Voters in La Mesa this November will be asked if they want to extend a 0.75-cent sales tax for another 20 years and choose among four candidates running for two vacant City Council seats.

Councilmember Jack Shu has announced he will not seek re-election, and Councilmember Colin Parent is leaving to run for state Assembly.

NTC Development Vice President and former La Mesa City Councilmember Kristine Alessio, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce policy advisor Lauren Cazares, attorney Genevieve Suzuki and personal trainer Shawn Townsend are vying for the two seats.

Proposition L would extend by 20 years a ¾-cent sales tax approved by voters in 2008 and scheduled to expire in 2029.

La Mesa receives 1 percent from the overall state sales tax, and Proposition L increased the city’s share to 1 ¾ percent and brought the local sales tax rate to 8.5 percent. The tax raises $12 million in annual local funding to the city.

City officials say the revenue is used to fund public safety, parks, recreation services, street maintenance and other services.

Candidates were asked by e-mail to identify the top three issues facing La Mesa.

Kristine Alessio

Alessio, 58, said streets, development and safety were her top priorities.

“Our streets are the backbone of our daily lives,” she wrote in an email. “Our streets need to be well-maintained, clean, and safe.

“Responsible development that does not crowd or destroy the atmosphere of our single-family neighborhoods,” she continued. “Preserving our neighborhoods and ensuring new development meets high standards for design and planning is crucial.

“Safety is the foundation of a thriving community,” she wrote. “By investing in prevention, community engagement, and effective response strategies, we can foster a safer environment for everyone.”

Alessio said she supports extending Prop. L with the conditions that there is citizen oversight and the revenue is used to fund things that directly benefit La Mesa residents, business and visitors such as public safety, road repairs and permit processing.

Lauren Cazares

Cazares, 26, supports Prop. L and said that homelessness, a lack of public safety resources and street accessibility were the biggest issues facing the city.

“La Mesa’s homeless population grew by 86 percent in 2024 (per the point-in-time count) and that is unacceptable,” she wrote. “We need to ensure that La Mesans can afford to stay in their homes and those that do fall into homelessness have access to essential services to get back on their feet.

“Our police force and firefighters need help recruiting and positions to be funded, understaffed crews mean our service levels decrease and so does employee morale,” she continued.

Cazares also wrote that many streets and transit stops lack appropriate lighting and many crosswalks have medians through them, creating accessibility issues for kids, seniors, disabled people and parents with strollers, which could lead to costly litigation for the city.

Cazares serves on the City of La Mesa’s Community Police Oversight Board and represents La Mesa on San Diego Community Power’s Community Advisory Committee.

Shawn Townsend

In a brief email response from Townsend, 49, regional general manager for Anytime Fitness, the candidate wrote that he supports Prop. L and his priorities are traffic, housing, and climate change and environmental degradation.

“More vehicles, inadequate infrastructure, and pollution result from increased urbanization,” he wrote. “Rising prices, gentrification, and lack of regulations lead to unaffordable housing and homelessness.”

Townsend’s campaign website has additional comments.

“As a City Council member, my top priority will be to ensure that our police force, local government, and the citizens of La Mesa are on the same page,” he says on the page. “I believe that transparent and open communication is crucial to building trust and fostering a sense of community.

“One of the first things I will do is to conduct regular town hall meetings where residents can voice their concerns and suggestions directly to me and other city officials,” he continued. “I will also make sure that these meetings are recorded and posted online so that everyone has the opportunity to stay informed about the issues that matter most to them.”

Genevieve Suzuki, La Mesa City Council candidate in the Nov. 5 election.

Genevieve Suzuki

Addressing homelessness humanely and ensuring public safety were among the priorities named by Suzuki, 48.

“Simply removing unhoused individuals from visibility is unacceptable,” she wrote. “We must work with successful community outreach programs to develop an effective solution.

“One of the most exciting issues, however, is we are going through a bit of an identity crisis,” she continued. “By that, I mean La Mesa is experiencing regrowth, with younger families and professionals moving in while our city is still home to a sizable population of seniors.

“This regrowth presents a wealth of opportunities for our vibrant community, including a re-envisioned library and other enhanced community services. We need to hold town halls and encourage input from La Mesa residents.”

Suzuki, who supports Prop. L, also wrote that she is invested in improving the city’s communication by updating the City of La Mesa website and further exploring social media.