Candidate for
Council Member; City of Chula Vista; Seat 4

Steve Castaneda was elected to the Chula Vista City Council on November 2, 2004. He quickly established himself as a leader on a number of vital issues facing residents throughout the City. Appointed by his colleagues to represent the city on public safety, energy, environmental and water issues, Castaneda has been tireless in his efforts to shape and promote effective policies and initiatives that make our neighborhoods safer and ensure our energy and water supplies are clean, dependable and safe.

As your Chula Vista City Councilmember, Steve has made Public Safety his top priority. He established and chairs the Public Safety Subcommittee of the Chula Vista City Council, meeting on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 10AM in the Chula Vista Police Department Community Room, 315 Fourth Avenue, 91910, on issues pertaining to Fire, Police and Ambulance service in Chula Vista.

Steve is Chula Vista's representative to the California Endowment's Healthy Eating Active Communities Project, HEAC, a private statewide initiative to prevent childhood obesity. Steve serves on the board of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials, NALEO, California Health Leadership Program, a statewide effort to improve the quality of life and wellness of California's children, particularly in poor, ethnic and racial communities. He fights to improve food quality and physical activity opportunities for school-age children, creating momentum for widespread changes in policies and practices in schools, after-school programs, neighborhoods, media and advertising, and in health care services that contribute to the rising rates of childhood obesity, which is responsible for the onset of diabetes and other health related issues. As your Councilmember, Steve has successfully sponsored ordinances restricting tobacco use near restaurant entrances and patios, requiring healthy snacks in city vending machines and restricting alcohol use in Chula Vista City Parks, to improve the quality of life for our community's children.

Steve serves on the City Council Energy Subcommittee and has been instrumental in persuading the CEC and CPUC to soon retire the polluting South Bay Power Plant and to underground transmission lines on our beautiful Bayfront. He represents the South Bay on the SANDAG Energy Working Group, which advises the region on energy related issues.

As your neighborhood's representative at City Hall, Steve convened the Climate Change Working Group to implement innovative policy to reduce Chula Vista Green House Gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, including requiring 100% high efficiency replacement vehicles for the municipal fleet and facilitating widespread installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on buildings throughout Chula Vista. Prior to his election, Castaneda served as Chair of the Chula Vista Planning Commission where he successfully fought to establish our Open Space Preserve, encircling the City. He is Chula Vista's proud representative at ICLEI, the World-wide "Think Globally, Act Locally" Organization of local governments for sustainability.

In his work as Chair of the Interagency Water Task Force, Steve champions policy to keep our region's water supply safe and reliable. He demanded use of reclaimed water for irrigation in areas served by the Otay Water District.

As a former police officer, Castaneda chaired the Citizens' Law Enforcement Review Board, served on the Mobile Home Rent Review Commission, the Resource Conservation Commission where he worked to strengthen the city's environmental review process and the Historic Preservation Ordinance Committee, where he helped craft the city's first ordinance to protect Chula Vista's historic structures. He serves as a docent for the Chula Vista Historic Home Tour.

Steve began his career as a Policy Advisor to the San Diego City Council, advancing to Legislative Specialist for the City of San Diego. He is the owner of Profile Research and Marketing, consulting on transportation and land use issues for public and private sector clients. His local business-contracting program for the City of San Diego earned the U.S. Small Business Administration's "Program of the Year" for the San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Steve is a native San Diegan and has lived in Chula Vista with his 14 year old son, Andrew, since 1992.

He is a dedicated community volunteer who coached Little League baseball and golf clinics for children. He volunteered with the Otay River Valley Park Committee to plan preservation and clean up efforts and picked up trash and debris along the river.

Castaneda has a long record of protecting and enriching Chula Vista's single-family neighborhoods. As your Councilmember, he has made strengthening and enforcement of the city's Growth Management Ordinance a real priority. He will continue the fight for a fair share of services for all Chula Vista neighborhoods.

Councilmember Steve Castaneda appreciates this opportunity to serve you. If he can be of any additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact him at castanedaforcouncil@gmail.com. Thank you so much.