Don’t expect the course of the City of Manteca to change drastically, or not even perhaps a bit, at least in the next two years

Tuesday’s vote does not reflect a “Manteca-is-going-to-hell” in a handbasket mindset of the overall electorate even though incumbent Mayor Gary Singh is likely not to be returned to office.

*Both council district incumbents — Mike Morowit and Dave Breitenbucher — earned third terms on the Manteca City Council.

*The dearth of candidates doesn’t reflect a wholesale anti-incumbent move. Challengers for the two council seats basically entered the race at the last minute.

*Jacob Naven plotted a deliberate campaign more than a year out and essentially on key issues — boosting public safety, road repairs, and such that resonated with voters in several surveys of residents during the past two years— stressed doing even more of the stepped up efforts of the city during the past four years.

*Manteca does not have a powerful mayor governing system as allowed in the case of charter cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento and San Jose if they opt to give the position more power that goes beyond state-default general law cities. In many cases, charter cities make the mayor a full-time job with compensation reflecting that.

*All policy and spending decisions in a general law city requires a majority of council members, which includes the mayor, to agree upon before any action can take place. In Manteca, the mayor is one of five votes requiring two others to side with them unless there is just a three-member quorum.

*The two council members that were not up for re-election — Charlie Halford in District 1 and Regina Lackey in District 2 — for the most part are on the same page with major city moves in the past two years as are Morowit and Breitenbucher.

*The more stepped up presence of social media and the fact the mayor is now the only citywide elected face for the City of Manteca after the shift to district council elections has created an emerging trend if Naven’s lead holds — Manteca is in a “one” and done mode turning out mayors after one-term.

The trend started after Willie Weatherford ended a 12-year run as mayor in 2014. After that Steve DeBrum and then Ben Cantu were turned out after one four-year term.

As of the last count update on Tuesday at 1:11 a.m., Breitenbucher was leading by 71.26 percent to 28.74 percent (1,889 votes) over his District 3 challenger Lei Ann Varletta Larson (762 votes).
And in District 4, Morowit was pulling 55.9 percent (2,671 votes) compared to Dani Bettencourt (1,479 votes) with 30.78 percent and Rogger Gutierrez with 13.63 percent (655 votes).

Morowit, Breitenbucher

look toward next 4 years

Breitenbucher on Wednesday vowed “to continue to work on what Gary (Singh) started” when it comes to holding developers “accountable” and making sure growth pays its way.

Breitenbucher pointed to:

*The imposition of community facilities districts (CFD) on new growth for the expressed purpose of hiring additional police and firefighters beyond what the city can do with general fund and Measure M public safety tax revenues.

*Negotiating with developers such as California Gold to put in off-site improvements such as widening South Main from Atherton Drive to the 120 Bypass and Lennar Homes to complete the Woodward Avenue sewer trunk line as part of the 795-home Cedar Point project on Austin Road.

*Increased property tax splits for the city when land is being annexed for development from San Joaquin County’s jurisdiction.

Another priority for Breitenbucher is “making sure Measure Q is being used as we said it would be” in terms of how the three-quarter cent sales tax is split.

His priorities also are making sure the new police station is completed, the sixth fire station is built, and permanent homeless navigation center is finished and operational.

Those concerns — including good stewardship over Measure Q spending — reflects what Morowit on Wednesday said would be his top concerns in the coming four years as well.

“I’m planning to continue to push for public safety,” Morowit said in a commitment to expand upon the 11 police officer and 9 firefighter positioned added in the past four years.

“I see more amenities on the horizon for Manteca,” Morowit said of being able to wed Measure Q receipts with growth fees.

Morowit is hoping to advance a generational community center with possibly a new swimming pool.

Incumbents grateful

for their supporters

“I appreciate the support I have received,” Morowit said of Tuesday’s vote. “I don’t take it lightly.”

Morowit, 61, is a rarity in Manteca politics. He is a comeback council member who was returned to office four years after losing.

After first getting elected in 2014, he was defeated in his bid-for re-election in 2018. He was then elected to his second term in 2022.

“I’m thankful for my wife (Rochelle), my family, my campaign manager (Scott Winn) and all of my supporters,” the 64 year-old Breitenbucher said.

Breitenbucher rattled off a list of things the city has done over the last four years including major road work such as Yosemite Avenue from downtown to the tracks (with Lathrop), numerous infrastructure projects, downtown improvements, new fire engines, and more.

Breitenbucher noted he tends to work for the community out of the limelight with his hands on approach to addressing homeless issues and more.

Next election in 2028

The District 1 seat (southwest and west Manteca) and District 2 seat (southeast Manteca and east of Highway 99 except for The Collective) are on the ballot in November 2028.

Lackey, the District 1 council member, has not indicated whether she will seek a second term.

Halford has indicated he doesn’t plan to seek a third term in District 1.

Former mayor Ben Cantu has already said he plans to run for the District 1 seat.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com