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Aaron Barak (St. Helena City Council At-large, California, candidate 2024)
Aaron Barak ran for election to the St. Helena City Council At-large in California. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024.[source]
Barak completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]Biography
Aaron Barak provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 6, 2024:
- Birth date: November 4, 1971
- Birth place: Seattle, Washington
- High school: Mercer Island High School
- Military service: United States Army Reserve, 1988-1990
- Gender: Male
- Profession: Government
- Incumbent officeholder: No
- Campaign slogan: Find a Way
- Campaign website
- Campaign endorsements
Elections
General election
General election for St. Helena City Council At-large (2 seats)
Aaron Barak, Michelle Deasy, and Hector R. Marroquin ran in the general election for St. Helena City Council At-large on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
 | Aaron Barak (Nonpartisan)  | |
| Michelle Deasy (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Hector R. Marroquin (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Election results
Endorsements
To view Barak's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Barak in this election.
Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Aaron Barak completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Barak's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I have been connected to the community since 2005, when I joined Silicon Valley Bank to create/build their engineering department. We had a branch in town which I often visited and came to know the community.
Since moving to St. Helena in 2018, my family and I have embraced the vibrant community spirit that defines our town. My wife Amy and I are raising our two young daughters here, and we are committed to ensuring that St. Helena remains a thriving and welcoming place for families.
- Solving our financial challenges through a comprehensive "shared burden" revenue package balances revenue by economic segment and does not unduly penalize any one demographic.
- Securing St. Helena's water future. Tactically, we have a utility rate emergency. We now have the highest water/wastewater rates west of the Mississippi after last years 50% rate increases. These rates are headed higher due to lack of water customers--our water deliveries are down over 35% since 2019 driving our rate increases. We need to incentive new ratepayers and development to stabilize our rates. Longer term, we need to plan for cutbacks in groundwater sources and collaborate with Napa County to create a county wide water district.
- Economic Development--Annexing Meadowood and Madrone Knoll are key strategic areas we can explore for long term stabilization of our finances and recognize an area that is already part of the town's fabric.
Effective Governance involves passing policies that reflect the needs of the community, covering areas like housing, zoning, and public safety. Council members must collaborate with stakeholders, navigate diverse perspectives, and find common ground to create effective policies. This requires strong negotiation skills, empathy, and clear communication.
Fiscal Stewardship is another key responsibility. Council members oversee municipal budgets, ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently to maximize community benefit. They must balance revenue allocation to fund essential services, infrastructure, and community programs while maintaining financial stability. Transparency is crucial—residents must understand how funds are spent, which builds trust in local government.
Community Representation is fundamental. City council members must be the voice of all constituents, ensuring the diverse needs of the community are heard and addressed. Active outreach through town halls, community events, and online engagement helps council members stay connected. They must advocate for underserved groups, ensuring everyone has equal representation in the decision-making process.
Transparency and Accountability are essential for building trust. Council members need to communicate openly, explain their decisions, and be responsive to public concerns. This means being accessible, justifying decisions—even controversial ones—and acknowledging mistakes when they occur. Accountability fosters a government that truly serves its people.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate St. Helena City Council At-large |
Footnotes
