District 4 hopefuls agree on safety, split on how to pay for services

Four candidates are vying for the open Simi Valley City Council District 4 seat in the Nov. 3 election, and while they broadly agree that public safety and affordability should top the city's agenda, they are divided over how to pay for it — most notably on Measure A, a ballot measure that would raise the city's tax on hotel rooms and short-term rentals from 10% to 12%.

The contest, reported by the Simi Valley Acorn, comes as longtime District 4 Councilmember Rocky Rhodes is not seeking reelection, leaving an open seat representing much of the city's southwest side. The district-level race is part of Simi Valley's transition to by-district council elections, which shifted power to neighborhood-level contests where individual candidates can matter more to voters' daily lives.

Measure A divides the field

Measure A would generate an estimated $400,000 annually for Simi Valley's general fund, money that can support core services including police. The measure has become the clearest dividing line in the race.

Business owner and Planning Commission member Ivana Christmann, 41, opposes Measure A and other tax increases, arguing the city should instead grow its business base to fund services. Josh Gray, 33, a senior director of government affairs and former two-term Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District board member, backs the measure, saying visitors — not residents — would pay the higher tax and that the increase could raise revenue without discouraging hotel occupancy.

Retired LAPD officer and pilot Deb Dickerson, 62, said she generally opposes tax increases but supports Measure A to keep Simi Valley competitive with neighboring cities and to generate general fund revenue. Businessman Scott Juceam, 55, opposes it, arguing a higher tax could deter visitors rather than boost revenue.

"I don't believe taxing people coming or going from Simi Valley any more than people that live here," Juceam told the Acorn. "I don't believe that is how you grow revenue — by taxation."

Who's running

Christmann, who leads the Simi Valley Noon Rotary and serves on the For The Troops board, is campaigning on public safety, government accountability and business opportunity. She said attracting businesses and quality jobs would help young people afford to stay in the city. "I love Simi Valley. I've been listening and I have been showing up for many years before I put my name in the hat," she said.

Dickerson brings 27 years in law enforcement, including a trailblazing career as the LAPD's first female flight tactical officer and third female command pilot. She also served on the department's crisis response team after 9/11. "I'm running because I care deeply about this community and I know I can make a difference," she said. "I'll listen and ask the tough questions."

Gray, an Eagle Scout and Rotarian who serves on the Simi Valley Education Foundation board, noted his son became the fourth generation of his family to call Simi Valley home. On the park board, he said, he supported affordable after-school care, open-space protection and the Berylwood Teen Center.

Juceam, a national child advocate focused on preventing shaken baby syndrome, said the murder of his daughter by a nanny in a shaken baby syndrome case and the death of another son three years ago shaped his commitment to community service. He wants to streamline the Planning Commission process and market the city to attract and retain businesses and young residents.

Housing affordability as a common thread

While the candidates disagree on taxes, housing affordability unites them — particularly the shortage of entry-level options for young adults and downsizing options for older residents.

Dickerson criticized proposals for homes priced beyond the reach of young families, pointing to a plan for homes at the end of Cochran Street. "We can't put 59 houses at the end of Cochran that are going to be $1.7 million, because there's not a young person that's going to come into Simi Valley that's going to be able to afford a $1.7 million house," she said. She supports more townhouses, condominiums and starter homes.

Gray, who bought his first home with his wife last year, said many of his friends have left Simi Valley because of limited entry-level housing. "For a long time we had a housing mix that is great for established folks with money, but it never allowed for young people to invest early in condos and smaller housing units," he said.

School resource officers draw scrutiny

All four candidates oppose a sales tax increase to fund school resource officers, but several want expanded coverage. Dickerson wants the city and Simi Valley Unified School District to grow staffing from two officers serving 28 schools to at least four, potentially six. Christmann favors less business regulation and cooperation with the school district to fund officers, while Juceam argues higher taxes aren't the answer to problems the current council has failed to address.

Gray said he would consider a tax increase for other police funding needs only after exhausting alternatives.

What's next

District 4 voters will decide the race — and Measure A — on Nov. 3. The winner will help shape decisions on development proposals, city budgets and public safety staffing as Simi Valley grapples with how to fund services in a city where many residents say their adult children can no longer afford to live. Election results will determine whether the council tilts toward growing the tax base through business attraction, as Christmann and Juceam prefer, or toward new revenue measures backed by Dickerson and Gray.

Residents can review candidate statements and measure text through the Ventura County Elections Division before casting their ballots.