Editor's note: This story is one in a series on the Nov. 3 general election. For more coverage, visit vcstar.com/news/elections.
In Thousand Oaks, three of the five City Council seats are on the ballot.
For District 1, incumbent and Mayor Mikey Taylor is running for a second term. He will face off against political newcomer Karen Arreola.
District 2 Council member Bob Engler will not seek reelection. Business owner Gus Gougas and executive producer Kyle Rohrbach will run for the seat.
Finally, in District 3, incumbent David Newman will seek a second term, running against challenger and school administrator Victor Hayek.
The Star asked each candidate in the competitive races to answer a brief questionnaire. Their responses are below, with editing
for space and clarity. City council races are nonpartisan, but The Star asked candidates and checked voter rolls to include party registration information for readers.
Early voting begins Oct. 5, the same day election officials plan to start mailing ballots to registered voters. Ventura County's vote center locations will open Oct. 24.
Thousand Oaks District 1
Karen Arreola
Age: 64
Occupation: Retired biotech executive and college science instructor
Education: Bachelor’s degree in biology from UC Santa Barbara
Military service: None
Political experience: None
Campaign website: Karen4TO.com
Party registration: Democrat
What is your top priority as council member, and how do you intend to accomplish it?
My top priority will be responsible stewardship of Thousand Oaks’ land, finances and future. That starts with listening to residents. It’s clear we need to improve communication between the city and residents, and I want to make that a priority.
I also want to take a close, objective look at the Civic Arts Plaza redevelopment. Using the analytical, financial and contract-management skills I developed during my career at Amgen, I would examine its business case, costs, financing, contracts and vendor selection, along with impacts on traffic, safety, infrastructure and the environment.
We should reassess the project’s scope and look for opportunities to scale it back while finding a responsible balance between development and preserving what makes Thousand Oaks special, including views, open space and neighborhood character. Amgen supports the project, and its perspective as our largest employer is important. My goal is a transparent process that protects residents and taxpayers.
How do you intend to attract more jobs to the city?
Thousand Oaks should build on the industries and assets that already make our community attractive to employers. The city has identified biotechnology and high-technology jobs as priorities, and I support a strong “biotech first” strategy while continuing to diversify our economy.
I spent my career at Amgen, where I saw firsthand what companies consider when deciding where to invest, expand and hire. Amgen’s continued investment in Thousand Oaks demonstrates the opportunity we have to build on our life-sciences strength.
We also need to support the local businesses already here by making it easier for them to grow, hire and invest. I would work with businesses, the chamber, economic-development organizations and educational institutions to identify barriers and improve city processes.
We can attract good-paying jobs while maintaining the quality of life that makes Thousand Oaks desirable. Economic growth should complement, not diminish, our community’s character, neighborhoods, open space and ridgeline views.
Mikey Taylor
Age: 44
Occupation: Small business owner and Thousand Oaks City Council member
Education: High school diploma from Newbury Park High School
Military service: None
Political experience: Thousand Oaks City Council member from 2022 through present
Campaign website: MikeyForCityCouncil.com
Party registration: Republican
What is your top priority as council member, and how do you intend to accomplish it?
My top priority is keeping Thousand Oaks one of the safest cities in California. In my first term, we focused on three things: staying safe, investing in infrastructure and preparing for wildfire. Overall crime is down 7%, we built two microgrids, put $9 million into local water and fire readiness and brought our homeless numbers down 46%.
Moving forward, my focus is making sure the next generation wants to stay here and has real opportunity in Thousand Oaks, not somewhere else. We do that by keeping regulation reasonable and fees from being front-loaded, so we stay a place where employers want to invest and young people want to build. When they can build a career, a business and a life here, they stay and our city's future stays strong.
How do you intend to attract more jobs to the city?
Thousand Oaks already has one of the strongest local economies in the region. Amgen is reinvesting $600 million here, and our median income sits above the California average. My job is to protect that and build on it. I will attract more employers by keeping the city stable and predictable: a balanced budget, low taxes, reliable public safety and infrastructure that stays on when the grid goes down. Businesses invest where they trust the fundamentals. We have already cut the permitting delays that push employers to neighboring cities.
Going forward, we will partner with our anchor employers and small businesses to grow high-quality jobs and protect the quality of life that lets young families and workers stay here. When people can build a career and a life in Thousand Oaks, the jobs follow and so does our future.
Thousand Oaks District 2
Gus Gougas
Age: 61
Occupation: Partner and director at Pickleball Athletic Club
Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science from CSU Northridge
Military service: None
Political experience: None
Campaign website: GusForTO.com
Party registration: Republican
What is your top priority as council member, and how do you intend to accomplish it?
My priority as a City Council member is to protect Thousand Oaks' quality of life. This includes working to regain our local housing control, helping small businesses open faster and ensuring our public service agencies have the funding necessary to keep our community safe — all without altering our open space initiatives or raising sales tax.
Regarding local housing control, currently the state of California mandates housing plans based on state-provided numbers. Cities that fail to adopt an approved housing element risk losing land-use control, face litigation and could potentially lose state grant funding.
To address this challenge, I am proposing the formation of the Ventura County Housing Coalition. By uniting local governments with shared concerns, we can advocate for greater local input regarding housing numbers, implementation timelines, infrastructure and environmental impacts. By coordinating with other local jurisdictions, the goal would be to restore meaningful decision-making authority to our cities.
