Santa Maria City Council District 2 candidates challenge incumbent Mike Cordero

SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- Gloria Flores and Benjamin Ortiz are challenging Mike Cordero for the Santa Maria City Council District 2 seat this November.

Incumbent Mike Cordero, a retired Santa Maria Police Lieutenant, was a city council member from 2008 to 2012, and was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. He said a pressing issue is the City's finances and he would like to focus on the current labor negotiations.

Cordero is referring to the ongoing negotiations between the City and Santa Maria Firefighters who have been battling for over the last year for higher pay.

Candidate Gloria Flores, a retired school Principal, is focusing on revitalizing the city and the Town Center, making Santa Maria a city where people can afford to live and enjoy.

Flores said as a resident of District 2, she sees the homeless population growing and the uncertainty of safety in the city. She also wants to address living costs for renters and homeowners.

Both Flores and Ortiz said housing costs is an issue they plan to work on if elected.

Candidate Benjamin Ortiz is a born and raised Santa Marian. He attended the University of California, Berkeley and majored in Interdisciplinary Studies, focusing on city planning. He said his plan was always to return and give back to his hometown.

Ortiz said the 20-year-old current budget crisis in the City is the main issue that needs to be addressed to allocate new resources and help Santa Maria thrive.