Housing
When Cipriano Vargas was growing up in Vista, working families could afford to live here, send their children to public school, and then to college without drowning in debt. Today, skyrocketing housing prices are forcing families and young people out of Vista - and the city is doing nothing about it. Vista is ranked last in the region for providing affordable housing, yet the City Council focused on building more multi-million dollar “McMansions” instead. As Mayor, Vargas will require developers to build housing that is affordable for veterans, firefighters, nurses, teachers, and all other hard-working people of Vista.
Homelessness
The number of homeless citizens in Vista has skyrocketed (up by 49% according to recent estimates). The City Council has talked a lot, but they have accomplished little and allowed the problem to get out of hand. It is especially upsetting to see the number of homeless families and veterans on our streets. As Mayor, Cipriano Vargas will build a Homeless Shelter in Vista for homeless veterans, children, and others looking to get back on their feet. He will bring his experience advocating at the county, state, and federal level to help place homeless individuals in supportive programs and will increase the number of outreach teams that work to get counseling and mental health treatment to those in need. Most importantly, Cipriano will ensure that every homeless person has access to a clean and safe place to sleep.
Military
The military are the backbone of Vista – they are hard-wired into the city’s DNA. Yet, the city has taken the military for granted. As Mayor, Cipriano Vargas will establish a Military Affairs Commission to address the concerns and needs of active-duty military as well as veterans living in Vista. As School Board President, Cipriano has ensured a smooth transition into our schools for children of military families transferred to Camp Pendleton. And when family members were deployed, Vista schools provided needed assistance and counseling to affected children. The City of Vista needs to nurture and support its deep and dynamic relationship with Camp Pendleton and with our military families whose public service we deeply appreciate.
Our Neighborhoods
Vista has beautiful neighborhoods that the city has neglected over the years. Cipriano will add more street lights, pave our streets, and fix our cracked sidewalks. As Mayor, Vargas will also expand the shuttle program for seniors that enables them to safely commute around Vista and our surrounding North County communities. Our residents deserve a quality of life second to none, and it starts by improving our communities one block at a time.
Public Safety
As President of the Vista School Board, Cipriano hired more Sheriffs to help protect Vista’s 19,000 students and their teachers. It’s unacceptable that crime has gone up in Vista. As Mayor, Cipriano will ensure more Sheriff’s are on patrol protecting our neighborhoods. The first job of a School Board President and a Mayor is to protect those they serve by making public safety a priority.