Here is an interview with incumbent Rebecca Jones who is running for San Marcos City Council. San Elijo Life has invited all candidates for Council the answer the same set of email questions.
Why should the residents in San Elijo Hills vote for you?
I have been honored to serve the residents of San Marcos for the past 5 ½ years. I have approved a balanced budget each year since joining the council and have brought a fresh customer service approach to City Hall. As a City leader, it is my job to make sure we run as efficiently as possible. As our customer, you deserve a clear process and a high quality of service.
How can you help solve school crowding issues in San Elijo Hills?
Unfortunately, the city cannot address this issue alone. In August the city hosted our first ever joint City Council & San Marcos Unified School board meeting. We will continue to meet with leadership and staff to find ways to work as efficient as possible. We are also currently working together to locate a K-8 school off Twin Oaks Valley and Village Drive to alleviate this overcrowding. Though the agreement is complex, I am committed to make every effort to make this happen.
How can the council help address aggressive cut through traffic and school traffic in San Elijo Hills?
I have not been made aware of this particular situation. I pride myself on my availability and quick response to resident concerns. There are several possible remedies to cut through traffic. It all starts with our traffic engineer assessing the situation and then coming up with alternatives that we can implement. It is important to evaluate several alternatives as diverting traffic from one area will impact other areas. I would like to meet with community members as soon as possible so we can identify the problem and begin working on a solution.
How can the city of San Marcos work with San Elijo Development to complete the San Elijo Hills Town Center?
This is a tricky situation. Though I want to see the town center built, vacant shops will harm the vibrancy of the community. I will work to make sure that if minor changes need to be made to create a prosperous business environment, the city of San Marcos will work with the developer to make this happen.
What are your goals to improve the quality of life in San Marcos, such as events, parks, and trails?
We are currently in the process of working to expand our park property around South Lake (located between Discovery Lake and Twin Oaks Valley Road). Though we don’t currently have the funds to develop this park today, making plans for our future is extremely important. I will also continue to make sure our unrivaled walking trails connect to one another so that all our citizens are able to keep an active and healthy lifestyle. I have some ideas in mind for a Signature Event that will be a cornerstone to showcase San Marcos as the wonderful community that it is.
If elected what are the top 3 issues you would focus on for San Elijo Hills?
First, keeping the city on the right fiscal track and bringing jobs to the city will continue to be priority. Second, public safety is a top priority. I successfully banned the possession or sale of the dangerous synthetic drugs such as “Spice” and have ensured our firefighters have the equipment they need to keep our community safe. Finally, community issues such as working with San Marcos Unified School District to alleviate traffic concerns, providing space for the K-8 school at Village and Twin Oaks Valley, and ensuring our city promptly addresses the needs of its residents will remain a priority. I will continue to work to improve your quality of life and the job done for the people of San Marcos.
How will you clean up the campaign signs after election?
As I did during my last election, I will make sure all signs are promptly removed after the election, no more than a few days. Last election I was out taking down signs the morning after the election. I appreciate the amount of signs can be overwhelming and as soon as the election is over I will ensure they don’t become a nuisance.
