Joe Messina filed paperwork earlier this month declaring his intent to run for a seat on the Santa Clarita City Council.
The William S. Hart Union High School District board member told The Signal he’s exploring all of his options.
“I’m checking out to see the kind of support that I would get,” he said in a phone interview Wednesday. “So far I am getting lots of support, and lots of commitments for donations.”
Messina, a Saugus resident, said he’s concerned about the future of the city.
“I’m fearful of some of the people that are running for office or want to run for office,” he said. “(They) are looking at some of the things that brought down beautiful cities like Seattle and Portland and places like that.”
Messina said there’s a lot to look forward to in the city’s future, as well.
“You’ve got people moving here from all over the state, even from (all over) the country for that matter,” he said. “We do have people moving out of the state, but Santa Clarita has a great, great reputation for being a great place to work, play (and) go to school.”
Messina joined a field of candidates that includes David Barlavi, an attorney and member of the Saugus Union School District board, and Dr. Aakash Ahuja, a board-certified psychiatrist working in the California state prison system. Both Barlavi and Ahuja live in Valencia.
The Santa Clarita City Council remained undecided as of last week about transitioning from at-large elections, which allow any Santa Clarita voter to vote for any candidate, to district-based elections, which requires voters to cast a ballot of a candidate running in their district.
In 2022, the Council seats held by Mayor Bill Miranda, Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste and Councilwoman Marsha McLean will be on the ballot. The period to file paperwork to become an official candidate for City Council has not yet been determined.
