Of the three Santa Maria City Council seats on the ballot next week, only one has the elected incumbent seeking another term as Gloria Soto faces challenger Corby Poulis Sr., a small-business owner and political newcomer.

The seat represents District 3, which covers the southwest neighborhoods of Santa Maria.

Both Soto and Poulis said they back Measure C, the city’s one-half-percent sales tax hike on next Tuesday’s ballot, but Soto also committed to looking for other revenue sources. 

She voted against the City Council’s 20% stipend increase a few months ago, and Poulis said he supported it to entice top candidates for the role, although he wasn’t initially aware the elected position included a payment. 

Soto, 37, and executive director of Future Leaders of America, is seeking her third term on the council. 

“These last eight years that I’ve been on council, I’ve been really proud of the work that we’ve been able to accomplish — whether that’s on infrastructure, housing, revitalization of our downtown, supporting and uplifting workers, and expanding opportunities for youth,” she said. 

“I’m proud of that work, but I also know that there’s still a lot of work left to be done. Especially right now, as the city is navigating a structural budget deficit, it’s important for me that we don’t balance the city’s budget on city employees or on services that residents rely on.”

The top issues facing the city include affordability, Soto said, noting inflation, gas prices and housing costs burdening families. 

She said she remains committed to seeing Santa Maria adopt an inclusionary housing ordinance, which would require developers to sell a certain number of residences below fair-market value as one solution to high housing costs.

“We are one of the only cities on the Central Coast that doesn’t have one in place,” she added.

She recently announced an effort working with Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón to secure a $1.2 million state grant for upgrades to Simas Park for accessibility efforts. 

The city’s sports fields, including the under-construction sports complex, can help attract visitors.

“I think investment of those kinds can also bring in additional tourism and dollars to the city,” she added.

Soto, a member of Pioneer Valley High School’s first graduating class, has picked up endorsements of local Democratic organizations plus the Santa Maria firefighters union.

Poulis, who has lived in Santa Maria since 1993 and until recently operated a health and fitness academy, said his problems with the city, both via his business and home, propelled him into politics. 

“I love where I live and I love the community, and I just think we can do better as a City Council,” the 58-year-old Poulis said.

He claimed he couldn’t get help when he reached out to the City Council.

“I ended up having a lawsuit that was brought on me from the city, and I’ve had code violations at business and my home that I felt were unfair and improper,” Poulis added, saying he was victorious.

He cited public safety among the top issues, but he added it shouldn’t be a talking point.

“It’s really just one of the basic responsibilities of government. If we don’t have safe streets and people aren’t safe raising their families here, they won’t invest and buy homes here,” he said. 

He also said he’s passionate about investing in youths to make sure they have places to go to keep busy. 

“I believe idle time for kids is a dangerous thing,” he said, adding that youths need after-school programs, mentorships and organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club. “They need places to go where they have positive people and role models that can show them what they’re capable of and believe in them and push their limits farther than what they think they can do.”

A third priority would be encouraging small businesses, a staple of the city.

“We need to help the small businesses so they in turn will flourish, and that will increase their business value and the money they do, which in turn turn brings taxes and resources to the city that we desperately need,” he said. 

He is endorsed by the Santa Barbara County Republican Party.

In addition to District 3, two other council seats are on the ballot this year. Only registered voters in each district cast ballots for the races in the individual districts. 

District 4 candidates include Vincent Martinez, an attorney and Santa Barbara County Planning Commission member, and Tyler Barksdale, a military retiree. 

Incumbent Maribel Aguilera-Hernandez did not seek another term and instead is running for a seat on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.

District 1 voters will fill a rare two-year seat since Carlos Escobedo abruptly resigned in the middle of his term earlier this year.

Running for the seat are Ricardo “Richard” Batalla, the appointed incumbent; Celest Martinez, a nonprofit program manager; and Gary Janek Michaels, a small-business owner. 

The winners of the three races will join Mayor Alice Patino and Councilwoman Gloria Flores on the council, with the three new terms starting in December.

Read more about the candidates and issues on Tuesday’s ballot.