• Better Know a Candidate: Carlos Marquez, District 1

I recently sat down with Carlos Marquez for a "Better Know a Candidate" blog. Something I've done since 2014. It's a little different now that I'm on the city council, but Wildomar Rap is still a good source of information. 

Carlos Marquez

Both Carlos, and Chuck Jones (also on the ballot for District 1) will get the same questions, not get a chance to see the questions ahead of time, but have a chance to reword a comment later if they choose. 

I'll use a red asterisk * where the question was edited later through email. My blog is about accurate information, I'm not interested in "gotcha" moments. 

UPDATE: There is now a third candidate that has qualified as a write-in candidate, Jasmine Bearden. I've asked her the same questions and have already uploaded it. You'll notice this blog was written when there were only two candidates. I'm not going to edit it at this point.

UPDATE 2: This comment was left by Jasmine on the "Better Know a Candidate" blog at facebook. It's my practice to NOT remove old stories. 

This was published on Facebook on September 28, 2022.

I have set questions. 

Some are serious questions, and others are fun questions just to give you a glimpse into who the candidate is. This isn't 60 Minutes and I'm not Mike Wallace, so there aren't any hard-hitting follow-up questions.

I suggest that ALL voters contact the candidates and ask directly any questions you have. This is the time to put them to the test, they want your votes, see how well they turn around your phone calls or emails. 

I'll be using photos approved by the candidates. As of the writing of this blog, I will not be publicly endorsing either candidate. Both are likable people, and I believe that I'll be able to work with whichever of the two gets elected... which only applies if I get re-elected. 😅😁

 WR  How long have you been in Wildomar and how did you choose it to be your home?

 CM  I've been in Wildomar for four years now. I chose it to be my home because I had the opportunity to become a homeowner. My wife and I were looking for a place to call home. Interestingly enough, the house that we purchased was the only house that we both agreed on. The moment we walked in the door we both said, "This is home."

 WR  What type of community involvement have you been part of?

 CM  Through my employer (Think Together), I would categorize it as a public service. We partner with schools to change the odds for kids. I've been involved heavily, within the area, locally, the Lake Elsinore Unified School District, providing opportunities for STEM programs. 

Also participated in Race For The Cure, volunteering [to help in their] Easter Egg Hunt back when I was a resident in Temecula. Most recently, I've been involved with the Wildomar Beautification Volunteers, because cleaning up our city is important to me. 

Goodbye graffiti!

Helping with Wildomar Beautification Volunteers.

L-R Dan Gonse, Cesar Marmolejo and Carlos Marquez.

 WR  What is your day job?

 CM  In my day job, I design STEM programs for K-12 youth. At first, it began with a lot of coding and robotics and that kind of stuff, but lately, it's moved more into involving invention education. Because we see that as a pathway to really engage more girls in STEM.  

 WR  Time on the job?

 CM  I just had my nine-year anniversary on the job last month. 

 WR  Being on city council can be very time-consuming. When elected will your schedule allow for you to be "all in"?

 CM  Yes! Thankfully, since the pandemic, my role has become remote. My schedule is more flexible to allow me to be more involved in the community, and I've been doing that over the last two months. Attending council meetings, volunteering with the Wildomar Beautification program, and going to other city events. 

Fun question time

 WR  You're at a venue with multiple entertainment options. Do you head for the stand-up comedy, the dueling pianos or karaoke?

 CM  I think it depends on if I'm alone or with my family. If I'm with my family I'd go to the standup comedy, it's a good time to laugh with my wife. If I was alone I'd be a little more interested in the dueling pianos. I think it's really impressive, it takes a lot of skill to play an instrument. 

 WR  Wildomar has changed considerably since the freeway was built in the mid-80s. What will your approach be your approach to balancing the rural areas of Wildomar with the areas that aren't rural?

 CM  *Protecting the rural character and the hometown feel of our community are important factors to keep top of mind as we work to improve our quality of life through responsible growth. 

My approach will be as follows: 

• Be considerate of which land and resources are important to the community to conserve for economic, cultural, or ecological reasons
• Preserve and maintain our distinctive local character while allowing for the responsible growth of great new places by supporting the tailoring of economic development strategies
• Support planning parks and open space into the design of new places

 WR  What are your top three concerns for Wildomar?

 CM  I would say that my top three concerns for Wildomar are public safety, road improvement and responsible growth. However, specific to district one, my main concern would be beautification.

Fun question time

 WR  When you get a break in the action, how do you unwind/hobbies?

 CM  I like to go to the gym. I like to play basketball and make music. Those are more solo activities when I have time to myself, but I like spending time with my family. Family is important and really I take advantage of any opportunity that I get to spend with my immediate family and my extended family. I'm fortunate that they live locally. 

The Marquez family. Taken at the Wildomar Astronomy Night park event.

