Four of six candidates hoping to be elected to the Stockton City Council District 6 seat attended a recent forum at San Joaquin Delta College to discuss plans for the city and their priorities.
In the March 5 primary election, Vice Mayor Kimberly Warmsley is running to keep her seat against challengers Jason Lee, Ralph White, Satnam Singh, Ronnie Murray Sr. and Zobeyda “Zoyla” Moreno to represent the district located in the south Stockton area.
Moderators for the Feb. 8 forum said Singh was unable to make it due to a work conflict and despite several attempts to reach Murray, they couldn’t confirm an invitation.
To be elected as a councilmember in Stockton, a candidate must receive the majority of votes cast by voters of that district in the primary election. If no candidate receives a majority, a runoff election will be held at the general election in November between the top two vote-getters.
Jason Lee
Lee introduced himself first to the audience and briefly discussed how he previously wrote a book about what his life entailed growing up in Stockton and what led him to founding an entertainment media outlet.
He said politics weren’t in his vision, but he sees a lot of opportunity to help the youth in the city.
Ralph White
White said he had previously served on the Stockton City Council from 1971-87 and claimed that nobody in town knows politics better than him.
“The City Council is not a school that you go to learn, you got a job to do. It’s not something that someone can take lightly,” White said.
He shared the progress he believed he made while on the City Council and said he was a successful businessman in the city.
Kimberly Warmsley
Warmsley told the audience that she is a mother on the south side of Stockton, an advocate, a vice mayor, and a councilmember.
“I have enjoyed the last three years of moving this district forward and I intend to move this district forward even more so in the next four years,” Warmsley said.
When it came to her qualifications, she said her background allows her the ability to be a high-level thinker and pick plans that will give results.
Zobeyda ‘Zoyla’ Moreno
In contrast to the other candidates, Moreno stood up for every question and introduced herself as someone who is running for herself and for the people.
She said despite her 37 years of advocacy helping others, she is running because she is tired of not being heard by the people elected to represent residents.
On the issues
Candidates were asked what they believed to be the biggest issue in District 6 and how they planned to make a positive change in the area.
Lee said there has been unjust treatment to residents in South Stockton for decades and mentioned crime, homelessness and the need for economic investment.
Moreno believed some of the biggest issues challenging District 6 are public safety, homelessness, jobs and the need for economic development.
White discussed having more council meetings as a solution and a change in the evening times they are held.
Warmsley said it was easy to identify the issues of South Stockton such as rampant poverty, lack of development and poor health outcomes.
“But one of the things I can tell you right now that we don’t do enough of is collaborating with our local municipalities. The city cannot work in a silo,” Warmsley said.
