Lisa Kaplan is a standout candidate in Sacramento City Council race for North Natomas seat

For the first time in 12 years, North Natomas will be represented by someone not named Angelique Ashby when the midterm elections conclude this fall. Sacramento’s current vice mayor and District 1 council member is running for the California Senate, vacating a seat that has long benefited from her dedication to putting families first in one of Sacramento’s most attractive middle-class destinations.

Ashby’s preferred successor is Nate Pelczar, a financial accountability manager for an environmental nonprofit who shares almost identical political views and received endorsements from many of her loyal supporters. But when it’s time to vote, District 1 residents should not just settle for endorsements and back a candidate relying on someone else’s platform.

Longtime Natomas school board member and attorney Lisa Kaplan has decades of relevant experience as an elected official charged with overseeing a public budget, and demonstrated an unmistakable advantage when it comes to her mastery of the issues facing Sacramento. In a three-person race for the privilege to represent North Natomas, Kaplan is the clear choice for the job.

Kaplan, 46, was first elected to the Natomas Unified School District Board of Trustees in 2002, and has played an integral role shaping the district into one of California’s best in terms of college readiness, and a shining example of how to treat student mental health. She was board president in 2020 when the pandemic forced schools to close indefinitely, and showed well-rounded leadership in the throes of an unparalleled crisis.

On the issues, Kaplan stood out against Pelczar and realtor Alyssa Lozano during an interview with The Bee’s editorial board. Kaplan’s clarity on the local landscape of the climate crisis impressed as she noted the direct link between local land use, transit-oriented development and carbon emissions — an area where city decision-makers can have a direct effect. Kaplan’s relationships with Sacramento County Supervisors Phil Serna and Patrick Kennedy could improve the strained relations with the region’s largest government and help bring long-sought relief on homelessness.

All three contenders had varying degrees of reluctance about safe ground shelter sites in North Natomas, a sentiment long held by Ashby and clearly a reflection of District 1 constituents. As Kaplan noted, however, homelessness does not adhere to boundaries, and if the city’s ballot measure passes, every district will have to provide additional shelter. Kaplan’s experience in public office could be instrumental in convincing North Natomas residents to embrace a larger role.

Redistricting changes taking effect after this election will add even more single-family neighborhoods to District 1, with the southern boundary spanning Arena Boulevard and running eastward to the Pell Industrial Park and Glenwood Meadows. Each council candidate noted similar priorities to improve public safety, support local businesses and generate a diverse array of housing options.

While Pelczar, 44, may lack experience in public office, he has spent years fighting for equal rights with various LGBTQ organizations, and was a political consultant for 15 years. He has applicable fiscal management skills, evidenced by his service as a three-term member of Natomas Unified’s bond oversight committee, which is responsible for more than $145 million in taxpayer money.

Police enjoy strong support in Natomas, and all three contenders shared steps they would take to alleviate the Sacramento Police Department’s staffing shortage — with Pelczar and Lozano emphasizing funding and Kaplan highlighting her experience developing a pipeline at local high schools. Pelczar said he wants to fund community-oriented policing strategies that can deepen relationships in diverse neighborhoods, while Kaplan was blunt about the need to rebuild trust citywide and expand Sacramento’s Department of Community Response.

With a successful career in the real estate industry, Lozano, 42, offers an interesting perspective on community-building. Her role as Natomas Chamber of Commerce president has helped her establish important business relationships across the region. However, those relationships are not a differentiating factor when much of the city’s political establishment is backing Kaplan and Pelczar.

The housing construction boom in North Natomas over the past decade has led to an influx of Asian, Latino and Black families seeking the suburban lifestyle in Sacramento’s northwest corner. Building on Ashby’s legacy is important, but so is retaining an experienced public servant when Sacramento is facing a multitude of challenges. Kaplan has the resume and policy skills to provide capable leadership for not just District 1, but all of Sacramento.

This story was originally published May 2, 2022 at 5:00 AM.