Former SLO mayor jumps into City Council race. Here’s a look at who’s running
A packed field of San Luis Obispo City Council candidates includes the return of Jan Marx to the 2020 race, along with other familiar names and a crop of newcomers.
Marx narrowly lost the mayoral seat to incumbent Heidi Harmon in 2016 by a margin of 47 votes but didn’t run in 2018, when Harmon handily defeated opponent Keith Gurnee for the position.
SLO’s November 2020 mayoral race for the traditional two-year term includes four candidates — Harmon, Cherisse Sweeney, Sandra Marshall-Eminger and Don Hedrick.
Eight candidates are competing for two open four-year council seats — Abrianna Torres, Andy Pease, Erik Long, James Papp, Robin Wolf, Kelly Evans, Jeffrey Specht, and Marx.
The two open seats are held currently by Pease and Aaron Gomez, who’s not running in this year’s election.
The filing period for mayor ended Aug. 7, and the council candidacy nomination period ended Aug. 12.
Jan Marx jumps back in
Marx, 75, told The Tribune in a phone interview Thursday that she made her decision over the weekend, not long before Wednesday’s deadline to qualify to enter the race.
Marx, who has served 12 years on the council (including six as mayor) said she would bring needed experience to a council that is entering a period of steep economic challenges and looming budget cuts. The city is facing $8.6 million in projected losses this year and has seen cuts across city departments. Marx said SLO has a “divided community on the future direction of the council.”
The death of county Supervisor Adam Hill on Thursday also played a factor in Marx’s decision to enter. Hill was an ally with whom she served on the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments and SLO County Integrated Waste Management Authority boards while previously on the council, Marx said, and she believes she could serve well in regional advisory roles.
Marx — describing herself as an advocate for affordable housing, open space, climate action, the homeless and reducing creek pollution — said that lack of experience can make it more difficult to hold city staff members accountable, adding she believes SLO has a “great staff” but there are times to disagree because perspectives may differ.
“There are times when you as a council member have to really listen to the residents and read the Land Use Element or General Plan and push back,” Marx said.
In regard to a series of high-profile protests in the city, Marx said she’s a strong supporter of First Amendment rights who has participated in anti-Vietnam and Women’s March rallies, adding she believes in Martin Luther King’s peaceful, nonviolent approach to achieving equality.
As for the arrests of two demonstrators in the city — including 20-year-old organizer Tianna Arrata, who is facing up to eight criminal charges — Marx said that she hasn’t been directly involved in any way, only reading what has been reported on.
“It’s crucially important that people are treated fairly and dealt with through a fair process,” Marx said. “I will say that protesters need to be aware of consequences as well. And if a demonstrator breaks the law, possibly intentionally through civil disobedience, consequences should be expected.”
A look at the 12 candidates running in SLO
Several candidates have issued ballot paperwork and candidate statements, along with social media posts and other public announcements about joining the race. Here’s a glance:
SLO mayor’s race
▪ Heidi Harmon — The incumbent since 2016 cited economic and COVID-19 as key issues in this year’s election. Harmon’s website lists fiscal responsibility, increased housing for working people and environmental stewardship as part of her city vision. Among other key issues, Harmon supported a welcoming city resolution and a diversity task force, along with a reaching carbon neutrality by 2035.
▪ Cherisse Sweeney — The small-business owner of Basalt Interiors downtown, Sweeney supports “community safety, economic vitality and protecting the environment,” and a business-friendly environment, saying in a recent KPRL radio interview she has faced safety issues with an aggressive homeless community downtown and a “major drug problem in our community,” as well as demands for donations from racial justice protesters after boarding up her shop’s windows.
▪ Sandra Marshall-Eminger — An environmental nonprofit director, Marshall-Eminger supports continuing to address “issues of racism, affordable housing, jobs and wages, transportation, air quality” and preserving downtown SLO’s charm, history and architecture “while keeping building heights reasonable” and views of surrounding hills intact.
▪ Donald Hedrick — The longtime attendee of City Council meetings and self-described fixer of “broken things” using repurposed and found materials has said he plans to run for council for the rest of his life, previously arguing that developers hold too much power and that climate change is “junk science” and the city should pull out of climate action initiatives.
SLO City Council race
▪ Abrianna Torres — The small-business consultant and former sheriff’s correctional deputy comes from a multi-racial family upbringing with a father who is a longtime sheriff’s deputy. Her website denounces racism as well as derogatory comments toward law enforcement. She’s against “tax increases, excessive fees and regulations that make life more difficult and expensive for our hard-working families and small-business owners.”
▪ Robin Wolf — a veteran restaurant and hospitality manager with more than two decades in the industry. Wolf’s priorities are civil rights, workers and jobs, health and safety, environmental stewardship, affordable housing and renters’ rights, downtown vitality and recovery, and transparency and accountability in elected officials and law enforcement, according to her candidate statement.
▪ Andy Pease — A local architect, she’s running for her second term on the council, focusing on economic recovery, housing affordability, helping the homeless, climate action and diversity and inclusion.
▪ Erik Long — A retired educator and administrator, Long wants to address “homelessness, housing and downtown parking” and is calling for future summits to tackle key issues.
▪ James Papp — The local historian and advocate for historic preservation told The Tribune the current council has failed to properly guide the community on its response to the coronavirus pandemic. His platform includes addressing high rents and commercial vacancies downtown, helping the homeless, and pursuing affordable housing initiatives to achieve better cost effectiveness for residents.
▪ Kelly Evans — The self-employed event coordinator will support rent relief and mortgage relief, and believes the police arrests of protesters were wrong, according to a candidate statement; Evans feels ignored by City Council members and wants “economic policy that helps people and small businesses.”
▪ Jeffrey Specht — An entrepreneur and entrepreneur advocate, Specht will “will work to end the culture of waste, corruption and bloated government oozing out of City Hall,” he said in his candidate statement. He plans to “build a coalition on the council that will fire the city manager and city attorney, slash city employee salaries and place major pension reform on the ballot.”
This story has been updated to add city council candidate Robin Wolf’s agenda priorities, which were initially left out.
This story was originally published August 14, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
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