I grew up in San Diego and I learned the value of hard work from my mother.
She was a single parent who worked overtime to make ends meet. We lived in a small apartment, and she would drop me off at McDonald’s before 6 a.m. each day on her way to work and I would study before school.
While attending the University of San Diego I started and ran a small business and took out student loans to pay my tuition. In fact, I still have more than $20,000 in student loan debt.
These experiences shaped me as a young man and define me today.
After graduating I worked at San Diego City Hall as a budget analyst, and at a local non-profit. I spent this time scrutinizing City Hall budgets. Many of the recommendations I made to save taxpayer dollars were implemented.
Working as a taxpayer advocate has prepared me to represent the residents of District 6. I understand the struggles of working families and I want to use my experiences to be your voice at City Hall. Our community has been neglected for too long.
One of the reasons I’m running for City Council is because my fiance, Maria, and I are looking ahead to the type of city we want for our children, and our grandchildren.
When Maria and I are not working or knocking on doors we spend most of our free time trying new restaurants in and around Mira Mesa. We live in Mira Mesa and we plan to raise our children there.
Maria and my close friends call me a budget wonk. I am the first to admit I have a deep interest in understanding how local government impacts our quality life and ensuring our tax dollars are spent wisely.
As a budget analyst at City Hall I learned the ins and outs of the city’s spending, and came to realize the city has enough money to fix potholes, maintain our parks and fully staff our police department — if we made the right decisions. San Diegans can receive the services we need and deserve if the politicians would cut out the waste and mismanagement and focus on our neglected neighborhoods.
As the vice president of the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, a local non-profit, I’ve advocated on behalf of taxpayers to pass pension and other government reforms that will save taxpayers throughout our region more than $1 billion.
I am running for City Council to finish the job, so we can invest in neglected neighborhoods and move San Diego forward.
To me, local government is about helping people. City Council should be working to ensure our streets aren’t peppered with potholes; folks who want a job can get one; our parks are clean places for our children to play; our police officers are trained — and paid — appropriately to keep our communities safe. Those are my priorities.
My opponent says she’s going to be focused on cutting class sizes and reducing overhead at our schools. I’m in full support of those ideas, but council members do not have any jurisdiction over San Diego schools, so we should not be making promises we can’t keep.
I’m focused on what we can control at City Hall.
Keeping compensation packages for police officers competitive with other departments is a no-brainer, but it takes leadership at City Hall to prioritize public safety budgets over other competing budget priorities.
My “Getting San Diego Back to Work” jobs plan outlines 16 ideas that will make it easier for small business owners and entrepreneurs to interact with the city to start a business and create jobs
I also recently announced the formation of the “Neighborhoods First Coalition” to ensure each neighborhood within District 6 has an equal voice, and that we come together for the betterment of our community. Designed to identify the issues most important to each neighborhood, and then help develop solutions to solve those problems, the coalition is the first of its kind in San Diego.
I have the experience, leadership and vision to hit the ground running. I will be honest and transparent with the people I work for, and I won’t make promises I can’t keep. My experience will serve as my guide and help me ensure everyone in District 6 lives in a neighborhood they’re proud of.
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Chris Cate is vice president of the San Diego Taxpayers Association and a candidate for San Diego City Council in District 6.
