Right now it’s time for change,” said Suseberry, touting her slogan “Tylisa 4 Change.”
Change how? According to Suseberry, she is focused on community investment via small businesses, nonprofits, and entrepreneurial development.
“To me business is everything, and entrepreneurship is everything in our district, so that is what I am running on–small business, and economic development.” said Suseberry.
Storm Recovery
The elephant in the room in terms of these candidate forums is what their storm recovery plan will be, given that many District 4 residents suffered during the Jan. 22 atmospheric river system.
On this point, Warren-Darby discussed the time she spent at the office of emergency services and how she recognized that before Jan. 22 there was no emergency plan fully in place.
To counter that, Warren-Darby spoke about a resiliency fund, where residents can tap into funding to recover and rebuild their homes, as well as a financial avenue to support community based organizations.
“I would also ensure that we have community resource centers throughout the district. And so when a disaster happens, you would instinctively know where to go so you wouldn’t have to rely on your cell phones and television. Some people don’t have access to that,” said Warren-Darby.
Suseberry also asserts that there needs to be a set place for residents to go, and advocates that more resources need to be given to each district, especially for those who live within a flood plain.
Meanwhile, Foster’s response to the question of recovery was focused on accountability, and making sure residents are aware “this was not a natural disaster, this was a result of years of negligence.”
Many people argue that the flood was a result of neglected creek and storm drainage maintenance, including Foster.
Between Foster and Warren-Darby, dialogue of this kind reveals the dynamic that will be brought into the leadership circles of San Diego. Foster- who appears critical of the strong mayor system in place under Gloria’s administration, and Warren-Darby, who as a current employee under Gloria, is a champion for mutual collaboration between the mayor and council members.
With each candidate presenting distinct perspectives and strategies, voters face the crucial task of determining who possesses the leadership qualities and plans necessary to address the pressing challenges facing their communities. As the countdown to election day continues, the outcome of these races remains uncertain, underscoring the significance of every voter’s decision in shaping the trajectory of District 4 and the broader San Diego landscape.
To learn more about the races, and where and how to vote feel free to visit our voter guide: https://sdvoice.info/voting-guide-2024/
Check out video coverage of District 4 Council candidates closing remarks
79th State Assembly District
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