Editor's note: This story is one in a series on the Nov. 3 general election. For more coverage, visit vcstar.com/news/elections.
Ten candidates are vying for three seats on Simi Valley's City Council for the Nov. 3 general election.
Council member Joseph Ayala, District 1 incumbent, was appointed over a year ago after Dee Dee Cavanaugh was chosen by the City Council to fill the mayor's seat following the death of Mayor Fred Thomas in January 2025. District 1 covers much of east Simi Valley north of Highway 118.
The seat for District 2, currently held by Council member Mike Judge and covering much of the city's southeast side, has two candidates on the ballot. Mike Judge is one of five candidates running for mayor.
District 4, currently held by Rocky
Rhodes, covers much of the city's southwest side and has four candidates on the ballot. Rhodes did not seek reelection.
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.
Simi Valley District 1
Joseph D. Ayala
Age: 52
Occupation: City council member
Party registration: No Party Preference
Education: Master's degree in communication studies at Loyola Marymount University
Military service: None
Political experience: City Council since 2025
Website: electjosephayala.com
What's your top priority and how do you intend to accomplish it?
My top priority is to stop treating housing, jobs and economic development as separate issues. Businesses need workers, workers need housing and residents need restaurants, stores and services.
Let’s connect these pieces by attracting good-paying jobs, helping existing businesses grow, creating housing for people at different income levels, filling empty storefronts and generating the revenue needed to maintain the city services residents expect.
We already have opportunities in front of us, and I have worked to help move these projects forward. I want to see our new 200,000-square-foot industrial complex completed and filled with new opportunities in advanced manufacturing, our Town Center becoming the destination we have talked about for years, and taking a proactive approach to implementing Envision Simi Valley rather than simply having a plan sitting on a shelf.
For me, the next two years are about execution: turning plans into results residents can see.
How do you intend to attract more jobs?
Attracting jobs starts with recognizing that economic development is not only about recruiting new businesses; it is also about helping the businesses already here stay, grow and hire.
I want the city to regularly ask employers: What would help you expand in Simi Valley? Then we need to act on the answers, whether that means faster permitting, help finding property, workforce partnerships or targeted incentives that produce measurable jobs and economic activity.
But attracting jobs is not enough. I want good-paying jobs that allow people to build a life here. I am proud to have earned the endorsements of SEIU Local 721 and the Central Coast Labor Council because working families need to be part of our economic-development conversation.
We should also connect employers with local training programs, so Simi Valley residents have a pathway into the jobs we create. Economic development should benefit businesses, workers and our entire community.
Jill A. Abele
Age: 61
Occupation: Retired Businesswoman
Party registration: Republican
Education: Bachelor of science in business administration from CSU Northridge
Military service: None
Political experience: None
Website: AbeleForCouncil.com
What's your top priority and how do you intend to accomplish it.
Public safety is my top priority. It's the reason so many residents chose Simi Valley and why businesses continue to relocate here, and I intend to keep it that way.
I'll pursue this in three ways: First, ensuring our police officers receive competitive wages, benefits and working conditions so we can recruit and retain the best. Second, strengthening our existing partnerships with local law enforcement and public safety agencies (including fire suppression and prevention) to apprehend offenders, solve crimes, and stop crime before it starts. Third, applying a public safety lens to every development project, proposed ordinance, and community issue that comes before the council.
As a 40-year Simi Valley resident, wife of a criminal prosecutor and mother-in-law to a law enforcement officer, EMT and lifeguard, I understand firsthand what it takes to keep our first responders supported and our community safe.
How do you intend to attract more jobs?
The city's Focus Area Goals, which include economic development, revitalizing the Simi Valley Town Center and boosting film production and tourism, are the right priorities, but execution needs to improve.
I studied what's working in neighboring cities. Moorpark uses a same-day permit approval and review kickoff or SPARK model to fast-track projects or that drive economic benefit and dedicates more staff to economic development than we do despite being a third of our size. This is a strong case for re-prioritizing our resources.
I bring private-sector strategic planning experience to the council, including sound business acumen, to ensure the town center is completed in a way that benefits all stakeholders, including residents, property owners and businesses alike.
