Stephen Whitburn for San Diego City Council District Three

Background:

Stephen is an award-winning journalist and community activist. Currently Stephen serves as spokesperson for the American Red Cross in San Diego, promoting its life-saving blood drives. Fluent in Spanish, he has been a liaison to the Latino community on public education efforts for the Red Cross. Stephen Whitburn served as president of the San Diego Democratic Club, where he was a leader to help pass the city’s living wage ordinance, elect progressive Democrats such as Donna Frye, and get-out-the-vote to defeat statewide ballot initiatives that would have endangered a woman’s right to choose and the right of workers to organize. Elected to the North Park Planning Committee, Stephen has been a strong neighborhood advocate, helping draw attention to the problem of growing crime in North Park, working to boost the supply of affordable housing and promoting neighborhood business districts.

Goals:

Stephen Whitburn is running for City Council to make our Mid-City neighborhoods even better places to live and work. Stephen will stand up for us on crucial issues such as affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, safe streets and equality.

Issues:

I am running for City Council to strengthen our neighborhoods and make San Diego an even better place to live. Public safety would be my top priority. We need to do more to make our streets safe, and I would work to expand our police force. I am an elected member of the North Park Planning Committee and serve as the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services liaison. I have been a strong neighborhood advocate, helping draw attention to the problem of growing crime in North Park, working to boost the supply of affordable housing and promoting neighborhood business districts.

Other priorities would include repairing our aging infrastructure and getting the City’s fiscal house in order. And throughout my service on the council, I would be committed to openness in order to restore faith in government.

Grassroots Support:

Over 100 volunteers have already committed to working hard to help me win. Grassroots organizing will play a vital role in my campaign. I am proud to have the endorsement of my local DFA chapter: Democracy For America, San Diego.

DFA Values:

Stephen Whitburn’s commitment to putting progressive values into action goes back to his grandfather, an iron ore miner who worked to unionize his mine. His father was president of the local ACLU chapter while Stephen was growing up, and his mother is still a leader in the League of Women Voters. Stephen has continued that family tradition of standing up for what’s right. He walked picket lines with workers when big supermarket chains in San Diego tried to slash fair wages and benefits. He testified at the City Council against big box stores and out-of-control condo conversions in our neighborhoods. He stood up to City Hall in 2007 when they tried to slash funding for parks and recreation.