The Coast News INLAND EDITION
VISTA, SAN MARCOS, ESCONDIDO
VOL. 7, N0. 24
.com NOV. 25, 2022
Escondido votes out McNamara White elected mayor; sales tax bump losing By Samantha Nelson
NIGHT LIGHTS
Let the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas brighten your holiday season. On selected dates now through Jan. 1, SDBG’s Lightscape exhibit offers a mile-long seasonal light display that winds through the garden’s 37 acres and features a million lights. Some of the lights dance in sync with music. Story on 12. Courtesy photo
Maienschein wins close 76th race By Laura Place
REGION — Incumbent Assemblymember Brian Maienschein will represent California’s new 76th District after a week of ballot counting, with opponent Kristie Bruce-Lane officially conceding the race last Friday, Nov 18. Republican Bruce-Lane led Maienschein in the days following the Nov. 8 election, but the Democrat slowly pulled ahead and leads with 51.6% of the vote — about 4,800 votes — after the most recent update by the San Diego County Registrar of Voters, which estimates about 11,000 ballots countywide remain to be counted. This will be Maienschein’s sixth and final term in the state Assembly, under the state’s 12-year term limit for those elected to the state legislature in or after 2012. This will also be his first year representing the 76th, rather than 77th, district following last year’s redistricting process.
BRIAN MAIENSCHEIN will represent the newly drawn 76th Assembly District, which includes Escondido and San Marcos. Courtesy photo
“Thank you to the voters of the 76th district for electing me. I’m deeply honored by the trust placed in me and look forward to getting to work,” Maienschein said. In her statement conceding last Friday, BruceLane stated that a victory no longer seemed possible. She also thanked her supporters
and wished Maienschein the best in his upcoming term. “While the results show there was broad and strong support, it has become clear that I will not be able to win this seat in the State Assembly this election cycle,” Bruce-Lane said. “I look forward to continuing to dedicate my time and energy to help us move forward and continue to create not only a healthy San Diego region but a thriving California for the people.” Redrawn district lines moved much of what was the former 77th district into the 76th, including the more Republican-leaning areas of Escondido and San Marcos. The strengthened conservative constituency may be what contributed to Maienschein’s smaller margin victory; in 2020, when he defeated June Cutter by about 22,000 votes. Updated election results for San Diego County are available at sdvote.com and for statewide races at electionresults.sos.ca.gov.
PANTHER PICKS PILOTS
Cyprian Hyde, a 6-foot-10 senior center at Vista High School, signed a letter of intent this month to play Division I basketball at the University of Portland. Above, Hyde in action for a club team. Story on 18. Courtesy photo
ESCONDIDO — Voters in Escondido have elected a new mayor and are poised to strike down a ¾-cent sales tax measure aimed at improving public safety and city services. As of the most recent update, on Nov. 18, mayoral challenger Dane White has captured 51.62% of the vote against incumbent Mayor Paul McNamara with 48.38%, a lead of over 1,100 votes. “This year’s election results WHITE clearly show that Escondido residents agree the status quo is not working in our community and it is time for a new generation of leadership,” White said in an official victory announcement. McNamara was first elected as mayor in 2018. Things aren’t looking good for the city’s proposed ¾-cent sales tax measure, which would be used to improve and maintain public safety and other city services. While the vote has teetered back and forth, 50.63% of voters oppose the tax, a difference of 460 votes. This trend contradicts a survey of voters performed over the summer that projected 62%-68% of voters would favor the tax. White, the new mayor, has been an elected member of the Escondido High School Board of Education since 2016. He is a fifth generation Escondido resident who attended Escondido High School and Escondido Charter. He owns WhiteWerks Flooring LLC and is the sonin-law to Councilmember Mike Morasco. Incumbent Councilmember Consuelo Martinez (District 1) won reelection by an overwhelming majority against Mike Johnson-Palomares. “I am honored to continTURN TO ESCONDIDO ON 6