Finally, the Council placed Measure A, a hotel-stay tax increase, on this ballot. This undercuts its own tourism goal. If elected, I'll oppose new taxes that hurt residents, retailers and business owners.
Todd Taylor
Age: 63
Occupation: Licensed private investigator
Party registration: Republican
Education: Did not provide
Military service: None
Political experience: None
Website: Todd4Simi.com
What's your top priority and how do you intend to accomplish it.
My top priority is public safety. As a private investigator for 28 years and a former bounty hunter for 22 of those years, I have spent much of my career dealing directly with crime, fraud and people who threaten the safety of our communities.
As a council member, I would make sure our police department has the staffing, technology and resources it needs while also focusing on the issues that affect residents every day, including homelessness, property crime, traffic safety and neighborhood quality of life.
I believe we need a balanced approach: offer services and assistance to people who genuinely want help, while enforcing our laws and holding repeat offenders accountable. I would work closely with law enforcement, city staff, service providers and residents, and I would insist that public safety remain a priority when the City makes budget decisions.
How do you intend to attract more jobs?
Simi Valley needs to be a city where businesses want to open, expand and invest. As a small business owner for nearly three decades, I understand that businesses look for reasonable regulations, an efficient permitting process, a skilled workforce, good infrastructure and a city government that is willing to work with them.
I would support actively recruiting businesses that fit Simi Valley and create quality local jobs rather than simply waiting for companies to find us. I also want the city to work closely with our existing businesses, because helping a successful local company expand can be just as valuable as attracting a new one.
We should identify obstacles that make it unnecessarily difficult or expensive to do business here, streamline the process where possible and focus recruitment on employers that strengthen our local economy while maintaining the character and quality of life that make Simi Valley attractive.
Anthony Thompson
Age: 56
Occupation: Business owner and coach
Party registration: Republican
Education: Mechanical engineering major Southern Illinois University, not completed
Military service: None
Political experience: None
Website: www.coach4council.com
What's your top priority and how do you intend to accomplish it?
Win the Simi Valley City Council District 1 seat, then run City Hall with business-grade accountability. The way I will accomplish it is publish the scoreboard. Track and share daily or frequent measures like permit turnaround, response times and potholes fixed, instead of relying on annual reports. Every metric gets a named owner.
Fix infrastructure before it fails. Treat road condition as a managed service. Use pavement data to set repair priorities and timelines, and report the results publicly. Run a business-friendly City Hall. City staff are partners in resident service and business growth, not obstacles.
How do you intend to attract more jobs?
I made the call that saved 275 Simi Valley jobs in the private sector. On the Council, I’ll make City Hall fast, affordable and safe so employers choose Simi Valley and stay. Target Simi Valley’s aerospace, defense and advanced-manufacturing base, since that’s your home turf. Assign a single city point of contact to every business looking to expand or relocate. Visit existing employers to keep the jobs Simi Valley already has.
Simi Valley District 2
Sam Cohen
Age: 43
Occupation: Engineer
Party registration: Democratic
Education: Diploma from Oak Park High School
Military service: None
Political experience: None
Website: sam4simivalley.com
What's your top priority and how do you intend to accomplish it.
My top priority is Simi Valley being a safe and welcoming home for every resident. Safety is whether your street is in good repair, whether the traffic light works when the power goes out and whether the shopping center near you feels safe at night.
To get there, I'll push for a more aggressive timeline for road and pavement repair, complete backup power projects for traffic signals, water pumps and our main evacuation shelter and prioritize filling vacant storefronts so less spaces are sitting dark. I'll work with Southern California Edison to commit to power infrastructure projects that reduce power shutoffs. A safe city has reliable power and safe roads. A safe Simi Valley has active, cared-for neighborhoods that residents and businesses are proud to call home.
How do you intend to attract more jobs?
Simi Valley should be the best place to start and grow a business. I would prioritize retaining and growing businesses that are already here, and make it easier for Simi Valley residents to start a business here in their hometown. City Hall can publish permit timeline guarantees and offer pre-approved plans for common tenant improvements so a new restaurant or shop can open faster. I would also partner with the Chamber of Commerce on regular check-ins with local employers so we can help them expand here instead of losing them to another city.
