As the Nov. 3 Orange City Council election approaches, The Panther compiled a series of interviews with the various prospective candidates for mayor and Districts 1, 2, 3 and 5 that will be divided into five installments differentiated by the open positions.

The Orange City Council election Nov. 3 offers open seats for mayor as well as Orange Districts 1, 2, 3 and 5. To break down candidate perspectives and values for our student and community readers, The Panther asked these local politicians about their respective platforms, initiatives and goals to address concerns raised by the community.  

This year’s four District 1 candidates present an array of hands-on experience serving the community through local government, law enforcement and parental responsibility. While nominees Arianna Barrios, Eugene Fields, Christian Vaughan and David Vazquez differ in their approaches to combating community grievances, responding to the economic impact of the coronavirus and ensuring public safety are forefront concerns across the board.

The candidate responses have been lightly edited for clarity and stylistic standards.

Arianna Barrios

Q: What are the most notable components of your campaign platform?

A: I am a completely independent candidate with no ties to political parties or their agendas. While this can be difficult in some respects, it means my base of support must come from the community, which is where the best city council members spring from. This allows me to be transparent and responsive to my neighbors who may have wildly differing political views but share the same desire to have their trash picked up and their streets kept safe. 

 “Potholes aren’t partisan.” That is the hallmark of my campaign.

Q: What initiatives do you want to push for on the Orange City Council?

A: Public safety: I want to maintain current police and fire department staffing levels, particularly focusing on code enforcement. It has a direct effect on the qualities of people’s lives.

Protecting historic resources: Old Towne did not look the way it does today 30 years ago. I know because I was here. Everyone likes to point to Old Towne and talk about what a wonderful gem it is, but they have completely forgotten what it took to get there; it took organized, active members of the community to stand up to the Orange City Council and say, “No, you will not tear another building down or let this area decline.” There are a lot of similarities to what happened in Old Towne with what is happening with Measure AA.

 Economic stability and recovery: The Orange City Council needs bold, creative thinking from people with actual business and budget experience to guide our next steps. With over 10 years of public office experience and having owned a successful small business, I am eager to put my skills to work leading our city out of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and create stability moving forward.

Q: How do you plan on utilizing your position to uplift community concerns and voices, especially those of marginalized groups?

A: The number one thing we need to do is create an environment of transparency and accountability. Our current council has failed us in this respect, and Orange City Hall has never been more insular or protectionist. The doors need to be thrown open and the public invited in to share the burdens of the current crisis, to brainstorm and to collaborate. We need basic communications, town hall meetings and advisory groups that seek to hear from all voices. Good ideas can come from anywhere if we are willing to take the blinders off and be the warm, inclusive town I know we truly are at heart.

Christian Vaughan

Q: What are the most notable components of your campaign platform?

A:  I will work to maintain and strengthen public safety, promote economic growth and support small businesses, maintain a balanced budget, improve the quality and safety of our parks and address homelessness issues.

Q: What initiatives do you want to push for on the Orange City Council?

A: I will work closely with the Orange Police Department to maintain and increase a collaborative response to the homelessness problem. I will work closely with business owners in District 1 to maximize our city’s potential to attract patrons and to seek out new businesses and entrepreneurs that might want to move to Orange in order to spur economic growth. 

Q: How do you plan on utilizing your position to uplift community concerns and voices, especially those of marginalized groups?

A: As a 23-year-veteran of law enforcement and a detective for the last 18 years, specializing in domestic violence and elder abuse, I am uniquely suited to maximize my position as a city council member and be an advocate for the residents of Orange. I am the only candidate that has firsthand experience dealing with victims of crime and fighting for justice – regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. As a councilman, the residents of Orange can expect me to provide the same level of professionalism, integrity and transparency that I provide every day as a detective.  

David Vazquez

Q: What are the most notable components of your campaign platform?

A: I am running for city council because I love Orange and care deeply about its future. As a father, I want to ensure Orange’s future is secured for my children and generations of Orange residents to come. We can do this by maintaining strong public safety, safely reopening our economy, working to get our children back in the classroom in a safe manner, addressing homeless in our community and parks and preserving the charm of Old Towne Orange. I’m honored that my experience and vision for Orange has earned the support of Mayor Mark Murphy, Council Member Kim Nichols and Council Member Chip Monaco. 

Q: What initiatives do you want to push for on the Orange City Council?

A: I want to keep Orange a safe community to live in and to raise a family. I will ensure the Orange Police Department and Orange Fire Department have the resources necessary to protect our community.

It’s no secret that the City of Orange is experiencing a decline in general fund revenues as a result of the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on industries and businesses. I will work on the city council to continue to provide quality community services while not increasing taxes on residents.

 I would also like to prioritize doing everything we can to attract, retain and support Orange businesses. I will help them to reopen safely and will work to repurpose federal grants to allow our businesses to keep their doors open. We need to streamline permitting and embrace technology by allowing businesses’ licenses to be renewed online. I also see untapped potential for the city itself, Orange’s higher educational institutions and private industries to work together to attract business and investment in Orange.

Q: How do you plan on utilizing your position to uplift community concerns and voices, especially those of marginalized groups?

A: I’m the son of a minister who modeled for me how to make a difference in one’s community. My promise is to always be available and to always listen. I embrace Abraham Lincoln’s view of government being made “of the people, by the people and for the people.” I’m not a career politician; I’m simply a husband and father who wants to serve and represent my community and to leave it better than I found it. I plan to actively engage community groups, non-profit organizations, houses of worship and residents. I will be proactive in hearing all the voices of our community and engaging them in our democratic process.

Eugene Fields

Q: What are the most notable components of your campaign platform?

A: I am a husband and father who is concerned about the direction our city is headed. We need people who will listen and respond to residents in order to fulfill the promise that Orange offers. As a former journalist, I covered the City of Orange for five years. I sat in just about every Orange City Council meeting and frequented the Planning Commission meetings, so I understand how this city works.

 I served three years on a taxpayer oversight committee for the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), overseeing the legal expenditure of more than $3 billion taxpayer funds. I understand budgets, oversight and how to ask the tough questions.

Q: What initiatives do you want to push for on the Orange City Council?

A: Increasing public safety in our town: Eight years ago, Orange was No. 2 on the FBI list of safe cities with a population between 100,000 and 250,000 residents. This year, we have fallen to No. 26 on the list.

 There are more people on the Orange City Council than there are Orange Police Department officers tasked to interface with the homeless population. I propose to increase the police force by 35 new hires over the next five years, with most of those officers being tasked to deal with the homeless as well as code and parking enforcement. I also want to petition Orange County for funding for more clinicians to assist with the homeless.

 Protecting local businesses through the pandemic: I want to make crosswalks around elementary schools safer. There is funding available through the OCTA to put flashing lights in the crosswalks surrounding elementary schools.

 Making parks safer: The city uses a carcinogenic toxin in 19 of its 22 parks. I want to ban this from being sprayed in all of our parks and open spaces.

Q: How do you plan on utilizing your position to uplift community concerns and voices, especially those of marginalized groups?

A: One aspect of my platform is transparency. I pledge to hold a town hall every quarter and to hold office hours every other Saturday to give the community an opportunity to voice their concerns.