The Solano County Registrar of Voters released Unofficial Results as of 10:43 PM on election day. As of that time, estimated unprocessed ballots still to count: Est. 76,500. Note that the ROV can still receive valid ballots by mail until November 12th, if postmarked by Election Day. Following are Benicia results:
November 3, 2024
Dear Benicia Voters,
As your City Council, we are unified in supporting Measures F, G, and H, which represent a lasting investment in Benicia’s future—strengthening our roads, enhancing infrastructure, and preserving essential services that safeguard our quality of life.
These measures weren’t proposed lightly. They reflect thoughtful planning and a vision to secure a stable, vibrant Benicia for generations to come.
While new taxes can be challenging, they’re a pathway to achieving a resilient city that thrives.
The strength of this vision is reflected in the broad support we’ve received from the Benicia Police Officers Association, Benicia Dispatchers Association, Benicia Fire Association, Solano County Association of Realtors, Napa-Solano Labor Council, California Democratic Party, and many other organizations. With these measures, we’re building a legacy of excellence and reliability that our city deserves.
Let’s come together and Believe in Benicia’s bright future.
Here’s what each measure will accomplish:
We strongly believe these Measures will significantly improve Benicia’s future.
While we encourage your support, we most appreciate your thoughtful consideration of both supporting and opposing arguments. Your engagement in this process ensures that the outcome truly reflects our community’s will.
Thank you for your participation in this crucial decision-making process.
Sincerely,
The Benicia City Council
Mayor Steve Young
Vice Mayor Terry Scott
Council Member Trevor Macenski
Council Member Kari Birdseye
Council Member Tom Campbell
By Stephen Golub, November 2, 2024
Many Benicians haven’t yet voted. So some final thoughts on two impressive candidates:
Democrat Gilpin-Hayes is a breath of fresh air and ideas. This includes extensive community engagement, innovative outreach to Benicians, responsibly backing revenue-enhancing ballot measures so our town won’t topple off the fiscal cliff and supporting a strong industrial safety ordinance (ISO). The ISO becomes all the more vital in view of the Valero refinery’s ongoing issues, as reflected by the $82 million fine just imposed for its sixteen years of egregious toxic emissions.
Gilpin-Hayes’s long list of endorsers includes Mayor Young, Vice Mayor Scott, Council Members Birdseye and Campbell, former Mayors Hayes and Patterson, the Solano County Democratic Party and numerous County Democratic officials and candidates.
Her main competition for the slot, Republican Lionel Largaespada, shares his opponent’s community engagement. But he has tight associations with Texas-based Valero, including backing its dangerous plan to bring potentially explosive “bomb trains” through town and its political action committees’ massive backing for him in previous races. He may well oppose an ISO and otherwise accommodate the oil giant.
He was the Council Member most resistant to the potentially life-saving mask mandate back when Covid raged. His opposition to the ballot’s revenue measures and his current dubious budget math, which could cut City services, have been rightly criticized by Council Member Campbell and other fiscally responsible Benicians.
So what can you do? Reach out to the Gilpin-Hayes campaign at its website (https://www.christinaforbenicia.com/) in case it needs last-minute help. Spread the word to neighbors and friends who may be undecided or lacking information.
You’ve doubtless been bombarded with presidential election information, so I’ll keep this selective. Over 800 Republicans, conservatives, retired generals and admirals and former national security officials and top Trump aides have endorsed Harris and denounced Trump. The nonpartisan CATO Institute just released a report revealing that supposedly “tough on immigration” Trump was far softer than Obama and Biden on thousands of violent criminals who’d illegally entered the country.
Here’s why Harris will win:
Women far outnumber men in early voting, by a 10 percent margin, unnerving even leading Trump supporters. This could prove crucial, given the gender gap in candidate support, with females tending to back Harris and males favoring Trump.
A recent Gallup poll found that more Democrats (77 percent) are enthusiastic about voting than Republicans (67 percent) are.
Harris has a more proven and organized get-out-the-vote (GOTV) operation than Trump does, a phenomenon I witnessed during my recent canvassing in Pennsylvania.
Harris may benefit from an independent political action committee pouring up to $700 million into ads and messages in these closing weeks, based on its unprecedented (but admittedly unproven) rigorous testing process.