How do you intend to attract more jobs to the city?
The current economic development strategic plan has successfully attracted high-profile companies to our area, including Amgen, Atara, Takeda, Latigo and recently Kite Pharma.
To foster further growth, I propose facilitating partnerships between relocating tech firms and local academic institutions, such as California Lutheran University, to strengthen our talent pipelines and facilitating “plug-and-play” zoning by pre-assessing and designating vacant corporate areas for modular manufacturing.
Additionally, supporting our smaller businesses is equally vital. Having started a business here two years ago, I see clear opportunities to improve the local experience. I recommend reviewing and streamlining the permitting process for small businesses to make it faster and simpler. Moving the entire process online would increase transparency, and using a dedicated project manager and/or project management tools could clearly outline key milestones, highlight current stages and identify responsible parties. Streamlining this process will help new businesses launch and generate revenue much faster.
Kyle Rohrbach
Age: 39
Occupation: Executive producer
Education: Bachelor’s degree in film and television from New York University
Military service: None
Political experience: None
Campaign website: KyleForCouncil.com
Party registration: Democrat
What is your top priority as council member, and how do you intend to accomplish it?
My top priority is keeping Thousand Oaks a well run city that delivers on the basics: public safety, fiscal responsibility and the quality of life that makes this a great place to raise a family or retire. That means fully staffed police and fire departments, smart budgeting that avoids waste and protects reserves and maintaining the parks, trails and services residents rely on every day.
I'll bring the same discipline I've applied chairing the city's community funding review committee — asking hard questions, following the numbers and making sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. Thousand Oaks needs a steady hand protecting what works while addressing challenges like housing costs for the working families — including our first responders and teachers — who keep this city running.
How do you intend to attract more jobs to the city?
Thousand Oaks won't attract or keep good employers if city hall is the obstacle. My focus is cutting the red tape that slows businesses down — permitting delays, unclear requirements and bureaucracy. We can champion a welcoming and flexible environment for new endeavors.
I'll push for a streamlined, predictable permitting process with clear timelines and a single point of contact so business owners aren't bounced between departments. When it's faster and easier to open, expand or renovate here, employers choose Thousand Oaks over neighboring cities. Reliable, efficient local government is one of the most powerful economic development tools we have — and it costs taxpayers nothing extra to get right.
Thousand Oaks District 3
Victor Hayek
Age: 55
Occupation: Deputy superintendent of business services for Conejo Valley Unified School District
Education: Doctorate in education from Seton Hall University
Military service: None
Political experience: Wayne Township Public Schools (New Jersey) Board of Education member
Campaign website: VictorHayek.org
Party registration: No party preference
What is your top priority as council member, and how do you intend to accomplish it?
My top priority is cultivating a safe, strong and thriving Thousand Oaks.
As a former police officer, I understand public safety, and I have been endorsed by both fire and police officials. I will ensure first responders have the resources needed to provide services that our community depends on to protect us.
With more than 20 years managing public budgets up to $250 million, I know firsthand how to manage resources and support essential services in all economic conditions.
Businesses drive economic sustainability, and they need employees. With an MBA in finance and real-world business experience, I know what businesses go through when working with the public sector. I also know how to manage resources and create opportunities for businesses of all sizes so they can prosper in our community while providing products and services we all can enjoy.
How do you intend to attract more jobs to the city?
I want Thousand Oaks to be a place where people can live, work and play. I’ll make city hall more business friendly by streamlining permitting, reducing unnecessary barriers and creating a direct point of contact — whether city staff, Thousand Oaks Business Association, chamber etc. — for businesses looking to invest here. We need to demonstrate we have the infrastructure and economy to support their successful operations and their employees. This includes life sciences, biotech, healthcare, technology and advanced manufacturing.
We can also turn underutilized commercial spaces into economic opportunities through land-use designation and build stronger partnerships between our schools, adult schools, trades and local employers. My experience managing budgets, overseeing major projects, running a small business and developing workforce programs gives me the practical experience to help Thousand Oaks compete for investment while protecting the character of our community.
David Newman
Age: 67
Occupation: Thousand Oaks City Council member
Education: Bachelor’s degrees in humanities from Johns Hopkins University and photography from New York University
Military service: None
Political experience: Thousand Oaks City Council member from 2022 through present; Thousand Oaks Planning Commission member from 2014 through 2022
Campaign website: David4TO.com
Party registration: Decline to respond
What is your top priority as council member, and how do you intend to accomplish it?
Quality-of-life issues – safe streets, a vibrant economy, abundant open space and affordability of housing and insurance – continue to be top priorities for Thousand Oaks residents and businesses. I'm committed to ensuring that city government works for everyone and that we prioritize community interests over special interests.
How do you intend to attract more jobs to the city?
I've helped attract nearly $800 million in new biotech research and development investment here, with more on the way. I voted for permitting reforms to revive a proud 100-plus year tradition of our city hosting great movie and TV production. And I've voted yes on affordable housing units so that the people essential to the Thousand Oaks economy can build a life here, not just work here. Businesses large and small tell us this housing is a key requirement to attract and retain top talent.
Makena Huey is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at makena.huey@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism. The foundation plays no role in story selection. The Star retains full editorial control.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Meet the Thousand Oaks City Council candidates | election
