Four on floor tackle tough issues in Simi Valley mayoral debate

With Simi Valley's November 3 mayoral election less than a month away, four of the city's five candidates took the stage at a Chamber of Commerce forum to lay out competing visions for the city's future — while the fifth was a no-show. The forum, reported by the Simi Valley Acorn, put housing affordability, public safety, infrastructure capacity, and economic development front and center in what amounts to one of Simi Valley's most consequential mayoral races in years.

A Race Born From Tragedy

This election carries unusual weight. Mayor Fred Thomas died unexpectedly in his sleep on January 21, 2025, at age 67 — just weeks after winning reelection to a second term. The City Council voted 4-0 on January 27, 2025, to appoint then-Mayor Pro Tem Dee Dee Cavanaugh to complete Thomas's term, setting the stage for the 2026 race. Notably, Councilmember Mike Judge had also expressed interest in the mayor's role at the time, before withdrawing — making his current campaign a long-telegraphed ambition finally reaching the ballot.

Now five candidates are competing for the seat: incumbent Mayor Dee Dee Cavanaugh, Councilmember Mike Judge, construction engineering executive Kareem Jubran, communications consultant Robert Clarizio, and Broadway producer Wayne Hampton Holland III.

What Happened at the Forum

The Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted the September 3 mayoral forum at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, drawing out four of the five candidates to address the issues residents care about most. Wayne Hampton Holland III, a 36-year-old Broadway producer and financier with a finance degree from DePaul University who has previously run for mayor unsuccessfully, did not attend.

The Chamber has a long tradition of hosting candidate forums, and each election year it provides residents an opportunity to come face to face with their government leaders. A separate Chamber forum was also scheduled for September 30 at the same venue, this time covering a broader range of local races including City Council, school board, and county board of education contests. That forum was free and open to the public, with no advance registration required, and was livestreamed on the Chamber's Facebook and YouTube channels.

The Candidates on Housing: A City at a Crossroads

Housing emerged as the defining fault line of the forum. Cavanaugh, a 1977 Royal High School graduate who has served on the council since 2016 and volunteered in the community for more than 35 years, acknowledged the tension residents feel about growth. "I know everyone says they don't want more housing, but I also hear you say your kids are moving out and you don't want them to go," she said, per the Acorn. She pointed to senior housing as one tool that could free up existing homes for younger families, while clarifying after the forum that seniors should always have the choice to remain in the homes they love.

It's a real problem. Housing costs in Simi Valley have risen sharply, with median home prices around $785,000 and three-bedroom rentals averaging roughly $3,100 per month — high by historic local standards, even if still below Los Angeles proper.

Jubran, a 41-year-old construction engineering executive and three-time elected school board trustee, identified affordability as the city's biggest quality-of-life concern. He pointed to single-family detached condominiums as one model for adding density while preserving neighborhood character. "I was lucky 10 years ago to buy a house and it's becoming more and more difficult," he told the forum audience, according to the Acorn.

Judge struck a more cautious tone, arguing the city's geography and hillside protections impose real limits. "The developments can't be big or huge. Traffic won't handle it. Our infrastructure is limited," he said, per the Acorn. He emphasized that projects are already moving forward and that the city has a program to help local homebuyers — without calling for large-scale new construction.

Public Safety, Development, and the Budget Question

For Judge, a Simi Valley native who spent 31 years with the Los Angeles Police Department before retiring in 2021 and has served 16 years on the council, public safety is the campaign's anchor issue. He framed it as the city's core quality-of-life concern, even as he acknowledged the need to grow "smart." His pitch to voters centers on his law enforcement credentials and his desire to preserve what he called the city's small-town feel — despite a population of roughly 126,000.

Clarizio, a 58-year-old vocal cord cancer survivor and communications technology consultant who has previously run for mayor, focused heavily on infrastructure strain. He questioned at the forum whether existing roads, utilities, traffic signals, and schools can absorb more development, and pressed the city on where children from new housing projects would actually attend school. "The last six years, we're just taking a steady downfall," he said, per the Acorn, arguing that stronger schools and quality of life attract more residents and investment.

On the question of budget cuts, Jubran said the city should protect essential services during downturns and defer landscaping or some capital purchases if necessary. Clarizio agreed public safety should be shielded but suggested some community events could be scaled back.

The city's current fiscal picture is relatively strong: the Simi Valley City Council unanimously adopted a $283 million budget for fiscal year 2026-27 on June 8, increasing spending on roads, water systems, and public safety. The capital improvement program alone invests $27.8 million in infrastructure, including more than $6 million dedicated to streets and roads. But candidates cautioned that one-time surpluses don't guarantee future stability.

What's at Stake for Simi Valley Residents

Voters head to the polls November 3, and the next mayor will immediately face decisions on how to accommodate California's state-mandated housing requirements, how to fund aging infrastructure, and how to sustain city services without over-relying on one-time windfalls. The city's Nov. 3 municipal election will also decide three City Council seats and multiple local board races, making it one of the busiest local ballots in recent memory.

The four candidates who showed up to the Chamber forum drew clear distinctions. Cavanaugh stresses experience and the need for a pragmatic housing middle ground. Judge leans on his public safety record and argues for cautious, limited growth. Jubran combines engineering expertise with a school board track record and a focus on attainable homeownership. Clarizio sounds the loudest alarm on whether the city's bones — its roads, schools, and utilities — can bear what's being asked of them.

The fifth candidate, Holland, still appears on the ballot. Whether his absence from public forums costs him with voters on November 3 remains to be seen.