As Mayor, I have taken the lead on

Opening our new Fire Station 1, with the help of our Firefighters and Measure X! We voted to buy this land in 2004 and it is a dream come true! We are also progressing on plans for a new police station!

Moving forward on sand on our beaches with Re:Beach! While the majority council wasted valuable time and money by insisting on a groins project that had zero potential for approval, I’ve won support from other North Coastal cities and agencies like the Coastal Commission, where I served as a Commissioner, for a science-based design that has the least environmental impacts and that will provide a sustainable beach protecting surfing and other beach activities that are iconic to Oceanside!

Creating new parks and rec programs! Under my leadership, we broke ground on William Wagner Aquatics Center in 2019, and the grand opening was in 2021! Park Site 1 at El Corazon, with dog park, 12 pickle ball courts, basketball, pump track, fields, and open space is under design, breaking ground in 2025! We are also creating murals at the neighborhood level, giving residents a sense of pride in their Oside history and cultural values!

Reaching out to residents for support, I succeeded in reversing the council's decision, which had voted 4-1 to close Brooks Street Pool, to save our pool. I then won valuable Congressional and County support and funding that resulted in RESTORING our iconic Osider pool!

Opening our city’s first homeless shelter and restarting investing in 100% affordable housing projects – Greenbrier Village, with wrap-around services, is scheduled for move-ins this fall, and two more 100% projects will be breaking ground within a year!

Negotiating a compromise regarding short-term vacation rentals (STVRs) - I brought up this issue during our affordable housing workshop, last year. In 2019, I had proposed a cap on STVRs, to do a study on impacts to our communities, both west and east of Coast Highway. I was not able to get a second. Last year, I was finally able to win support to prohibit STVRs east of Coast Highway, and put a cap on total number west of Coast Highway. Thanks to staff and the public, we came out with a compromise that respects property rights but also preserves our older housing stock, what we call "workforce housing," to ensure protection of affordable housing, as well as preserving our iconic neighborhoods.

Protecting rent control for mobile home park residents - we collected over 15,000 signatures to overturn council action to end rent control, and I continue to protect rent control!

As Mayor, I have served on regional boards to champion the best interests of Oceanside!

I have served on the Buena Vista Lagoon Joint Powers Authority as chair, securing $25M for the environmental studies to move forward on a restoration project that will provide jobs to Oceanside and will finally address the mosquito and environmental issues that are choking the lagoon. We are working on obtaining an additional $4M to get the project shovel-ready, which we hope to achieve within the next year!

I secured the bipartisan support of my fellow North County Mayors to be appointed unanimously by them to the first ever independent San Diego County Air Pollution Control District Board and am currently serving as Vice Chair!

I was appointed to SANDAG's Transportation Committee by the SDCRAA, advocating for Oceanside and the North County! This was the first time Oceanside has ever served on this very critical committee. My advocacy has resulted in winning grants for our city's GO'Side shuttle program, and we will be getting funding for an additional demonstration shuttle program next year!

I was appointed by North Coastal Mayors to the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority Board, again a first time for Oceanside, to ensure that the interests of Oceanside and the North Coastal region are represented!

As Mayor, my duties include bringing forward a list of recommendations of city council member appointments to various regional boards and commissions. Unfortunately, Council Member Ryan Keim has stopped me from exercising that duty, using his majority on the council. I have not even been able to appoint a deputy mayor for 4 years! Council Member Keim was appointed deputy mayor by a former appointed mayor, and he has not been willing to relinquish that position, which had traditionally been a yearly rotation with other council members. The duty of the deputy mayor, an otherwise ceremonial position without any additional authority, is to chair the meetings of the city council should the mayor not be available. In 4 years, I've only been unavailable one time, due to COVID.

With an appointment to SANDAG, I would have accomplished so much more for Oceanside! I have a reputation for working well with other elected officials, regardless of party affiliations, to get the job done.

My re-election will secure better representation on regional boards, restoring credibility to Oceanside and bringing to our city our fair share of our tax dollars!

Re-elect "The People's Mayor!"

Vote YES4Esther!