San Diego's most affluent City Council district, where growth pains top the community agenda, is facing a choice between a Republican entrepreneur making a second run for office and a grass-roots Democrat who says she is surprised to find herself in politics.
In the Nov. 4 general election, the two are competing to replace Council President Scott Peters, who must leave after eight years because of term limits.
Phil Thalheimer is a former city administrator who left the public sector after 14 years to co-found a Montgomery Field flight school in 2000. He challenged Peters in 2004, waging a high-profile campaign for which he lent himself $1.1 million.
After that, the city capped the amount of personal loans allowed, fearing that rich candidates would flood campaigns with their own money and then be paid back after they were elected by donors seeking access to the office.
Sherri Lightner runs a computer consulting firm with her husband after a career working as a General Atomics engineer. Being her own boss has allowed Lightner to volunteer on a dozen community boards, including leading the La Jolla Town Council and La Jolla Shores Association.
This is her first run for public office, though she has logged many hours at City Hall fighting development projects around La Jolla.
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Sherri Lightner
Residence: La Jolla
Age: 57
Family: Married 35 years; three children
Occupation: co-owner, Lightner Engineering
Community involvement: board member and officer of numerous land-use, planning, traffic, historical and community volunteer groups
Web site: www.sherrilightner.org
Phil Thalheimer
Residence: Carmel Mountain
Age: 50
Family: wife, Jennifer; two daughters, Arianna and Ilyssa
Occupation: president, San Diego Flight School International
Community involvement: chairman, San Diegans for the Mount Soledad War Memorial; chairman, Southern Californians for Jessica's Law
Web site: philthalheimer.com
District 1
Includes La Jolla, University City, Rancho Peñasquitos, Carmel Valley, Del Mar Mesa, Del Mar Heights, Sorrento Valley, Torrey Pines and Torrey Highlands
Population: 188,625
Median age: 38
Median household income: $99,414
Demographics: white, 66.3 percent; Asian, 19.8 percent; Latino, 8.1 percent; black, 1.6 percent
Political affiliation: 36 percent Republican, 34 percent Democrat
SOURCE: SANDAG, 2007 data
Online: Read the two candidates' answers to questions about Mission Bay, the fire tax, Proposition 8, the downtown library, a proposed new City Hall and other issues at uniontrib.com/more/sd1
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The district, which runs from La Jolla east through Carmel Valley, Black Mountain Ranch and Rancho Peñasquitos, leans slightly conservative. Republicans make up 36 percent of voters, Democrats have 34 percent and 26 percent are undeclared.
That should give Thalheimer the advantage, though he came in second in the June primary, with 33.9 percent of ballots to Lightner's 36.6 percent. However, Thalheimer probably split the conservative vote with fellow Republican Marshall Merrifield, who came in third with 29.6 percent.
The major question, then, for November: Which candidate will successfully woo the Merrifield voters?
Both candidates say they want to reform city government.
Thalheimer's platform starts with a call to regain control of the city's finances, which are dogged by a $1 billion deficit in the employee pension fund. His next priority is public safety. He says he will put police and other law enforcement agencies first in line on the budget.
Lightner's top campaign plank is giving neighborhoods a stronger voice at City Hall. In addition, she talks about improving neighborhood services, including community policing, streets, parks and library hours.
Lightner has the endorsement of city police and fire unions, the San Diego Sierra Club chapter and the League of Conservation Voters San Diego, in addition to four of the five current council members who are Democrats.
Peters, also a Democrat, has not taken a position.
Thalheimer's endorsement list includes the San Diego County Apartment Association, the Neighborhood Market Association and the National Electrical Contractors Association.
The primary was a high-dollar battle, with Thalheimer spending $186,000 and Merrifield shelling out nearly $450,000, both from their own pockets.
During the first six months of the year, Thalheimer raised $252,000, of which $223,500 was his own cash. The flight-school owner has spent heavily to mail campaign fliers, according to his campaign disclosure statement.
Lightner raised $60,280 in the first half of the year from contributors. She lent herself $20,000 just before the primary. Most of her spending has been for consultants, mailers and phone banking.
Jeanette Steele: (619) 293-1030; jen.steele@uniontrib.com
