Get the facts on the California candidates running for election to the Council Member, Council District 2 — City of El Cajon
Find out their top 3 priorities, their experience, and who supports them.
East County Magazine will host two forums for El Cajon City Council candidates:
District Four: Monday Sept. 28 at 7 p.m.
District Two: Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.
The forums will be on Zoom and livestreamed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EastCountyMagazine. Video will also be posted later on our website for those unable to watch live.
The public can send questions to editor@eastcountymagazine.org up until noon the day of the forum.
All candidates in District 2 and 4 have been invited. Eight have agreed to participate. In District Two, participants will include Humbert Cabrera, Stephanie Harper, Juan Carlos Mercado, Michelle Metschel and Martin Van Dinteren.
East County Magazine hosted a forum with 5 candidates running for El Cajon City Council's District 2 seat:Humbert Cabrera, Stephanie Harper, Juan Carlos "Charlie" Mercado, Michelle Metschel, and Martin Van Dinteren
Encourage this candidate to share their information on Voter's Edge.
Encourage this candidate to share their information on Voter's Edge.
I’ve lived in El Cajon since 1979. I married, raised a family, and will retire here. I’ve been involved in activities in the city such as: the International Friendship Festival, the El Cajon Community Clean Up group, and homeless outreach.
As Councilwoman, I’ll work to make sure families feel safe and welcomed. That the budget is always balanced and always have a reserve fund for those rainy days. I’ll be a strong supporter of the police and fire departments. I’m pro-business, and will work to bring in businesses that add to the health and future of our city.
District 2 is a blue-collar community of hard working families. Our future depends on communities working together joining with LEOs and city government to keep drugs and criminals from creating havoc in our community. El Cajon should be a place that parents will want to live and raise their families. Where students can walk home safely from school, play in their yard, and enjoy local parks.
My hope is that you’ll see that I bring commonsense, ethics, and a desire to be your voice for the District. I would consider it an honor if you would vote for me on November 3rd.
My name is Letitia Denise Dickerson and I currently work for Charter Communications in Tech Support. I’ve lived in El Cajon for more than 22 years. I’ve gone from homeless to owning two small businesses which I owned and operated for more than 7 years. So, I can sympathize, empathize, and make sense out of all sides of the spectrum. Since 2013, I’ve organized an annual community outreach called the SoCal Day of Hope that not only provides FREE resources, but also acts as a community liaison to provide free assistance to participants in order to connect with community agencies. In addition, I organize small monthly outreaches as well. I not only have children and grandchildren who live in this district, but since 2010, I’ve mentored at-risk youth with organizations like San Diego Mentors, Foundation 61, and others. I didn't start these things in order to run for office. I started them because my passion is people. I’ve spent half my life fighting for others and now I want to fight for you. I've watched El Cajon grow tremendously over the years, but I’ve seen very little growth in the 2nd District. It's as if the city forgot about District Two. I want to make this forgotten district; UNFORGETTABLE!
I'd love to address criminal justice reform but that jurisdiction is limited within the capacity of government for the City Council office I'm running for.
I used to be a CNA. There was something we exercised called "Universal precautions". We exercised hand hygiene, protective equipment like gloves and masks (when applicable), respiratory hygiene, as well as work practice control. We never knew what pathogens or fluids were infectious so we treated them all the same. I believe we should do the same in the community. We don’t know who may or may not be infected, prison re-entry or not. We need to exercise Universal precautions.
I've spent more than half of my life helping and fighting for others. From mentoring youth to helping seniors and disabled. I feed, clothe, and minister to 1000s every year. I teach bible study every Tuesday and lead a prayer line 4 days a week. I've owned and operated 2 businesses after being homeless myself. I have and still do volunteer for many organizations. I've laid my life down for others and will do the same for those I serve in my district and in my city. I will work hard to overcome obstacles that hide solutions to the issues that attempt to keep us down. In short, the golden rule: Treating others as you want to be treated.
It’s an obvious issue in almost every community in San Diego County. I’ve been homeless and even lived at St Vincent De Paul Village for a while. I want to continue to work with organizations like ECTLC, Homestart, and others. However, I also want to add focus toward homeless children and transitioning youth that are aging out of the system. In addition, connect with programs that help with education and navigation so that the individuals getting assistance don’t stay on a merry-go-round or live in perpetual homelessness. We need to deal with the root of the issues and not just the fruit. Why and how they became homeless. Was there a struggle with addictions, poor money management, mental illness, or were they hard workers who were always 1 paycheck away from being homeless. Lastly, we can’t address homelessness without addressing safety. We need to protect our residents, their property, and their personage. We need to protect businesses so that they remain areas that people feel comfortable and safe patronizing.
