ESCONDIDO COUNCIL PICKS HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER TO FILL VACANT DISTRICT 3 SEAT

The Escondido City Council on Monday appointed Christian Garcia, a teacher and current president of the Palomar College board of trustees, to the District 3 seat on the council.

The council voted 3-1, with Councilmember Consuelo Martinez in opposition, to appoint Garcia to serve the final two years of the term of current District 2 Councilmember Joe Garcia.

Joe Garcia was moved to District 2 last year during the redistricting process following the 2020 U.S. Census, and in November he was elected to a new four-year term.

Christian Garcia, in his application for the District 3 council vacancy, wrote that he would be interested in running for a full term in the 2024 election. He has lived in Escondido for four years.

Christian Garcia is a high school math and social studies teacher at the Futures Academy, holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Southern California and spent two years in the U.S. Peace Corps, during which he taught English in Cambodia, according to his bio on the Palomar College website.

Before returning to work in education, he served as a supply chain analyst for several years. According to his application, he speaks Spanish and Khmer.

Asked why he wanted to serve on the council, Garcia wrote, “The City of Escondido has become my home. I love the culture, the people, and the history. As much as I love the city, there is a lot of work to do to maximize our potential. I believe the city needs to reinforce