Curtis Pahlka to run for district seat in Chico
CHICO » Chico State public service worker Curtis Pahlka will challenge Sean Morgan for the role of Councilor in his district on the Chico City Council this November.
Pahlka runs against incumbent Morgan in District 1, encompassing the northwest side of Chico including East Ave and The Esplanade from the Cohasset Road area. He has spent the last 10 years working in public service for public safety.
Pahlka moved to Chico in 1988, graduated from Chico State in 2005 with a degree in sociology and currently works at Chico State as Director of Clery and Compliance Training at the Equal Opportunity Dispute Resolution. He also worked as the University Police Department’s civilian manager for three years, as Police Records Technician for Chico and as a dispatcher for California Highway Patrol.
In his current position, Pahlka directs university work under the Clery Act (named for Jeanne Clery, a consumer protection law focused on public transparency around campus crime policy and statistics) and administers the university’s Green Dot Program (an interpersonal violence prevention strategy), training students, staff and faculty since 2018.
Having witnessed state, city and university perspectives working in public safety, “I think my background speaks for itself,” Pahlka said.
“I think I’m pretty qualified to speak intelligently about what public safety means.”
Pahlka’s main reason for running is to help facilitate more “unified” public discourse, citing his great concern about the discussions in the City Council Chambers.
“What I’ve witnessed in several months of seeing, reporting and watching virtually, it feels like we are in time of extreme polarity in the council chambers, from petty name-calling to threats of violence,” Pahlka said.
“It’s hard for me to look at that and say, how can we not do better than that? To me it feels like some members seem to be disinterested in doing the service work they were appointed to. They would rather use that space to settle political grudges.”
While his first attempt at politics, Pahlka said his focus is on building relationships and not to “impose my political agenda on the citizens of Chico” but for encouraging “thoughtful, deliberate discourse.”
“Without good rapport, I think that’s where that incivility comes from. It’s a symptom of not taking the time to listen and understand each other.”
Pahlka acknowledged some issues of public concern have led to public meetings with high emotion combined with or leading to online vitriol in forums on social media. While using the space for public engagement, Pahlka said he hopes to create a more understanding, inclusive space for discussions.
“Of course there are people that don’t care about that … and do not want to hear the other side,” he said. “I’m not naive enough to think you’re going to be able to engage every person in that way. That doesn’t mean you don’t try, with the most amount of people that you can, to get a civil discourse.”
As for seeking office during a pandemic and economic crisis, Pahlka said another personal priority is pushing for city improvement of essential services such as roads and infrastructure wherever possible — “The longer you wait to do it, the more it’s going to cost.”
“Things like infrastructure around schools that help for alternative methods of transportation, biking and walking, are very good investments for all kinds of reasons. Anytime you can do something efficiently, you have a double impact.” Pahlka agrees with running mate Morgan that he was disappointed voters weren’t given a chance to vote on a proposed sales tax measure, an opportunity for revenue for essential services.
All issues start with building better relationships and having a better culture for discourse in the city council chambers, Pahlka said. “If you can’t have a civil discourse about what those priorities are, we’re in trouble.”
All candidates for the Chico City Council (and all other vacant seats) have from Monday, July 13 to Aug. 7 to file.