Maribel Aguilera-Hernandez
| Candidate Name: | Maribel Aguilera-Hernandez |
| Position Sought: | Santa Maria City Council – District 4 |
| Website / Social Media: | www.HernandezForCityCouncil2022.com Facebook: Maribel Aguilera Hernandez Instagram: @CandidateHernandez2022 |
| Why are you running for office? |
| I have served the residents of the city of Santa Maria all my life. I attended Robert Bruce, El Camino Junior High, and Santa Maria High School. I am a true product of Santa Maria. I left to attend college. After college, I returned to contribute to the community that I grew up in and I worked for North County Rape Crisis as a Sexual Assault Response Team Advocate, at Future Leaders of America and California Rural Legal Assistance. During law school and after becoming a lawyer, I worked at the Santa Maria office of the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County, where I helped survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse. During the last 8 years, I served on the City of Santa Maria Planning Commission. I have become well-versed in the issues facing the growing city of Santa Maria. I believe I can make a difference and lead my community in a positive direction. |
| What makes you qualified for the job? |
| I am a business and real estate attorney and I solve people’s problems for a living. People go to lawyers to solve business, property, land development, probate, or general legal questions. I am professionally trained to analyze issues and solve them. I have analyzed the city issues and provided creative solutions while serving on the city of Santa Maria Planning Commission for the last 8 years. My profession requires that I review and analyze, local, state, and federal laws for a living so I am well-equipped to understand how state laws affect our city today and how new propositions will affect us in the future. I grew up in Santa Maria and have dedicated my life to serving Santa Maria residents. I attended Fairlawn Elementary, El Camino Jr. High, and Santa Maria High School so I am a true local product of Santa Maria in the best way. I left to attend college and upon graduation, I returned to serve my community by working for non-profit organizations such as North County Rape Crisis, and Future Leaders of America-where I led a youth organization that taught teens how to become leaders and kept them away from gangs. I worked full-time at the Santa Maria office of the Legal Aid Foundation while I attended law school. Upon becoming a lawyer, I represented victims of elder abuse, domestic violence, and human trafficking. I then worked in juvenile dependency court where I worked with parents and families. I also worked in the juvenile criminal court where I developed excellent skills for working with youth offenders. I currently volunteer to be on a panel that represents children in custody disputes so that children can have a voice in family law cases. During the past 8 years, I have served on the city of Santa Maria planning commission. Growing up in Santa Maria, work experience, education, and career have prepared me to have the qualifications necessary to serve as Santa Maria city council for the 4th district. I know how to analyze city issues, come up with creative solutions and execute them. I understand the inner workings of the city because I have served the city of Santa Maria for the last 8 years as a planning commissioner. It was during that service that I learned about the varying issues facing the city and the challenges we will overcome. |
| What are your two main priorities if you win? |
| 1. Public Safety. Make the city of Santa Maria a safe city by utilizing our local resources and technology. 2. Youth. Create educational and recreational opportunities for our youth to keep them involved in positive activities they want to partake in so that we can keep them away from gang violence. 3. Economic Development. Focus on creating affordable housing for our workforce and young families. Streamline the development process to encourage more development. Attract medium and large size companies to create a diverse local economy that offers living wage jobs. |
| How will you collaborate with other governments? |
| I will work with the County of Santa Barbara and ask that we supplement our local police department with mental health workers. I will collaborate state officials and our school districts to enhance the youth programs offered to keep minors engaged in positive activities that keep them away from gang violence. I will work with county services to address the core issues that cause homelessness so that we can address the cause and not just treat the effects of homelessness. I will collaborate with state and county agencies to help build more affordable housing in Santa Maria. |
| What do you think are the two biggest issues that need to be addressed right away? |
| 1. Public Safety. 2. Affordable housing. |
