In La Mesa, two progressive candidates are running unopposed for open seats on the City Council, ensuring the Democratic supermajority will remain.
Read more ‘Pain in the ass’: Trump again shows annoyance with Paxton after leaked audio
Depending on the results of the Nov. 3 election, the East County city could see its first-ever all-female council.
Councilmembers Laura Lothian and Patricia Dillard left two openings on the La Mesa City Council to make a bid for the mayoral seat.
Moana Alo and Amanda-Dawn Natalia were the only two candidates to qualify for the ballot, meaning their four-year council terms are guaranteed.
The two Democrats will join Councilmembers Lauren Cazares and Genevieve Suzuki, both progressives serving their first terms. In La Mesa, council members are paid a base monthly salary of $1,900.
Alo, 46, is a field representative for state Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson who also served as a city community services commissioner.
“I love La Mesa, but there are some things that I think need to be changed,” Alo said during a candidate forum. “I am a renter, I am a single mother of two college students and in this time and space we don’t often see a lot of those voices in the decisions that are being made. I hope to be a voice for those folks.”
Read more San Diego community colleges install signs prohibiting ICE activity on campus
She said her top priority is to make La Mesa an affordable place for anyone to reside. Homelessness, youth development and strengthened programs for seniors are other issues Alo said she will focus on as a city leader.
Natalia, 42, is a business and estates attorney who chairs La Mesa’s Environmental Sustainability Commission and sits on the Community Bond Oversight Committee for the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District.
Green spaces and nature are her passion, and she said she wants to preserve them in her time on the council. Her top issues are public safety, climate resilience, housing availability, community development and affordability.
“From increasing extreme heat events to rising energy costs, we need to take smart, proactive actions that lower emissions while saving businesses and taxpayers money,” her website reads.
Four candidates are running for mayor: two Republicans, one Democrat and one unaffiliated. The outcome will ultimately decide whether the city ends up with an entirely progressive slate of officials.
Read more The end of homework? Teachers grapple with cheating in the age of AI