A comedian slamming Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage” at Trump’s recent New York rally is infuriating Puerto Rican voters in Pennsylvania (which has almost 300,000) and elsewhere.
On the other hand, Trump’s own tactics could prove effective. His anger-inducing blame game could outweigh Harris’s GOTV ground game. But I’m betting on Kamala.
So what can you do? These final days are vital. Go to the Harris campaign’s volunteer site, https://go.kamalaharris.com/, particularly to sign up to call swing state voters. I just made such calls; it’s far easier than the site makes it look. Even one persuaded or mobilized pro-Harris voter per two-hour shift can prove crucial when multiplied by volunteers’ millions of calls.
Finally: Please also vote for Mayor Young, Council Member Macenski and revenue Measures F, G and H. And let’s hope that Election Day and the following days prove peaceful.
My name is Christina Gilpin-Hayes, and as you may have heard, I’m running for Benicia City Council. Before I tell you about my qualifications and why I’m asking for your vote, let me say that it has truly been an honor to run for Council. I have enjoyed every moment of this election season so far—meeting neighbors who have become friends, knocking on doors, and being welcomed into homes to listen to concerns and engage with our community members. It has been a rewarding experience that reinforces my commitment to serving our community.
I find joy in this process. Even neighbors who may not agree with me or are voting for another candidate have shared their stories and experiences with me. This is what community means to me. Even when we don’t agree, there is an opportunity to communicate.
Now, a bit more about me: I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Communication and Organizational Behavior, along with a background in law and finance. I was previously employed as a corporate paralegal supporting startup companies and large technology firms. I eventually moved into a leadership role at a large firm, managing a team of approximately 100. After a brief stint at an investment bank, I returned to law firm life, where I now manage a team developing legal tech software to make legal services more efficient and, hopefully, less expensive. In my professional life, I’vemanaged people and budgets, and I have experience making tough decisions when necessary. In my opinion, all of these responsibilities can be fulfilled with empathy, care, and creativity.
Personally, I am passionate about community organizing. I am the founder of the Benicia LGBTQIA Network and an avid animal rescuer. My wife and I moved to Benicia in early 2021 and instantly fell in love with this community; we knew it was home for us. I’ve always been politically and socially active, volunteering for multiple local, state, and federal campaigns over the years, including working on the legal Election Protection Team for two presidential elections to ensure voters had access to the polls across the country. I believe in the democratic process, and that’s just one of the reasons I’m running for Benicia City Council. I’d like to answer some of the questions I’ve encountered on the campaign trail in Benicia.
I know our community is experiencing tax fatigue, and the city is asking us to contribute more. I understand; I really don’t want to pay more taxes either. However, with Measure F, we can contribute a small amount when dining out or purchasing items, which will help address some of our road issues. For an $80 dinner at Baxter’s, one of my favorite Benicia restaurants, the tax I will pay on that meal will increase from $7.30 to $7.70. I am comfortable paying the additional $0.40 to help the city start making a dent in the backlog of roads that badly need repair and repaving. I also appreciate that there will be a community oversight committee to ensure that this money is used as intended by voters. Additionally, even if Measure F passes, our tax rate will still be lower than many of our neighboring communities.
There is a lot of misinformation floating around about these measures, leading to confusion. I’ve met homeowners who thought that voting in favor of these measures would result in immediate reassessments of their homes. To be clear, that is not accurate. First, Measure H cannot be implemented without Measure G. A General Law City, which is what Benicia currently is, cannot implement a city transfer tax. If Measure H is approved, together with Measure G, it means real property sales will be assessed a city transfer tax, and while I understand the frustration with being asked to contribute more, this measure will enable the city to plan for the future. I’ve heard questions like, “Why didn’t the city anticipate this?” or “Why didn’t the previous council do something to ensure we could collect on X, Y, or Z?” This measure provides the city with that opportunity. It means when new developments occur, the city will receive a transfer tax, ensuring that new residents contribute to our beautiful community to fund city needs, such as necessary infrastructure, police, and fire. Additionally, if any commercial properties—yes, including Valero—ever sell, the city will receive funding from those sales. We want to avoid a situation where, in 2, 5, or 10 years, sales occur from new housing developments or a large commercial property, and the city has not planned for it.
