STOCKTON, Calif. — With just weeks to go until the November general election, candidates are making their final push to voters, including in Stockton where voters will be electing a new mayor.
Incumbent mayor Kevin Lincoln is seeking a seat in Congress, running against incumbent Congressman Josh Harder. Stockton has not re-elected an incumbent mayor since 2001.
In total, six candidates sought the open seat, but the list was narrowed down to just two remaining candidates after the March primary election.
Here's more information about the remaining two candidates and where they stand on key issues:
Tom Patti
This year will mark the third consecutive election cycle where businessman and San Joaquin County Supervisor Tom Patti's name will appear on ballots. Patti has served as a representative of the County's 3rd district on the Board of Supervisors for two terms, starting in 2017.
He lost a bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022.
"As we term out as a county supervisor - we have two-term limits - I've got so much in motion that I want to roll that over to the city," said Patti. "I think it's going to be a good-spirited race to the finish. I'm prepared to win and I will be winning this election with the hard work, effort and the teamwork that I have this election cycle."
In a previous February interview, he said a conversation with fighter and friend Mike Tyson sparked his idea to run for mayor.
"I brought him town, we did a lot of charity work and when he's leaving town, he says, 'You business people complain too much. You need to run for office, Tommy,'" Patti said at the time. "I'm proud to have taken on this challenge of like, what can we do that can be different, better or more to help create jobs, to help stimulate our economy and improve our community."
Patti says his top priority as mayor would be public safety through addressing homelessness.
Christina Fugazi
Educator Christina Fugazi is hoping to return to the city council dais. She represented the city's 5th district on city council from 2015 to 2022. After being termed out, Fugazi lost a 2020 bid for state assembly.
"I have a vision for Stockton. Like I said, seven generations in this city... I'm not going anywhere. This is my home and I know what it used to be like," said Fugazi. "Now is the time. I have the vision. I have the political aptitude and the political savvy so to speak, in order to do the job and I can hit the ground running on day one."
In the past, she said people have asked her to run for mayor, but decided that the 2024 election was the right time after finding out the incumbent wouldn't be running for re-election.
"I feel like I have the political skill. I have the knowledge. I know the history. I definitely have kept up with all of the issues, all of the policies," said Fugazi in February. "I think that 'of the people, for the people, by the people' has been my motto along with 'show up, stand up, speak up,' so why not me?"
Fugazi says her top priority as mayor is public safety.
Where the candidates stand on crime and public safety
Data from the Stockton Police Department shows Stockton's overall and violent crime rates have both fallen in the past year. Despite the lowered crime rates, Fugazi says residents used to feel safer.
"One murder is too many. I know a lot of crimes go unreported. I know businesses that are like, 'You know, this is the third time I've been broken into. I am not going to even report it,'" said Fugazi. "Some of the things that I've tried to push forward are things like cameras... We need to have all the tools in our tool belt available to our officers in order to help reduce crime because just the mere presence of officers is a deterrent for crime."
Patti also believes, even with data showing crime rates decreasing, more could be done to address public safety.
"One thing I'd like to do for certain — and I've talked to the police chief about this and as well as with the city manager who I have a great working relationship with — is looking at instituting and bringing back satellite police stations," said Patti. "In some of the regions where a lot of citizens are feeling unsafe or there are even some high crime zones that we need to target and squash some of the bad behavior."
Where the candidates stand on homelessness
According to San Joaquin County's Point in Time count results from May, at least 2,451 people sleep on Stockton's streets without shelter each night. Both candidates have campaigned on the issue of homelessness.
"The most important thing for the city is we do coordinated efforts with the county, Human Services Agency, Behavior Health Department, drug treatment, all the things the county can bring on board," said Patti. "The housing first model has been a resounding failure. It's a component, but it's not the only pathway going forward to address the unsheltered homeless. So, we know that there are people living in squalor and despair, let's create pathways."
Part of Fugazi's response to homelessness highlights housing.
"We need to have transitional housing. We need to have below-market-rate housing. We need to have inclusionary housing. So, let's say we're building 100 units. Well, the people building those houses should be able to afford some of those houses," said Fugazi. "On top of that, I would say we do need to have safe camping and safe parking. If we implement something like that, then case workers, case managers are able to go out and fully assess somebody because they know where to find them."
