District One San Diego City Council Candidates - More Alike Than Not
Third in a series on City of San Diego political contests on the November, 2020 ballot.
I’ll be doing other contests between now and October, when mail-in ballots arrive.
Already covered: San Diego City Attorney, San Diego Mayoral; previously State Ballot Propositions.
Barbara Bry, the current city council member for District 1, decided to run for mayor. Democrats Joe LaCava and Will Moore made it through the primary. They’re generally liberal to progressive on policy issues and not far apart, so residents of D1 will do well no matter who wins.
The County Democratic Party found them both to be good candidates, and opted not to endorse either one.
Not that long ago, the first district was often conceived by outsiders as “La Jolla.” Times have changed and other communities in northwestern San Diego have grown in population and influence.
In 2016 Republicans thought they had a shot at winning the council seat in D1 with Ray Ellis, who all-but-conceded the race in early August after it became clear the tide wasn’t running in his favor.
For 2020, Democrats have a 19.49% registration advantage in the district, which typically has an 80%+ voter turnout in Presidential General elections.
Five city council seats (the odd-numbered ones) are on the ballot in November, and it’s within the realm of possibility for non-incumbent Democrats to win all five contests. The politics of our next city council will be interesting to watch, particularly with a new mayor in place.
While the two candidates for D1 are ideologically similar, stylistically they are different. LaCava has built his reputation on community involvement with a dash of citywide activism. Moore, while active in progressive causes, has a base of business support.
I know and like both candidates, so if you’re looking for guidance from me on who to vote for, you’re out of luck.
Following the basic information presented here, below assembled materials from each candidate’s websites on issues for comparison.
About the Candidates
Joe LaCava
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Endorsements
Bio: San Diego native, raised by Italian immigrant parents. Father was a blue-collar factory worker; mother a seamstress. A civil engineer working on projects ranging from infrastructure to housing. Lives in Bird Rock.
He has been a dedicated community advocate over the past 15 years, sitting on more than 20 civic boards, planning groups and commissions. His multi-faceted career and outstanding public service to the neighborhoods of District 1 makes him the best-qualified choice as our next City Councilmember.
Education: San Diego State
Relevant experience: Has been appointed or elected to nearly 30 boards and committees, covering a broad range of issues.
A Significant Accomplishment: Was a leading voice in opposition to the SoccerCity proposal for the old football stadium.
Politics in a nutshell: Solid liberal/progressive
Issues highlighted on website: (See “debate below”)
$$$$
Total small donors reported via Candidate Controlled committee: $187,940.00
LaCava has loaned his campaign $4,000
A sampling of links concerning Joe LaCava
3 Primary Opponents Endorse Joe LaCava in District 1 Council Race
State Senate President Toni Atkins Endorses Joe LaCava for San Diego City Council
City Council candidate Joe LaCava on the future of policing in San Diego
Opinion: San Diego Lifeguards Deserve to Be Separate City Department
***
William Moore
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Endorsements
Bio: Born in Georgia, first in family to graduate from college, was Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal, first law job was at Legal Services, founded The Moore Firm - Business Law. Education: Georgia Tech, Columbia Law School
Relevant experience:.On the board of the Rotary Club of La Jolla Golden Triangle; founding member of Business For Good; has also served on the boards of the San Diego Leadership Alliance, The Urban League Young Professionals, and the American Constitution Society.
A Significant Accomplishment: Was named one of San Diego’s top 40 Under 40 local leaders by San Diego Metropolitan.
Politics in a nutshell: Liberal
Issues highlighted on website: (See “debate below”)
$$$$
Total small donors reported via Candidate Controlled committee: $244,100.00
Moore has loaned his campaign $76,900
Chamber of Commerce (Primary) support: $24,528.92
A sampling of links concerning William Moore
Moore surges past Brennan for second slot in San Diego council District 1 runoff
(Primary Only) Endorsement: Will Moore for San Diego City Council, District 1
Meet the Candidates: Will Moore hopes to help San Diego ‘grow up’ in City Council run
Small-Business Attorney Announces Run for City Council District 1
Carmel Valley Democratic Club endorses Will Moore for City Council seat
A Faux Debate
By way of comparison I went to both candidate’s websites to see if I could create a theoretical debate on issues facing the city. LaCava uses more words; Moore cuts to the chase.
In my opinion, the vision statements are the one thing in this next section you should read, as they give insight into the thinking processes of each candidate.
OVERVIEW - VISION
Joe LaCava- I envision a city that spends less time strangled by endless debates and focuses on addressing the challenges facing our city; that builds permanent supportive housing for unsheltered individuals and families; that makes housing more affordable to more San Diegans; that supports pipelines from high school and college to good paying jobs; that encourages a diversified workforce in the green and blue economy; that implements its Climate Action Plan and implements community choice energy and addresses sea-level rise; and, that provides robust and safe transit, bike ways, sidewalks, and crosswalks.
A city that understands changing how we get around helps fight climate change but also makes for better, more livable neighborhoods; that protects its open space, canyons, coastal bluffs, and beaches; that spends less time on soundbites and photo ops and instead delivers promised public facilities and infrastructure to complete our neighborhoods; that engages the public in new and meaningful ways such as participatory budgeting; and, that ensures equity in public safety across every neighborhood.
