Bee endorsement: This city council candidate is the best choice for Roseville | Opinion

In the City of Roseville, five candidates are vying for one city council seat to represent District 5 — one of the fastest growing localities in the state. The district encompasses West Roseville, which has seen unprecedented growth over the past few years. With significant development underway on thousands of new homes, District 5 needs an experienced, visionary leader.

Long-time Roseville resident, businesswoman and public servant Karen Alvord is the best candidate for the job.

Alvord’s impressive career experience and knowledge of the region and her extensive involvement in the community have earned her endorsements from the Roseville Police Officers Association and the Roseville Fire Fighters Association and current and former regional mayors — an impressive feat in this tightly packed race.

Having lived in Roseville since 1988, Alvord and her husband, Scott have raised seven children, both biological and adopted, in the city. (Scott Alvord is vacating the District 5 city council seat after serving on the board since 2016 due to term limits, having served two full four-year terms.)

Alvord once ran a small business in Roseville and has experience as a social worker, an educator and a CEO. She is the candidate best equipped to serve both the personal, familial, social needs of a changing city as well as the economic, planning and policy needs.

Also running for the District 5 city council seat is Murial Moore, a City of Roseville school crossing guard; Pete Constant, the Roseville Joint Union High School District Board of Trustee president; Nick Busse, a military engagement manager; and David Powell, a retired railroad electrician. (Roseville City Council elections do not appear on the March primary election ballot, hence the large pool of candidates.)

Constant, a retired police officer, current William Jessup University faculty member and former San Jose City Council member has an impressive knowledge of local issues, policy and projects. And Busse, a veteran and advocate for mental health awareness within the veteran community, shows a refreshingly genuine dedication to giving back to his community, coupled with fiscally sound and responsible ideas for District 5.

But Alvord’s vision for District 5 stands out among the candidates. She understand the job will include managing a changing, growing community.

“One of my real interests is in bringing and supporting small business stores,” she said. “I don’t want to rezone commercial lots for housing.”

Alvord is running on a platform of managed growth and infrastructure, responsible budget management, bringing additional amenities to west Roseville, economic development and public safety. Additionally, she is tuned into Roseville’s changing social tides: Once staunchly red, Roseville voters — especially new transplants, many of whom have moved to Placer County from the Bay Area — are now purple, voting both Republican and Democrat.

At the same time, young people who are looking to buy homes — including some of Alvord’s kids — are having a tough time finding affordable housing in the region. A champion of workforce housing, Alvord plans to work with the city’s planning department, council members and developers to build up housing supply so that folks like police officers and teachers can afford to live in the city where they work.

She is the best choice for District 5.