ANALYSIS: Did San Diego District 9 City Council candidates tackle issues City College values most?
The two candidates for San Diego’s City Council District 9 seat, incumbent Sean Elo-Rivera and challenger Terry Hoskins, shared a table during their candidate forum moderated by the League of Women Voters Sept. 25.
Hosted by Neighbors For A Better San Diego and Viet Voices, the event gave both candidates a platform to share their experiences and policies around housing access, transportation improvements, youth and cultural engagement, and more.
Hoskins, a retired Marine Corps sergeant major and a former San Diego police officer, said he draws on eight years of experience as a Community Relations Officer in District 9 for his positions on the policies addressed during the debate.
Elo-Rivera, current City Council President and representative for District 9, credited his background in teaching and community organizing for informing the policies he implemented in office over the last four years.
“It’s about expanding opportunity and the belief that if we remove barriers, folks have a real path—they can achieve incredible things,” Elo-Rivera said.
Elo-Rivera highlighted the progress his office has made in renter protections, environmental improvements and addressing long-standing disparities in District 9.
Hoskins, self-described as not a “polished” politician, said his candidacy is driven by his community’s encouragement, not wider political goals.
The challenger contrasted himself with Elo-Rivera in a straightforward appeal to attendees as a candidate of accountability and accessibility.
“If you’re happy with all the programs, vote for him. If you’re not, vote for me,” Hoskins said at the end of the debate to draw the line for voters.
City Times Media listened to this debate and identified statements from the candidates that describe their plans if elected. CTM has organized these statements based on issues raised in the City College Community Agenda and listed them below.
CTM did not include statements by the candidates that were not directly related to their plans. The goal is to identify what the candidates want to do.
The City College Community Agenda is an ongoing survey of City community members, in both English and Spanish, asking what issues and questions they want candidates to address as they compete for their votes. If you have not submitted your issues and questions to the survey, please do so today.
CTM has analyzed the presidential and mayoral debates using the same format. Look out for upcoming breakdowns of the second San Diego mayoral debate and the District 3 candidate forums.
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