Jan Marx (San Luis Obispo City Council At-large, California, candidate 2024)

Jan Marx

Nonpartisan

Candidate, San Luis Obispo City Council At-large

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Stanford University, 1967

Law

Santa Clara University Law School, 1987

Personal

Birthplace

Torrance, Calif.

Contact

Campaign website

Jan Marx ran for election to the San Luis Obispo City Council At-large in California. She was on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024.^[source]

Marx completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Jan Marx provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on September 27, 2024:

• Birth date: July 25, 1945
• Birth place: Torrance, California
• High school: Lakewood CA High school
• Bachelor's: Stanford University, 1967
• J.D.: Santa Clara University Law School, 1987
• Gender: Female
• Religion: non-denominational
• Profession: Attorney / Small Business Owner
• Prior offices held:
  • San Luis Obispo City Council Member (2020-2024)
  • Mayor of the City of San Luis Obispo (2010-2016)
• Incumbent officeholder: Yes
• Campaign slogan: "Reelect Jan Marx to the SLO City Council for Public Spirited, effective and experienced leadership"ership we need in
• Campaign website
• Campaign endorsements

Elections

General election

General election for San Luis Obispo City Council At-large (2 seats)

Mike Boswell, John Drake, Felicia Lewis, and Jan Marx ran in the general election for San Luis Obispo City Council At-large on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Mike Boswell (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	John Drake (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Felicia Lewis (Nonpartisan)
		Jan Marx (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

To view Marx's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Marx in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jan Marx completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Marx's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am grateful to San Luis Obispo residents for electing me Mayor for six years (2010-2016) and City Council Member for ten (1998-2002, 2008-2010, 2020-2024). I am running for reelection because I am passionate about implementing our priorities, protecting our common interests and addressing the concerns of our community, and especially city residents.

Protecting human health and environmental sustainability is very important to me. I currently represent the City on regional boards, including the five county clean green energy supplier, Central Coast Community Energy (3CE), and the policy boards of the San Luis Obispo County Integrated Waste Management Authority (IWMA), SLO Council of Governments (SLOCOG), San Luis Obispo Regional Transportation Agency (SLORTA) and the SLO Air Pollution Control District (APCD).

A native Californian, I earned degrees from University of Santa Clara Law School (J.D.); Stanford University (B.A.), and Columbia University (M.A.). I ran my own law business for 17 years, practicing estate planning, real property, construction, employment, and local government law. A former Deputy District Attorney, I have also had extensive training in mediation and negotiation. I served as Campus Dean of the nonprofit San Luis Obispo College of Law and Professor from 2017 to 2022. I am an active member of the Rotary San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Club.

Families are very important to me. I am married, mother of two adult children and four grown grandchildren.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I have had a life long passion to advocate for preservation of environmental and natural resources stewardship, including water security, open space protection, parks, climate action, waste management and supporting the development and utilization of clean, green energy. From facilitating opening Bishop Peak to the public in the 1990's, to faciltating the formation of our greenbelt around our City, I have done a lot on Council protect our natural resources. If reelected, I am committed to doing even more.
• I am an advocate for governmental accountability and transparency, lowering rates whenever feasible, as well as supporting local economic vitality, small business and fair labor practices. I have worked hard to provide the resources to improve and maintain vital infrastructure, including mass transportation roadways and bicycle and pedestrian access. My experience on Council and budgetary expertise have enabled me to guide the City sucessfully through two economic downturns and the pandemic. I am committed to planning for a thriving, sustainable future, and also will fight to protect the health, safety and well being of our City residents if hard times come our way.
• I am an advocate for fair, community policing and a strong fire and emergency medical department, vital core service to keep our neighborhoods and Downtown safe. I am in favor of improved protections for renters, who make up 60% of our City's population. l will continue to work hard to facilitate affordable and workforce housing, as well as supportive housing for the disabled and/or homeless individuals who are willing to accept help and improve their lives. I will keep fighting for equal justice under the law and fighting against sexism, racism and other forms of illegal discrimination.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about engaging with City residents--while working with Council and staff--as we prepare to update the Land Use and Circulation Element of our General Plan. We must evaluate the practical effectiveness and impacts of the City's current public policies, as we plan policies to make our community an even more extraordinary and sustainable place to live, work, study and play for everyone.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Local government is accessible to residents within their jurisdiction. Voters know Council members like me to be good listeners, approachable and fair to all without playing favorites.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my late grandmother, Josephine Howell, who was the first woman elected to office in the State of Missouri. She inspired me to follow her example and run for public office.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I am sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of California, with no mental reservation or purpose to evade.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I am committed to upholding the City of San Luis Obispo Civility Code:

"In order to ensure that civility and civil discourse is demonstrated in all of our meetings, the City Council pledged its commitment to the following best practices of civility and civil discourse in all City Council meetings:

   To respect the right of all people to hold different opinion. 

   To avoid rhetoric intended to humiliate, malign, or question the motivation of those whose opinions are different from ours. 

   To strive to understand differing perspectives. 

   To choose words carefully. 

   To speak truthfully without accusation and avoid distortion. 

To speak out against violence, prejudice, and incivility in all their forms whenever and wherever they occur."

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, when I was 18 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

During my four years as an undergraduate at Stanford University, I worked part time for the Palo Alto Recreation Department, leading after school drama programs for elementary and middle school aged students.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes. My sixteen years on SLO City Council, six as Mayor and ten as Council Member, have given me the perspective, insight and understanding of City issues to be a uniquely qualified and capable public servant.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

For detailed list, see www.janmarx.com Endorsements.

Erica A Stewart
SLO Mayor

Dawn Addis
State Assemblymember

Michelle Shoresman
SLO City Council Member

Allen Settle
Former SLO Mayor

Dawn Legg
SLO County Supervisor

Bruce Gibson
SLO County Supervisor

Jimmy Paulding
SLO County Supervisor

Jen Ford
Morro Bay City Council Member

Erica Baltodano
Dean of SLO College of Law

Das Williams
Santa Barbara County Supervisor

Jim Gardiner
Retired SLO Chief of Police

Gary Patton
Former Santa Cruz County Supervisor

Larry Allen
Former APCD director

William Borgsmiller
ACI Jet CEO

Democrats of San Luis Obispo Club

SLO County Democratic Party

The Tribune

Plumbers and Pipefitters Union

Sierra Club

Shatter Pac

Planned Parenthood

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I am an advocate for financial transparency and governmental accountability.

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.

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Candidate

San Luis Obispo City Council At-large

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