My political philosophy is that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. These rights need to be protected for all individuals regardless of race, gender, religion, and even for the unborn.
I am unsure if we do that, I will look into it. But as for me, I believe the best way to know someone is to walk a day in their shoes. So who better to know what a criminal might do then a criminal?? I can see how this would help in a lot of ways. I think it would look like some citizens of our city helping that department out.
I dont think that council has that problem facing them but I would hope that we would set up a station to check all in coming releases from jail, just to be safe.
How I read over the agenda and when I come across problems I do research about it, then I bring it in front of council. I will still fight for the same things if I get elected, only I will truly be able to change things. When something is not fair I will stand against it. I will listen and then I will act upon it, things will get done and problems will get solved.
1. Homelessness is a big problem and with the city not doing anything about it for so long now it seems to get worse every year. The things we are doing now dont seem to be enough to fix the problem. So let's try something different or do things differently then we have. Transitional storage units would be a big help, Mobile showers and a help center for work and food.
2. Budget is not balanced, well not at least for the working man it's not. Let's cut out the fat like, Private projects funded with our money, raises for employees making more in a month than some citizens make in a year, and administrative cost that are just as much as the project costs.
3. Safety of our citizens must always come first. Oversight committee for our police department would help us all stay safe.
If we put our money into the right programs and projects we will see this problem getting better. Business owners are suffering because of these problems too. We need to give them a place to reach out to for this besides the police. It is not the police officers job to deal with homeless their job is to uphold the law. The police are going about it wrong, taking a homeless person's belongs and taking them to waste management is not following the law its breaking it according to our municipal code. That will become a big law suit for the city one day.
Why our homeless problem is out of control and how we can control it.
El Cajon's homeless problem has gotten out of control. We have the largest number in the east county and largest right after San Diego in the county. 784 says the 2020 point in time count. I remember when I was a young child only seeing three homeless people and most everyone knew who they were, harmless people who were down on their luck. That is no longer the case. But not all if these people are drug addicts some are just down on their luck and most became homeless while living in El Cajon. We have women, mothers and their children, families and our elderly calling the streets home.
What the city has been doing isn't enough.
El Cajon Native. Lived in the second district since age 4. Humbert serves as a Planning Commissioner of El Cajon.
Humbert Cabrera is currently President of Cabrera and Associates and ADUplus, both companies are located in El Cajon and help with Design drafting, permits, and construction.
Humbert has worked for several companies large and small and spent a tenure with Sony Electronics and HP. Humbert knows how to run a business and has signed both sides of a paycheck.
No
WE should fight back against the laws that try to stop us from being able to register the released prisoners.
What exemplifies is the hard work and care for the citizens of the district. I was raised in the second district, and that matters.
I have proven that by helping to get Fox Shocks to bring their manufacturing base to El Cajon and thus creating more than 300 jobs.
In addition, we built a 33 thousand square foot food bank in El Cajon for the Salvation Army. It is an innovative food choice food bank that is open 6 days a week. This structure also includes a full play gym for children with after school programs and also includes a community center.
I helped bring an end to the red light cameras and helped start the Homeless Taskforce and the Deemed approved ordinance to help reduce public drunkenness and substance abuse.
These and many other reasons are why I was voted Citizen of the Year fro El Cajon.
1- Support Citizens and small business to create jobs
2- Clean and safe streets (reduce homelessness)
3 Responsive Citizen-centered Government (I will not take money nor am I sponsored by "The Good Old Boys Network"): government needs to return to the citizens and not be run by a few choice people that run others campaigns.
I am currently on the Homeless Taskforce. The overall solution is a private and public partnership. WE currently have over 20 non for profits and over 50 businesses supporting and working to solve the problem along with the city. This must continue to be supported and get larger in our effort to understand and help each in their own needs. I have helped bring jobs into El Cajon, Homes into El Cajon, and a 33 thousand square foot food bank into El Cajon. Now it is time to get real or suffer the consequences of your choice. I have been endorsed by Harold brown who runs the largest rehabilitation center with over 200 beds in El Cajon.
Humbert Cabrera is a Reagan Conservative.
Less overbearing regulations and Government and more individual liberty.
Humbert believes in a community-centric government one that is always available to serve the people and the citizens. Humbert is a member of the Rotary Club, Elks Lodge, CASA group, LAPA, Latino Peace Officers Association, Salvation Army, The Homeless Task Force, and more. He was the former citizen of the year and knows the need for non for-profit organizations
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