Julia Mayer

Local leadership for a community-driven future.

The long-term success of Carpinteria is based on balance. Our town has a target on its back from those who do not quite understand what makes Carpinteria so special. We need to build upon past decisions that have protected Carpinteria’s character while continuing to take advantage of opportunities that will help to preserve open space and balance the budget. The key is having the energy and creativity it will take to write our own future, rather than watching the future get written for us.

  • We need more affordable housing built in a way that protects Carpinteria’s boundaries and natural resources. Most importantly, we need to maintain local control over local issues like housing. If there are state rules that will inevitably impact Carpinteria, local leadership is needed to get ahead of those rules and to think creatively about how to achieve a level of housing development that will make Carpinteria more affordable AND preserve and maintain the Carpinteria we know and love.

  • The City of Carpinteria is experiencing the same budget issues that municipalities all over the state are facing. With inflation and other factors, costs have increased more quickly than revenues. The cost of law enforcement continues to rise in an unsustainable way.

    Carpinteria has greater strength and local control when the budget is balanced and services are paid for. On City Council, Julia will use her small business sense to help City Hall operate within its means while maintaining services that are integral to our local quality of life. The city has hard work to do in the future, and Julia will prioritize striking a balance to increase revenues while seeking ways to keep rising costs like law enforcement in check.

  • Much of the value of Carpinteria lies in its careful stewardship of open lands and protection against sprawl. The current urban/rural boundary line sets a firm limit. Development outside the current boundary would bust our belt and squander what makes us so special. 


    Julia believes we must be intentional and follow the careful guidelines and wisdom of the Carpinteria General Plan in order to maintain what makes Carpinteria unique among all cities in Southern California. 


    As priority number one, Julia wants to look at Carpinteria strategically and make sure any changes occur within the established development footprint. We can look out for residents by adding affordable housing and look out for small businesses by permitting thoughtful development without sacrificing our character and small town charm. 


    The ocean and mountains serve as natural boundaries to Carpinteria Valley, but that does not mean everything inside those boundaries should be filled in with development. Agriculture and greenspace should be prioritized as buffers against overdevelopment negatively impacting our way of life.

Julia Says:

  • “If change is happening in Carpinteria, strong local voices need to take charge of the change.”

    On Community Driven Leadership

  • “We can be intentional about how affordable housing is created and be mindful of how changes impact Carpinteria’s infrastructure, resources and people.”

    On Housing

  • “Our city needs to balance its budget — both by raising revenue and cutting costs — so it can be in the driver's seat for local decisions to advance the goals and needs of the community.”

    On City Budget

Endorsements