Where the candidates stand on vacant buildings
In recent weeks, an issue that's plagued Stockton for years resurfaced. In September, a building that sat vacant for years in the heart of downtown caught fire. The city chose to demolish the abandoned structure which firefighters said some homeless people used for shelter.
It was one of several abandoned buildings, many of which have also caught fire, in the downtown district.
"I brought up having a vacancy building ordinance and we had it all spelled out... We laid everything out. It was brought before council and council did not approve the ordinance that we had developed. Part of it was because we were told that the city did not have enough employees to implement that ordinance, so council was afraid to approve it," said Fugazi. "It will be coming back. It will definitely be coming back if I'm mayor."
Patti says he would like to see the city partner more with building owners.
"The city has a role, I believe, in setting a standard that others need to follow and we oftentimes have maybe second or third-generation property owners that are absent. They don't even live in this region, so they don't do anything but collect rent on properties that are perhaps distressed," said Patti. "I believe it's always best to go forward with partnership. What could the city do in partnership with the private sector to incentivize and, I think, maybe join efforts to address whether it be affordable housing, whether it be businesses and creating enterprise zone and commerce throughout our city."
Candidates' views on activities for the youth
In a poll on social media, one viewer criticized a lack of activities for youth that can lead them to violence. The viewer asked what the candidates would do to help youth in the city.
"Right here on the Delta, we can create a little water park. That's recreation for kids that's open to the public. I'd also like to see portable skating rinks during summer and perhaps winter months," said Patti. "We want to have family recreation and quality of life issues that we can enhance. I'm proud to have done that with the Swenson Golf Course, that's just one small step and there's going to be many more that I have lined up."
Fugazi agrees on the need for new venues but also says youth involvement is impacted by other issues like public safety and the city's budget.
"I am a vice principal and I'm constantly encouraging, mentoring, supporting, trying to inspire these young kids and you're right, there isn't much for them to do. But I would say their parents aren't letting them out of the house either, because they don't feel like we have a safe city," said Fugazi. "I would love it if we had police officers that are little league coaches or basketball league. I want to bring back the middle school basketball league. There used to be a citywide basketball league. I want to bring back a little league in South Stockton where we have produced major-league baseball players."
Where the candidates stand on the role of mayor
While the candidates may talk about changes and proposals, it takes a lot to make change happen in Stockton. With the city operating as a City Manager-Council structured government, the mayor's vote is equal to the vote of any of the other six city council members.
"I know that the big cities have strong mayors. You need to have somebody very competent in that position and you don't always know that until you see somebody in action. Now, I would say myself, I'm very familiar with the city budget. I'm very familiar with the city structure with policies, ordinances, the city charter, the different departments," said Fugazi. "So I think I have the bandwidth to do that, but do I think that of everyone? It takes a while to get up to speed and to have somebody come in and not know how to really do that role, how to fill that role, could be detrimental to our city."
Patti also stopped short of proposing any permanent policies to give the mayor's office more power.
"Being mayor to me is a collaborative effort. You have six different city council members from six different, and oftentimes very diverse, regions of the city. So, the mayor is not the great authority and knowledgeable about everything in all corners of this city of ours," said Patti. "Wherever these challenges are, we need to work with the city council, form a union, have a coalition and a voice, and bring it to the city manager if something's actionable that may be outside of his purview."
What the candidates have said about each other
Both Fugazi and Patti have years of experience in local politics and are well-known names in the community. Some of their policies and ideas are also similar. Both candidates say they are friends, but when prompted, offer stark differences.
"There's a really important determining factor between myself and my opponent: results. Look at what I've accomplished in the county and if you roll over that into the city, we've addressed the city's biggest challenges," said Patti. "I'd like to take models of success that I've been part of for the last eight years and bring the same actions into our city, roll over into the city, that success."
Fugazi says the main difference is the specific type of political experience each brings to the table.
"City government is vastly different from county government. Budgets are different. Programs are different. We don't have social workers as a city. Also, our meetings are in the evening, so more people can attend than a 9 a.m. meeting," said Fugazi. "Also, respecting different points of view. We're not always going to agree on everything and we need to be inclusive, we need to be respectful towards one another. We need to be able to include other people in the conversation."
Election day is November 5. Mail-in ballots have already been sent out and can be sent back through the mail or dropped off at any of the 25 ballot drop box locations across San Joaquin County.
Watch more from ABC10: Stockton mayoral race | Tom Patti, Christina Fugazi speak out in forum