 WR  What's your understanding of the job of city council members and/or what your job would be after you're elected?

 CM  Ultimately, I would see my job as being somebody that amplifies the voice and advocates for the concerns of the residents in District 1. But also being able to look at the larger picture, working together with the rest of the council to improve Wildomar.

 WR  Currently each council member appoints a planning commissioner. What's your approach to future growth and how heavily would that factor in when choosing a commissioner?

 CM  One of the factors that I'd consider would be how much of a stakeholder this person is? Do they have roots in Wildomar or are they planting roots in Wildomar? Are they looking to be here long-term? I would prefer to appoint someone who is going to be here for the long run. [...] I would also want someone who is involved in the community, I think that's another factor that would be important for me in appointing someone. 

Softball question alert

 WR  Are you more of a dog person or a cat person?

 CM  Dogs. For sure, dogs. I have two dogs that I adopted from Animal Friends of the Valleys when I moved to Wildomar, I absolutely love them. My wife and I have taken Christmas pictures with them, dressing them up for Halloween; I grew up with dogs. I like cats too, I just prefer to have dogs. 

Those faces tell me someone is expecting a treat. ☺

Marquez family pups and Animal Friends of the Valleys alumni - Bagheera (brindle Dutch Shepherd Pitbull mix) and Baloo (Blue Nose Pitbull).

 WR  What got you interested in running for city council?

 CM  Interestingly, I learned of the opportunity through Wildomar Rap. Learning that Mayor Ben Benoit was going to be running for a county position, learning that there was an open seat, and also the fact that I just became a parent a few months ago really inspired me to step up and better serve the community. I'm establishing our roots here in the community, I plan to be here long-term and I want to fill that need. 

Ultimately, I'm establishing roots here. I want to make sure that I'm raising my daughter in a good community; she's the inspiration for my "why?"

The Marquez Family.

Fun question time

 WR  What is your car radio usually set to?

 CM   If I’m driving alone, my radio is usually tuned to a podcast.

 WR  Social media can be a great tool. It can be a great way to communicate with residents, but it can also lead to headaches for those that partake too much. Do you have a plan on how to use it after you're elected?

 CM  I believe that social media is a good way to engage with the community. It's a good way to get information out quickly. I plan to utilize as one of my methods of communication. I recognize that not everybody uses social media so that may not be the only way that I choose to communicate with the residents of Wildomar. I need to delve a little deeper into what the [would be] the best method of communication [...] how to better engage with residents. 

 WR  What strengths do you have that you think will help you as a city leader?

 CM  One of my strengths that I think will work well as a councilman is my responsiveness. I like to provide excellent customer service. My ability to collaborate with others is also very important. My personal desire to ensure that I'm well informed so that I can make informed decisions. That might mean at times I take a little longer but it's because I want to ensure that I'm taking several factors into consideration before making a decision. It's not to say that I'm indecisive, it's that I want to make sure that the decision I make is the best for others. 

Softball question alert

 WR  What is your favorite meal?

 CM  Sushi. I love sushi. I could have sushi every day.  

 WR  How available to District 1 residents do you plan on being?

 CM  I plan to be very accessible to residents. I will have an open-door policy so I want to make sure that I'm building relationships with the community so that they feel comfortable to come to me with their concerns; that they know that I'm going to take them seriously. I'll be available through various methods of communication. Whether it's on Facebook, on the phone, through email, and more importantly seeing my face out in the community at community events. 

 WR  If you had the attention of the Wildomar voters, what would you tell them are some key factors that a voter should be looking for in a city council member?

 CM  One of the things would be is who they elect is someone who they trust to take their concerns seriously. I'm someone who strongly believes that actions speak louder than words, and for me, I want to see somebody who's working towards implementing change or working towards advocating for their (the residents') concerns and needs. I don't want somebody who's going to just provide lip service.  

One of Carlos' campaign graphics. 

Last of the easy-peasy lemon-squeezy questions

 WR  Any go-to phone games that you indulge in (mine is Words With Friends, my mom's is Candy Crush)?

 CM  My go-to is called Jet Fighter. It's reminiscent of the classic arcade game called Galaga. 

 WR  Any closing thoughts that you'd like to share with the voters?

 CM  I would like voters to know that I'm a fellow neighbor, a stakeholder within our community. My objective is to amplify their voice and advocate for their needs. I'm somebody who is establishing their roots in the city and I'm proud to live in Wildomar. I hope to serve the residents of Wildomar as their councilman. 

 WR  What's your contact info, the best way for the voters to reach out to you?

 CM  Voters can reach out to me through email at 

Carlos.Marquez4Wildomar@gmail.com 

or they can reach me through Facebook 

Carlos's official Facebook page 

and they can feel free to call or text me at (951) 551-8688.

link to Chuck Jones blog

Link to Jasmine Bearden blog