One thing is certain: we cannot cut our way to a balanced budget. This community has made its priorities clear, and public safety is a top concern. This means maintaining staffing levels for police and fire. To achieve this, we must compensate our public safety staff at a level consistent with neighboring communities. In my conversation with the Police Chief, he indicated that we have already lost five police officers in 2024 alone. While there will be opportunities to reduce staff in certain departments in the coming years, that alone will not bridge the budget gap.
We also cannot cut consultant fees as a way to balance the budget. Consultants provide efficient and cost-effective services without the long-term obligations that permanent employees require. Hired city staff require benefits and pension contributions. Consultants can be brought in when needed without those long-term commitments. Moreover, many items on the consultant list are supported by this community, such as automated license plate readers and the goats for vegetation management, among others. We could eliminate all of those and save quite a bit of money, but then would we hire full-time shepherds and purchase a herd of goats to cancel that contract, or do away with the Automated License Plate Readers that assist our Police Department, or even hire a team of full-time city attorneys with the appropriate specialties to replace our contracted City Attorney, which would also come with benefits and pensions? Additionally, some of the consultants the city has engaged over the past two years have helped ensure compliance with state housing requirements. The city does not maintain full-time staff to manage all of its needs, as doing so would inflate the budget far beyond the consultant fees we currently pay.
Relying on the termination of consultant contracts to find money to balance the budget or fix our roads is short-sighted and unrealistic.
These tax measures are not a magic solution; they are merely a starting point. We must continue to make significant plans, regardless of whether these measures pass. We need to focus on attracting new commercial opportunities, which means city leaders must identify ways to leverage relationships and encourage businesses to consider Benicia. This may involve collaborating with commercial property owners to assist in identifying potential businesses for vacant properties, particularly those that would generate sales tax revenue. Warehouses do not typically generate revenue for the city. My focus would initially be on our industrial park. While Main Street is the crown jewel of Benicia, it accounts for only about 7% of our total sales tax revenue. We should continue to support all our Main Street businesses, but initially, we should prioritize new commercial opportunities in the industrial park. This won’t be easy, but it can be achieved if we work together—city leaders, city staff, the Benicia Industrial Park Association, and the community at large. The time for the City Council to act is now. We must focus on what’s next for Benicia to diversify our revenue streams, which is essential for our city’s long-term financial health, and we must engage every voice to do what’s right for Benicia.
I believe we need a strong Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO). We are the only refinery city in the Bay Area without one. City leaders would be doing a disservice to the community if they did not ensure Benicia’s long-term environmental safety in all industrial settings. I have read the draft ISO, the community comments, Valero’s comments, as well as Solano County’s comments. I hope the ISO can be implemented without litigation and that all interested parties can agree to prioritize the environment and public safety.
While these issues don’t necessarily touch the city directly, I think it’s important for you, the Benicia voter, to know where I stand:
Mayor Steve Young, Vice Mayor Terry Scott, and Council Member Kari Birdseye have provided invaluable information and support throughout this process, and I’m a better candidate for it. I am truly grateful for all of the current and former leaders of this city, as well as long-time Benicians, who have been willing to invite me into their homes and lives, talk to me, and share information.
If you watched the Benicia Chamber of Commerce candidate forum or attended any of my campaign events, you’ll know I don’t take myself too seriously. I smile a lot and genuinely find joy in my work, my life, and this campaign process. You might wonder if I have the chops to do this job if I’m cracking jokes. I assure you, I do. I am a leader in my industry and my community, and when it’s time to get down to business, I do so with ease—but always with a smile on my face.
I will champion Benicia and remain accessible to hear your concerns, even if we don’t agree. I hope you’ll take some time to get to know me, and I ask for your vote on November 5th or via your mail-in ballot.
The Benicia Independent and its Founder/Editor Emeritus, Roger Straw, have also wholeheartedly endorsed Christina Gilpin-Hayes for Benicia City Council. Her genuine passion for our amazing community, combined with her ability to connect with residents and listen to their concerns, truly sets her apart as the best candidate in this field. Christina is the right leader for Benicia.
This ad was first published in the Benicia Herald on October 19, 2024. The Herald does not have an online edition. Supporting local journalism is crucial for ensuring communities are informed and facilitates transparency and accountability during important local events like this one. You can subscribe to the Herald by email at beniciacirculation@gmail.com or by phone at 707-745-6838.
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