Arroyo Grande voters will elect a mayor and councilmember. Here’s our recommendation | Opinion
Voters have a clear choice for mayor and council in the city of Arroyo Grande, where two highly qualified candidates face two challengers who are more concerned about pushing their personal agendas than they are about the business of local governance.
In the mayor’s race, challenger Gaea Powell has been on a crusade to rid public school libraries of materials she considers pornographic. Never mind the city has absolutely nothing to do with school district decisions.
This is Powell’s second run for mayor; she finished a distant second to Russom in 2022. Voters would be wise to reject her this time as well.
Powell boasts about her connections — “I’m now in the C-suite corporate level for the heads of Universal Studios, Warner Bros., etc.,” she said at a recent candidates forum — yet her resume lists no experience in local government.
She talks about declaring Arroyo Grande a “Constitutional Sovereign City” yet when it comes to matters of direct concern to local residents, she avoids straight answers.
Take her response to an affordable housing question posed at the candidates forum.
She described it as “a much bigger, more complex subject that we cannot actually address this evening.” She then went on to broadly hint that the city should disregard state housing regulations — even though that would jeopardize state funding.
Powell is an obstructionist who appears unwilling to work with anyone who doesn’t agree with her. That could be disastrous for the city of Arroyo Grande.
The incumbent mayor, Caren Ray Russom, is a moderate Democrat who has been endorsed by both Democratic and Republican leaders, including San Luis Obispo Mayor Erica Stewart (D) and former state Assemblymember Jordan Cunningham (R).
She’s served on the city Planning Commission, the City Council and did a brief stint on the Board of Supervisors to fill out the term of the late Supervisor Paul Teixeira. Russom was elected mayor in 2018 and is now seeking her fourth consecutive term.
A high school history and government teacher, Russom is smart, pragmatic and a strong leader who strives for compromise. She analyzes issues and keeps cool under pressure, which is exactly what we expect from a mayor.
And unlike her opponent, Russom knows to stay in her lane.
“It’s not the role of mayor for me to educate other people’s parents or other people’s students,” she said at a recent candidate’s forum.
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.
City Council Race
Two council seats are on the ballot. In District 2, Aileen Loe, a former deputy district director for Caltrans, is running unopposed.
There are two candidates in District 3: Marlea Hamon, a retired engineer and project manager in the oil industry, and Planning Commission Chair Jamie Maraviglia, a digital content specialist with UC Berkeley Communications and Public Affairs.
We know little about Hamon’s positions or qualifications for office. She has not responded to The Tribune and, after agreeing to appear at a candidates forum, she pulled out a few days before the event. Under the rules of the League of Women Voters, Maraviglia was not allowed to participate either, since the League is not allowed to hold a forum for just one candidate.
Hamon’s unwillingness to connect with voters is a huge red flag, and there are others.
According to a written endorsement from the Republican Party, Hamon was inspired to run due to “concern regarding election irregularities, fiscal irresponsibility, and government overreach that included social justice initiatives like unjust mandates, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as well as forced acceptance of elected officials’ personal ideologies and dictates.”
It’s time to get past the culture war and concentrate on running the city.
Maraviglia has the attitude and the experience to do exactly that. She’s served on the Planning Commission since 2019 and before that, was on the Parks and Recreation Commission.
She knows what it’s like to deal with controversial issues and how to nail down a compromise. She’s smart, she does her homework and she would make a seamless transition to City Council.
Jamie Maraviglia and Caren Ray Russom will lead Arroyo Grande in the right direction, steering clear of issues that have little relevance to city government. The Tribune Editorial Board offers them our strong endorsement.