When we take the time to listen and to collectively focus our vision, we can move our city forward. Much of this vision can be achieved in the near-term, but other parts will take sustained and persistent effort. Let us demand more from our elected officials who too often focus on “4 years and out” or “8 years and out” timeframes. Our residents and businesses are in it for the long term, so too should our elected officials.
Will Moore - Over the next decade, San Diego will need bold leadership that is unafraid to move beyond the tired issues of the past two decades and face down the crises and opportunities that lay before us.
Hidden beneath the wonderful weather and cultural richness that makes us America’s Finest City, there are systemic problems that threaten the economic freedom and quality of life in our communities.
Our newly graduated young adults can’t afford to pay rent here. The sidewalks and canyons of our neighborhoods have become homeless camps. Coastal flooding is eating away roads, bridges, and rail lines that we depend on to commute. Our region is supposedly at full employment - but stagnated wages and salaries keep too many of our neighbors struggling from paycheck to paycheck. The combination of these factors, if left unaddressed, will cripple our region and our world.
Worst of all: Our city leadership has put off addressing these problems for years — focusing on special interests and pet projects — when they should be leading the way into the future.
Our community deserves an honest and bold leader who is willing to tackle the big problems head on and knows that we don’t have time to waste.
I am running for City Council because today’s decisions become tomorrow’s successes. We can’t settle for empty promises and shallow vision — we must stand up and meet the moment. Join me. It’s time for San Diego to demand more.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Joe LaCava - Public Safety is the city’s primary obligation to its residents and property owners. We rely on police, firefighters, and lifeguards to serve as guardians and partners in public safety, but elected officials have an obligation to ensure public safety policies, procedures, and practices are equitable and appropriate.
I believe that community-oriented policing, when properly implemented, can build trust and ensure mutual respect. Budget, staffing, and equipment of the three public safety departments must be determined in the context of an overall strategy of justly serving all communities.
Public Safety also means partnering with the County of San Diego to allocate funds to address homelessness and serving those with mental health and drug addiction by utilizing social workers and rehab centers, not police and prisons.
Public safety includes meeting the unique needs of San Diegans during the pandemic and ensure that we all have the opportunity to safely enjoy the benefits of living, working and playing in San Diego.
Will Moore- San Diego is the safest large city in America, and crime is at a 40 year low. Keep on track by improving community relationships and ensuring department staffing needs are met.
ENVIRONMENT
Joe LaCava- District 1 is unique in its abundance of open space whether it is our canyons, coastal bluffs, or our beaches. We must protect our open space from degradation or encroachment. The environment is also about doing our part to address climate change by the sustained implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP.)
Whether implementing community choice energy or addressing sea level rise we must not hesitate. I believe that implementing the CAP will also make for better neighborhoods as we change how we get around by transit, biking, and walking—mobility shifts that will not happen quickly given the land use patterns of District 1—but is a future that we can achieve working together.
Will Moore - We’re not on track to meet the goals of our Climate Action Plan, and we can't wait for the Federal Government to help. The City Council must reduce our carbon emissions, encourage renewable energy, enhance our transit options, and plan for the effects of climate change.
HOUSING & HOMELESS
Joe LaCava- We must address the needs of unsheltered individuals and families by building and staffing permanent supportive housing. Concurrently we must address housing affordability for our children and grandchildren. I will not make the false promise that if we just build more, housing will be more affordable. I commit to housing San Diegans at all income levels, making more housing more affordable for more San Diegans.
Will Moore- Our housing production has not kept up with our local birth rate in over 20 years. Make San Diego a place our kids can live by encouraging housing options near transit and job centers, cutting wasteful red tape, encouraging reforms to well meaning programs that haven't worked and are being abused.
Get people off the street and into permanent housing where they can get the services they need to regain independence. It is true that many of our homeless neighbors have severe mental health problems and addictions, but studies show between half and two thirds are unsheltered simply due to economic hardship. Invest in early intervention to prevent the chronic homelessness that burdens our emergency rooms and first responders
INFRASTRUCTURE
Joe LaCava - Some neighborhoods of District 1 enjoy new infrastructure; however, today’s new infrastructure will become tomorrow’s repair and replacement projects. Unless we address the infrastructure deficit in the older neighborhoods of District 1 and city-wide, we won’t be able to address the future demands in the new neighborhoods of District 1. For far too long the city has promised public facilities and infrastructure that it has failed to deliver. When the city doesn’t deliver, it reduces livability and makes residents resistant to change. I will not shy away from the difficult conversation of reallocating scarce taxpayer dollars or finding new sources of revenue to bring our infrastructure and public facilities current.
Will Moore - Fix our neglected roads and provide smart, effective options to get San Diegans where we want to go, when we want to get there.
Up next, More City Council Races.
If everything goes as expected, I’ll get District 3 done for Friday: Next week for 5,7,& 9.
Voter Guide – You’ve Voted for President, what’s next?
I’ll be writing about many ballot measures and candidates between now and the end of September. That work will be condensed into an handy-dandy voter guide just in time for your mail-in ballots to arrive. I’m the guy who coordinated San Diego Free Press’s Voter Guides over the past decade, so this won’t be my first effort. Stay tuned.
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