Four vie for two spots on Vista City Council (original) (raw)

Four candidates will seek two open spots on the Vista City Council in the November election with incumbent Joe Green not seeking re-election.

Green said he decided to pull back from local politics after eight years at his District 2 post.

“I’ve accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish as an elected official and more,” Green said. “I feel I’m leaving the city in a much better place than where it was when I showed up in 2016.”

Green has endorsed newcomer Jeffrey Fox to fill his seat. A graduate of Rancho Buena Vista High School, Fox works in film and digital marketing, according to his campaign website. He will face candidate Anthony White, a retired U.S. Marine and a community advocate, especially around issues related to homelessness. White has shared his own experiences with being unhoused after leaving the Marine Corps with several media organizations, pushing for legislation that, according to his campaign website, is “aimed at providing assistance and support to those in need.”

His endorsements include Vista deputy mayor Katie Melendez.

District 2 takes in the city’s northeastern quadrant, north of state Route 78, including Vista High School, Brengle Terrace Park and the Vista Civic Center.

District 3, the other council seat up for grabs, straddles 78 generally west of Melrose Drive, including the county courthouse and jail complex.

Incumbent Catherine “Katie” Melendez will face challenger Denisse Barragan in District 3. First elected in 2020, Melendez, a Vista native, lists service in Americorp and issues such as homelessness and climate action among her campaign priorities.

Named a Businessperson of the Year in 2023 by the Vista Chamber of Commerce, Barragan is co-owner of J&R Auto Body and Paint in Vista. She serves on the chamber’s board of directors and in several other civic groups. She lists public safety and “strengthening our local economy,” among her top priorities.

Vista Mayor John Franklin and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Association endorse Barragan while Esther Sanchez, mayor of Oceanside, is among Melendez’s backers as is Vista Firefighters Local 4107.