Our residents are the talent employers want. Instead of commuting out of town every day, I want residents to choose to work locally. Filling our industrial and retail vacancies with proud local businesses that thrive long term means more stable jobs with career growth and less empty storefronts.
Richard Perini
Age: 56
Occupation: Security engineering, electrical business owner
Party registration: Republican
Education: High school diploma
Political experience: None
Website: Perini4Simi.com
What's your top priority and how do you intend to accomplish it?
Economic development is my top priority for Simi Valley. A strong local economy is the foundation for maintaining our infrastructure, supporting essential city services, creating quality jobs, and keeping our community strong for future generations.
My focus is attracting key industries that bring high-paying, $100K+ careers to Simi Valley. We have already started building the Simi Valley Economic Action Committee (SVEAC), bringing together local business owners, executives, and community leaders to identify and recruit employers that fit our community.
These opportunities are essential to keeping and attracting young families who support our schools, businesses, and neighborhoods.
Simi Valley has the assets: available commercial/industrial space, competitive housing within Ventura and Los Angeles counties, and outstanding career programs in welding, robotics, and culinary arts.
Instead of waiting for opportunities to find us, we need to pursue them, bringing businesses, education, and community leaders together to build a stronger, sustainable Simi Valley.
How do you intend to attract more jobs?
My decades of business experience, contacts throughout the business community and the relationships of other local business owners can create a powerful mechanism for bringing employers and investment to Simi Valley.
Our goal is to attract long-term, high-paying jobs that fill vacant industrial and commercial space, support restaurants, strengthen schools and bring young families back to our community. We’re losing too many members of our next generation because they find better career and economic opportunities elsewhere.
Part of our strategy is reaching out directly to business owners and executives, particularly in Los Angeles City and County, and inviting them to consider Simi Valley.
California’s business environment presents challenges a city cannot control. What Simi Valley can control is how we treat businesses considering investing here. We can streamline permitting, improve communication with City Hall, help businesses navigate the process, and advocate for employers creating good-paying jobs.
Simi Valley District 4
Ivana Christmann
Age: 41
Occupation: Business owner at Internetize.Me
Party registration: Republican
Education: Doctorate in software engineering from the University of Belgrade
Military service: None
Political experience: Simi Valley Planning Commission
Website: ivana4citycouncil.com
What's your top priority and how do you intend to accomplish it?
My top priority is keeping Simi Valley safe, well managed and a great place to raise a family and build a future. Public safety must remain a core responsibility of local government. I will work to make sure our police and first responders have the resources they need while making responsible decisions about how taxpayer dollars are spent.
As a planning commissioner, I have also seen firsthand how city policies and processes affect residents and businesses. I will push for greater accountability, efficient city services and practical solutions that address problems before they become more expensive. My approach is simple: listen to residents, ask tough questions, work collaboratively and make decisions based on what is best for Simi Valley without raising our taxes.
How do you intend to attract more jobs?
To attract more jobs, Simi Valley needs to be a city where businesses want to invest, expand, and stay. As a business owner, and Planning Commissioner, I understand how unnecessary delays and complicated processes can discourage investment.
I want to make our city more business-friendly by streamlining permitting, reducing unnecessary red tape, and creating a more predictable process for businesses seeking to open or expand. We should actively work to retain the businesses already here while attracting employers that provide quality local jobs.
Economic development also requires looking at the long term. I want Simi Valley to compete for businesses and industries that strengthen our tax base and provide career opportunities so more residents can work closer to home. We can support economic growth while protecting the character and quality of life that make Simi Valley special.
Debra K. Dickerson
Age: 62
Occupation: Retired police officer and pilot
Party registration: Republican
Education: Fashion Merchandising at Kirkwood Community College
Military service: None
Political experience: None
Website: deb4simi.com
What's your top priority and how do you intend to accomplish it?
My main priority is making sure Simi Valley remains a safe, strong community where families want to live, businesses can thrive and residents feel heard. That starts with protecting public safety, preserving the character of our neighborhoods and making responsible decisions about growth and development.
