A Vistonian for all Vistonians
Hi Neighbor!
My name is Josh Davis and I’m a proud Latino Vistonian running for Vista City Council to be an independent voice for all residents. Vista instantly felt like home when my wife, Holly, and I moved here in 2019. Since then, I’ve established deep roots as a local, small business owner, a resident eager to raise a family here, and an active neighbor who loves connecting with the people and community that make our city so vibrant. My focus is simple and free from the influence of political parties and special interest groups: I commit to working in direct service of everyday Vistonians to keep our city safe, prosperous, and welcoming.
In addition to running a Vista-based business, I bring five years of experience in the public safety technology industry as a software Product Manager leading brilliant development teams. Working alongside municipal and government leaders across the country has given me deep insight into effective public policy, modernizing resources to improve emergency response times, and leveraging technology responsibly. Importantly, my professional background fuels my passion for protecting citizen privacy, and I will fiercely oppose any AI-driven mass video surveillance in our city. As a local business owner, I also understand the hurdles of local bureaucracy firsthand and will advocate to cut red tape for entrepreneurs while maintaining Vista’s track record of smart fiscal management.
My priorities center on community safety, smart infrastructure, and quality of life. I will work to secure funding for much-needed school infrastructure upgrades, enhance campus safety across the Vista Unified School District, and build on Vista’s progress by supporting compassionate, effective solutions for homelessness and mental health resources. I am also committed to addressing local housing affordability so lifelong residents are not priced out of their neighborhoods.
I bring a collaborative spirit, curiosity, and a deep commitment to hear you out. My door is always open. Whether in-person around town, by email, or over the phone. I would be honored to earn your vote and represent our District 4 community on the Vista City Council.
Josh Davis
Candidate for Vista City Council - District 4
My Priorities
This a a short list of priorities. Inspired entirely by people like you. There are many others so please reach out and let me know what is important to you.
Homelessness
The struggle of homelessness is profoundly painful. For some individuals and families, a compassionate, helping hand and a bit of stability are all it takes to rebuild their lives. For others, navigating severe mental health struggles requires deeper, specialized care. Every single person's story is different, but they all deserve dignity, safety, and care.
Right now, the greatest hurdle standing between our current programs and the broader success our community needs is a lack of adequate funding. I am fully dedicated to advocating for and securing the resources required to fund these essential services more deeply. This will ensure we can deliver the strongest possible support and hope for our unhoused neighbors.
Affordable Childcare
Many working families in Vista face tough choices when high childcare costs make it more practical for a parent to stay home rather than remain in the workforce. Supporting our local families starts with making quality care accessible and sustainable.
We can build a stronger community network by making it easier for qualified caretakers to launch local childcare businesses. By guiding passionate providers through licensing and streamlining municipal permits, we can expand safe, reliable options for our children while supporting small business owners.
Partnering on municipal funding solutions will help ease the burden on local parents, ensuring our neighborhoods remain affordable places for every family to grow.
Affordable Housing
Many of our long-time neighbors are struggling to remain in the Vista communities they’ve called home for years. We can make the most of state incentives to build more truly affordable homes by thoughtfully encouraging housing growth near the Sprinter corridor and partnering with non-profit developers. A security deposit assistance program would remove another major point of friction. At the same time, incentivizing local landlords to accept Housing Choice (Section 8) Vouchers and strengthen down payment support for local families will give more of our neighbors a real opportunity to build their futures right here at home. Finally, expanding the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance to >9% for new developments with 20 or more units can give more working families the security of stable, affordable housing.
Fiscal Responsibility
Protecting Vista’s financial standing requires strict accountability. Squandering $1.7+ million on a failed bike lane project that was promptly removed is a reckless error that our city cannot repeat.
Mental Heath
A thriving community starts with caring for one another. Whether that’s helping a neighbor navigating homelessness or a high school student feeling overwhelmed, we must prioritize mental health resources as we build a supportive foundation for everyone. Compassion must always lead the way. We can bolster the great work of the Homeless Outreach Team while opening up new opportunities for volunteers to care for our neighbors in need.
Public Transit
Improving public transit reduces traffic congestion, lowers carbon emissions, and provides reliable, affordable transportation options for all members of our community.
Education
Funding for much needed infrastructure upgrades and modernization. Improving test scores and maximizing student safety on every campus in Vista Unified School District.
Preserving Privacy
Mass video surveillance technology has no place in Vista. I’ll fight to ensure this never happens.
Small Business
As a small business owner in Vista, I know how frustrating it can be to get a business off the ground. Cutting through the red tape required to start a business in Vista and create programs to attract more entrepreneurs to our city.
Public Safety
Increasing staffing numbers for the Sheriff’s dept, Fire dept, and EMTs is crucial to improving public safety.