The Bee Editorial Board endorses proven leaders in Davis City Council elections | Opinion
The most populous city in Yolo County and home to one of Northern California’s most prestigious universities, the city of Davis is a laid-back, liberal enclave just 15 miles west of Sacramento.
The Davis City Council is elected by district for four-year terms. In 2024, seats in Districts 2, 3 and 5 are on the ballot. In District 3, incumbent city councilwoman Donna Neville is running unopposed, as is the current mayor and District 5 representative, Joshua Chapman. (Mayor Chapman did not return a request for an interview, and it is The Bee’s policy not to endorse a candidate who does not meet with us.) District 4, meanwhile, has three newcomer candidates, each of whom brings enthusiasm to their campaigns.
In the next few years, Davis City Council members will need to work within the guidelines of the newly approved Downtown Plan and the upcoming General Plan update.
Nor is the city spared from the issues of homelessness that affect many Californians: The median home price in Davis is a staggering $890,000. Council members will need to support the city’s newly formed Department of Social Services and Housing to ensure homeless residents are given every opportunity to recover stability and find housing.
District 3
Neville is a thoughtful public servant. The seat in District 3 opened mid-term after former Davis Mayor Lucas Frerichs was elected to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors. Previously, Neville served the city as a Planning Commissioner and served as chief legal advisor to the California State Auditor.
Since then, Neville has worked on improving the city’s infrastructure through improvements to bikeways and roads. She has also promoted the city’s traffic calming program. She also supports affordable housing policies and climate resiliency plans and supports revitalizing downtown Davis. If re-elected, Neville promises to create “resiliency hubs” throughout the city that can be used in case of climate emergencies.
Neville supports Davis’ Measure Q, which would establish an additional one-cent sales tax, estimated to bring in nearly $11 million annually for the city’s general use, and Measure T, which would increase the annual special library tax by $49 per parcel, to improve and build the city’s Mary L. Stephens Library and the new Walnut Park Library in South Davis.
District 2
District 2 is a contested race with three candidates: Davis Planning Commissioner, Linda Deos; Davis Teachers’ Association President, Victor Lagunes; and Yolo County Democratic Central Committee member, Dillan Horton.
The Bee endorses Deos. She is a well-known entity in Davis, thanks to her position on many different boards and commissions.
Lagunes and Horton are knowledgeable and passionate about public service. Voters are lucky to have three good options for their council representative, and we hope to see both Horton and Lagunes remain active in city affairs.
We endorse Deos’ because of her experience.
She has chaired the Yolo County Cannabis Tax Citizens’ Oversight Committee and was an appointee to the City of Davis Utilities Commission, where she served two terms as commission chair.
Campaign priorities for Deos include addressing the city’s annual budget deficit, building more affordable housing, investing in renewable energy and public transportation options.
We believe Davis residents will be well served by Deos and Neville.
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