With more than 27 years of experience as a Los Angeles police officer, I bring real-world experience and a deep understanding of public safety. I’ll achieve that by listening to residents, working collaboratively with our police, firefighters, local businesses, schools and community organizations, and making decisions based on what is best for Simi Valley — not politics.
I’ve spent my career bringing people together to solve problems, and I’ll bring that same common-sense approach to City Hall. Most importantly, I’ll be accessible, accountable and willing to do the work. My goal is simple: protect what we love about Simi Valley while planning responsibly for its future.
How do you intend to attract more jobs?
I intend to attract more jobs by making Simi Valley a place where businesses want to invest, grow and stay. We need to proactively recruit new businesses, simplify the permitting process, reduce unnecessary delays and make City Hall easier to navigate.
I also support responsible incentives to attract businesses, particularly those that hire locally and create good-paying jobs. That could include deferring certain initial fees or allowing fees to be paid in stages, helping new businesses manage startup costs while getting established.
We also have vacant commercial properties that should be viewed as opportunities. By working with property owners, developers and businesses, we can redevelop and repurpose these spaces. At the same time, we need to support our existing businesses and help them expand. My goal is to strengthen our local economy, create jobs and give Simi Valley residents more opportunities to work closer to home.
Josh Gray
Age: 33
Occupation: Senior director of government affairs
Party registration: Democrat
Education: Bachelor's degrees in economics and political science from California Lutheran University
Military service: None
Political experience: Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District Board 2020 to June 2025 due to redistricting
Website: josh4simi.com
What's your top priority and how do you intend to accomplish it?
My top priority is affordability, because it touches everything else voters care about. In 2025, Ventura County ranked as the second least affordable county in the country, and Simi Valley feels it in both housing costs and wages.
I support building more housing, done thoughtfully, with a preference for townhomes, condos and single-family homes that let residents build equity here instead of just paying rent somewhere else. But housing alone doesn't fix affordability.
Wages have to rise too, which means growing our local economy. I've managed a $40 million public budget and spent years advocating for over 700 regional businesses at the Conejo Chamber, so I understand both halves of that equation: protecting taxpayer dollars and helping employers create jobs that actually pay enough to live here. Affordability means treating housing and economic growth as one problem, not two separate ones.
How do you intend to attract more jobs?
Growing our economy starts with attracting employers who fit where Simi Valley already has an edge. We're close to the Conejo Valley's life science industry and within reach of the aerospace and defense work centered around Point Mugu, Port Hueneme and the San Fernando Valley, giving us a real opportunity to attract high-wage employers instead of watching them build next door.
I'll push to streamline permitting so those employers can actually locate here without getting stuck navigating City Hall. I want Simi Valley to foster the kind of entrepreneurial support you see at Hub101 at CLU, giving local founders access to mentorship and resources so the next successful company starts here instead of somewhere else. Attracting outside employers and building up our own entrepreneurs are two parts of the same strategy, and both are how Simi Valley becomes a place people can actually afford to build a career in.
Scott Juceam
Age: 55
Occupation: Businessman and national child advocate for the prevention of shaken baby syndrome.
Party Registration: Republican
Education: Five years of college; no degree
Military Service: None
Political Experience: None
Website: savingsimivalley.com
What's your top priority and how do you intend to accomplish it?
My top priority is to increase revenue for the city. I look forward to engaging with new companies worldwide and encouraging our existing land owners to redevelop and reinvest in Simi Valley. I'll do this by creating new tax incentives for livable-wage jobs for companies that relocate to Simi Valley.
How do you intend to attract more jobs?
I am a business owner, employer and land owner. I have a very good understanding of the commitment it takes to overcome challenges that face every small business in the region and beyond. I already have the friendships with business owners in Simi Valley and around the country.
I would work with the other City Council members to create the opportunities for companies of all sizes to come to Simi Valley and make it a mecca for enjoyment in one of the safest cities in the country. I want to champion the change in the culture of local politics that will encourage entrepreneurs to invest in Simi Valley.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Meet the 10 candidates for Simi Valley City Council
