Candidate for
Council Member; City of Watsonville; Council District 5

Rebecca J. Garcia is a native of Watsonville and brings a special perspective to the history and needs of Watsonville. Rebecca is committed to the community and has provied extensive commnity service. She attended local schools including Pajaro Elementary School, Watsonville High School, Cabrillo College, and University of California Santa Cruz. Her son Raul García and daugher Andrea Sullivan were raised in Watsonville and also attended local schools. She now has five grandchildren of which four have attended or are attendig local schools. The youngest granddaughter is three years old.

Rebecca had the privilege of serving as a Trustee on the Cabrillo Collge Governing Board for 20 years. During her tenure, the Cabrillo Watsonville Center went from four crowded rooms at La Manzana Center to now include two new bulding plus the old post office building. As a result, new programs to support career development and the transfer to unveristy were established for our local Watsonville youth. Rebecca was the Chair of the Watsonville Housing Task Force in the early 1990's that led to the adoption of an Inclusionary Ordinance which provides affordable housing. Rebecca participated in Action Pajaro Valley which brought Measure U to the voters to estabish the Urban Limit Line. Rebecca served as Chair of the City Redistricting Task Force after the 2010 Census. She currently is the immediate past chair of the Watsonville Parks and Recreation Commission. In the Commission Rebecca has given input not only to recreational activites, but also to gang prevention programs, bike and walking trails, and the beautification of the city with trees.

Rebecca has been involved in community service for over 35 years. In addition to volunteering as a parent in her children's schools she has been on numerous county and city boards and commissions. Some include the Girls Scouts of Monterey Bay, Arts Council of Santa Cruz County, Watsonville YWCA, El Pajaro Community Development Corporation, Pajaro Valley Health Trust, and currently is on the Second Harvest Food Bank Advisory Board and the Santa Cruz County Latino Affairs Commission. Rebecca is committed to serving all people of the city of Watsonville. Her volunteer participation illustrates this.

Rebecca earned a B.A. and her teaching credential at U.C. Santa Cruz and her adminstrative credential and Masters at San José State University. Of the 28 years in education Rebecca worked in the Pajaro Velley School District for 18 years as a teacher and administrator. She was a teacher at Rolling Jr. High and at Watsonville High. She later was Assistant Principal at Watsonville High School and Principal of Rolling Hills Middle School. She was also the principal of the Aptos-Watsonville Adult Ed and was a Director at the Sana Cruz County Office of Educaiton.

Rebecca's experince as an elected official and in the community and in education have given her the skills and knowledge to be an excellent city council member. Please vote for Rebcca For Watsonville City Council.