Several strong candidates are running for SLO City Council. Here’s who we recommend
Several strong candidates are competing for a spot on the San Luis Obispo City Council — making it all the more challenging to choose just two.
We started by winnowing it down to three: Incumbent Andy Pease, former Mayor Jan Marx and political newcomer Kelly Evans, a 23-year-old who would be one of the youngest, if not the youngest, person ever to serve on the SLO City Council.
Evans is smart, articulate and she’s committed to social justice — she describes herself as an “anti-racism, pro-housing candidate.”
All three of these candidates have similar views and visions for future, and the city would be in good hands with any of them.
In the final analysis, though, Pease and Marx have the political experience the city needs in this extraordinary time as it deals with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the issues raised by the Black Lives Matter movement.
For that reason, we support Pease and Marx, but we strongly urge Evans to stay active in city politics and to run again in 2022, if she’s not successful this time around.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhy do we endorse?
Making endorsements during election season is an important role for newspaper editorial boards, including The Tribune Editorial Board. Elections are key to determining the future of our Central Coast region, and through endorsements, we share our opinion of the qualifications of the candidates and recommend those who would best serve our communities.
Due to the large number of races on the 2024 General Election ballot, we are unable to issue endorsements in every race. We chose to focus on the most competitive contests.
For more about our process, click the arrow on the top right.
Who endorses?
Endorsement decisions are made by Editor Joe Tarica and Opinion Editor Stephanie Finucane.
How do we decide?
Candidates are invited to participate in an interview with The Editorial Board where they are asked a series questions about major issues. It’s our opportunity to learn the candidates’ positions and to gauge how well informed they are about issues they are likely to confront if elected.
We also research voting records of candidates who have held public office; we watch candidate forums; we look at back stories from The Tribune, as well as other publications that have covered the candidates; and we examine public documents. We also take a look at the candidates’ advertising and campaign statements. Are they overpromising, for example, or misrepresenting their opponent’s record?
In the case of ballot measures, we study the background of the issue, the pro and con arguments and consider who is supporting and opposing the measure.
Tell us what you think
If you disagree (or agree) with our endorsements, share your thoughts with us by writing a letter to the editor (200-word maximum). Email your submissions to letters@thetribunenews.com. Due to the volume of submissions we receive during campaign season, we do not publish Viewpoint-length pieces (600-800 words) in support or opposition to candidates.
Here’s more about the candidates we’ve endorsed:
Jan Marx
Nearly two decades ago, Jan Marx stood in front of an audience and shared her vision of what she didn’t want to see on the Central Coast in the year 2025.
“I don’t want what I call ‘Paso Maria.’ It starts in Paso Robles, ends in Santa Maria, and it’s just wall-to-wall sprawl from here to there,” she said.
Well, 2025 isn’t that far away and luckily, we don’t have wall-to-wall sprawl, thanks in part to Marx and other environmentalists who have championed preservation of open space, including the city’s beloved greenbelt.
Marx is passionate on that issue — and she has concerns about the way the current council is managing the greenbelt.
“The decision to allow people to access the open space at night I opposed adamantly,” she told The Tribune Editorial Board. “Nighttime is the time the animals rest and recover.”
Marx has a keen understanding of what it takes to provide more affordable housing — she’s practiced real estate law and was on the council when it first passed an ordinance requiring developers to either include affordable homes in their projects or pay a fee.
We look to her to not just talk about the need for less expensive housing, but to also pass policies to get it done.
When asked her opinion of the way police handled the recent Black Lives Matter protests, Marx told us that, if elected, she’ll propose forming a citizens oversight committee in SLO.
“There’s an opportunity now that there will be a new police chief. If I’m on the council, I want to be part of the interview and make sure that person isn’t afraid to have citizens review police policies and also conduct,” she said.
That’s an excellent idea — one we urge the entire council to pursue.
Andy Pease
Pease first came to our attention in 2014, when she co-chaired a campaign to pass a half-cent tax measure benefiting the city — it passed with an impressive 70% of the vote.
Pease won election to the council in 2016 and is now seeking a second term.
She’s a hard worker, and she’s smart, accessible and has a laid-back style of communicating that puts people at ease.
Another trait: She’s quick to call out injustice.
For example, when a farmworker housing project was destroyed in an arson fire, Pease publicly condemned the act — even though it happened in Nipomo.
“The disheartening news of arson at the farmworker housing development in Nipomo highlights the larger issue of mistrust of immigrants and a lack of integration within our communities,” she wrote in a letter to the editor.
Pease has a strong commitment to increasing the supply of more affordable homes. There has been some progress in that direction — the current council was successful in negotiating an increase in workforce housing in a couple of large developments — but we’d like to see Pease have another term on the council to make even more headway.
There have been grumblings that, as an architect who’s worked for local developers, it’s been necessary for Pease to recuse herself from voting on some projects due to a conflict of interest.
When the issue was brought up recently on a talk radio show, Pease estimated she’s recused herself possibly a dozen times over her four years on the council. She also said she’s no longer accepting jobs with developers who have projects within the city in order to avoid future conflicts.
Here’s the thing: Serving on the City Council is not a full-time job, and it’s unreasonable to expect council members who hold jobs in the community to not have an occasional conflict.
The fact that Pease is willing to forgo some contracts is a testament to her dedication to the city and, if anything, is a point in her favor — not a cause for complaint.
Bottom line: Again, this was not an easy choice, but we believe Marx and Pease are the best fit for City Council at this time. Both have a strong vision for San Luis Obispo, along with the experience and the drive to achieve their goals.
The Tribune strongly endorses Jan Marx and Andy Pease for the San Luis Obispo City Council.