Lee vs. Warmsley for Stockton City Council District 6

Two candidates are running to be the next District 6 representative on the Stockton City Council: Jason Lee, a businessman, and Kimberly Warmsley, a social worker and the current vice mayor.

Lee is hoping to unseat Warmsley, who is finishing her first four-year term representing the south Stockton district on the city council.

In the March 5 primary election, Lee became the top vote-getter with 41.69% of the vote. Warmsley was the runner-up with 30.48 percent of the vote, beating financial advisor Satnam Singh, community volunteer Zoyla Moreno, businessman Ralph Lee White and pastor Ronnie C. Murray, Sr.

At a recent political forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of San Joaquin County, Lee said she’s running for city council because she’s unhappy with the leadership in south Stockton and is “sick of the excuses.”

“Growing up in South Stockton, I just knew my friends were there (and) my grandmother was there. We had good times and then we had funerals,” Lee said. “Unfortunately, until I left South Stockton and saw the world, I didn’t really understand how South Stockton had been disrespected for decades…not to say it wasn’t something to do, but it didn’t was enough”.

Instead, Warmsley was adamant that since being elected to represent District 6 in 2021, she has been “working tirelessly” so the district can have what it needs. She began her pitch to voters with her favorite quote: “The strength of a man or a woman is not what they say, but what they do.”

Warmsley listed several victories during his tenure, including revolutionizing the McKinley Park renovation project, approving the Van Buskirk Park master plan and ensuring vulnerable populations had access to vaccinations during the coronavirus pandemic.

Addressing Stockton’s Homeless Crisis

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that cities can enforce ordinances targeting public camping even if they don’t have enough shelter beds to house their homeless populations.

At least 2,451 people sleep on the streets of Stockton without shelter every night, according to San Joaquin County point in time count in 2024.

When asked what alternatives to public camping the city should offer homeless residents as a result of the Grants Pass decision, Warmsley said it’s important that homeless residents be treated with respect and their encampments should not be dismantled without offer them pathways to shelter or treatment.

“When you look at our homeless population in the city of Stockton and probably across the county, the majority of these individuals have mental health issues,” Warmsley said. “So let’s make sure the city creates a policy so we’re required to work with our medical providers, our health insurance providers, county mental health and our hospitals to make sure that members of our homeless community I’m actually getting treatment.”

Lee said he believes Stockton has been “a city of broken promises” for a long time and the city council needs to be more proactive instead of reactive.

“I believe in safe campsites and providing all the resources available, and when people don’t accept those services that you’ve provided, like my brother, who is homeless, then you have to hold people accountable,” he said. Lee said. “That’s why there are rules and that’s why our parks have to be returned to the kids and their families and we have to move forward and not turn back like we’re doing every day now.”

Creating economic opportunities

To create more economic opportunities in Stockton, Warmsley said it’s important for the city to invest in schools and make sure young people are not only equipped to attend college, but also trade schools.

“Let’s talk about mentoring opportunities for our young people as well because sometimes when people leave school they don’t always know what they want to be or do,” Warmsley said.

She also noted that during the coronavirus pandemic, the city invested “a lot of money” in grants for local chambers. She believes it is important for the city to provide resources to local chambers that work with people of color or marginalized communities, including businesses in south Stockton that need financial support.

“When we’re talking about economic opportunity and economic mobility, you need someone on the board who actually knows business, because right now you don’t have any,” Lee said. “Three buckets that I decided to focus on in my own business that I would apply to the city are education, entertainment and empowerment.”

Lee claimed the city invested $68 million in “building an arena that’s empty all the time.” Adventist Health Arena is home to the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League and has hosted artists such as Peso Pluma and acts such as Disney On Ice.

“The first thing I’m going to do is get a group together, which I’ve already started talking to, to buy the arena so the city can get the $100 million it’s worth right now,” Lee said.

Adventist Health Arena, which is owned by the city of Stockton and operated by ASM Global, is not publicly listed as being for sale.

California law prohibits elected officials from entering into government contracts in which they have a financial interest. “Performance” of a contract includes final approval of the agreement as well as involvement in preliminary discussions, planning, negotiation and solicitation of bids as provided Fair Political Practices Commission.

Preventing youth violence

Stockton has struggled for decades with some of the highest crime rates in the state, mostly affecting young people.

Lee said there needs to be a system-wide approach to addressing the problem involving not only city officials, but also behavioral health officials, San Joaquin County leaders and Stockton Unified School District leaders.

“What’s happening now is that people are absolving themselves of responsibility and saying, ‘It’s the school’s problem.’ “It’s the county’s problem,” Lee said. “No, it’s all our problems, but the solution would be real investment.”

Warmsley agreed that all municipalities and systems need to be accountable to the youth in the community.

“It’s not just the city of Stockton that is responsible. So are our school districts,” Warmsley said. “When you look at the root causes of crime, let’s talk about our illiteracy rates. Let’s talk about poverty in this city. Let’s talk about mental health. Let’s talk about the lack of providers.”

Public confidence in city administration

In June, the San Joaquin County Grand Jury released a report titled “Town of Stockton: Crisis in Government”. The report said employees at Stockton City Hall were harassed and threatened by associates of 209 Times — a self-proclaimed social media and news source — and some city councilors allowed the alleged bad behaviour.

Founder of 209 Times, Motecuzoma Sanchezis a political consultant who has worked with numerous elected officials in Stockton and San Joaquin County government.

Lee and Warmsley were asked if they would support reforms suggested by the grand jury, including an ordinance requiring political consultants to disclose the candidates and officials they work for and rules for handling threatening communications received by city employees.

“I would certainly support those reforms, and let’s be clear, the council, particularly the legislative committee, will already be working at full speed to make sure some of these recommendations are taken up,” Warmsley said. “I support the (Fair Political Practices Commission) complaints. I support ethics investigations. I support censorship”.

Lee, on the other hand, said he had not read the grand jury report in its entirety. He did not provide an answer to the panelist’s question. Instead, he talked about his experiences filing California Public Records Act requests with the city and shared his thoughts on local news outlets.

“I have nothing to hide, but I also don’t talk to people who are just concerned or focused on telling the negative stories in this community,” Lee said.

Working with the city manager

Stockton has a manager-city council form of government, where a city manager approved by the city council directs government operations. The local council consists of six councilors and the mayor. The mayor has limited authority beyond that of any other councillor.

To implement the council’s directives, Lee said he plans to “make sure there is a very clear expectation of the city … that the city manager and city staff report to the city council.”

Lee drew on his experience as a union leader for SEIU at Kaiser Permanente, saying he was one of 33 union leaders who had to work as one voice.

“What we did was we focused on quality patient care as a compass to all the work we had to do,” Lee said. “I don’t really know what the compass is in this community because every time I hear an elected person or someone running for office say something, it’s always the same thing until they get elected and then I get amnesia.”

When working with city staff, Warmsley said it is the councilor’s responsibility to act as an educator, as staff may not always be aware of the district’s needs.

“I think in this role, as an advisor, the biggest thing you have to be is a collaborator,” Warmsley said. “You have to have the emotional intelligence, grit and tenacity to have sometimes uncomfortable conversations. Sometimes you win and sometimes you don’t, but having meetings regularly so the city manager and staff know what your priorities are. district.”

She also emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary meetings, such as meetings with the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors and local school boards.

“It’s not just about the board. It’s about our school boards. It’s about our board of supervisors,” Warmsley said. “So making sure you’re working collaboratively at all times and taking steps to be a good facilitator.”

The residents of Sector 6 will be able to choose their next representative at the votes of November 5.

Reporter Hannah Workman covers news from Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.