Encinitas resident announces bid for District 2 council seat

ENCINITAS — Twenty-year Encinitas resident Susan Turney said she’s running for Encinitas City Council District 2 because she’s concerned about the lack of respect she sees paid to residents over their concerns, issues, and wishes.

“I’m opposed to what I see as an increasing influence of outside interests on our current council’s decision making, including building industry pressures and a Sacramento-driven agenda,” Turney said in an email March 10. “These threaten resident safety, our cherished community character, and our quality of life.”

Turney, who’s registered as No Party Preference, said if she’s elected, she’d like to focus on local issues and concerns and implement a “residents first” approach in everything she does and to increase government transparency.

“All too often, residents are the last to know about nearby projects that will significantly and negatively affect them,” she said. “The recent Housing Element Update, Measure U, was a prime example of residents being given no visibility into the plan ultimately submitted to the state.”

Turney said she’s also interested in upholding environmental protections, protecting the character of each of the five communities in Encinitas, considering infrastructure and safety before higher density development, and ensuring fiscal responsibility.

She is running against Deputy Mayor Kellie Shay Hinze, who currently occupies the seat for District 2, who was sworn in Jan. 2019 to fill a vacancy left by Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner Horvath.

Turney said that while this is her first time running for office she’s been involved in Encinitas issues citywide for over 15 years and was a key member of the Proposition A campaign that gave residents a voice in how their city grows.

Turney, who was a competitive child ice skater, loves classic literature and is an avid swing dancer — she met her husband 20 years ago at a swing dance — said if elected she looks forward to listening to and serving the residents of Encinitas.

“I love meeting people citywide over a shared love for all things Encinitas: the beaches, the weather, and preserving as much as possible of our classic surf town – one of the last remaining in California,” she said.