Following her defeat in 2016, Councilmember Christina Strawbridge knew exactly what she wanted to do: run again to get back on the City Council.

“I really enjoyed being on the council,” Strawbridge, who had served from 2011 to 2016, said. “It was a progression as far as my involvement with the town, having been on a lot of boards and commissions, and at that time, most recently, had been on the Economic Development Board before I got elected.”

Among other things, Strawbridge— who owns Christina S Fashion Destination on First Street—wants to bring a voice for small business back to the council.

“I just felt like I needed to continue my effort representing businesses in Benicia and also my involvement with the community,” she said.

Strawbridge moved to Benicia with her family in 1985, and she began serving on Benicia Main Street’s board of directors in 1989 for a period including a stint as president in 1992. Among other things, Strawbridge said she helped bring Benicia its first farmers market, which is now in its 26th year.  She also was the organization’s event coordinator from 1993 to 2003, and she served on the Southern Pacific Depot Restoration Committee from 2000 to 2002. Strawbridge opened Christina S in 2006 and was appointed to the EDB that same year. Five years later, she was elected to the City Council.

During her time on the council, Strawbridge was a proponent for economic development and public safety. She also opted not to receive compensation from the city for serving on the council. However, when the time came to run for re-election, Strawbridge placed in third and was denied another term. Since her defeat, she has remained active by returning as a board member for Benicia Main Street, becoming a treasurer for Benicia Old Town Theatre Group and speaking during the public comment period about various issues at numerous City Council meetings.

During her door-to-door visits during the campaign, Strawbridge said the issue of water rate increases has come up. Strawbridge— who served on the council when the increases were approved in 2016— appeared before the council first to request a delay in water rates and most recently asked for a freeze until the city learns where the water and sewer funds stand in terms of revenue.

“A lot of the decision-making back in ’16 had to do with those two enterprise funds being near bankrupt,” she said.

Strawbridge said she is thrilled about the new businesses that have come to the downtown recently, which she said is almost 99 percent occupied. She noted the Industrial Park is also almost completely occupied but felt attracting and retaining businesses in that region remains a priority. Among other things, she believes bringing broadband internet to the Industrial Park should be a prime concern.

“It’s nice to say we want green jobs and we want high-tech jobs,” she said. “(But) if we don’t have broadband out there, it’s not gonna be doable. There has to be incentive to want to encourage other types of businesses out there.”

Strawbridge plans to bring in a program similar to the marketing of downtown Benicia.

“It is the oldest and the largest industrial park in Solano County, and we just haven’t done enough to get that image across as to being business-friendly and working with the businesses out there,” she said. “The Industrial Park is our economic engine, and we need to work with our neighbors out there.”

Strawbridge said she remains concerned about the council’s cannabis decision, namely the location of dispensaries.

“I still believe the process was rushed before seeing what other communities are gonna do,” she said. “I really feel like we need to slow down on this process. It gets back to listening to people who are going to be impacted about putting dispensaries in their neighborhoods.”

Strawbridge added that wherever dispensaries go, they need to be “a good fit.”

Given her background, Strawbridge said economic development should be a priority, but staffing and concrete programs would be needed.

“We can’t continue to go back to the citizens for rate increases and taxes,” she said.

Strawbridge proposed finding other sources of revenue. She praised the Planning Commission’s recent decision to approve a use permit modifying a static billboard along Interstate 680 into a digital billboard.

“That’s a great opportunity for revenue and also for marketing purposes,” she said. “We get, in that agreement, the ability to market city events and to draw people to town.”

Other priorities for Strawbridge are improving relationships between the city and various local agencies and businesses, including the Benicia Unified School District, Valero and Amports. In regards to a proposal by Seeno Construction to develop land at the corner of Lake Herman Road and East 2nd Street, Strawbridge said she did not support housing but would be open to listening to options. Nonetheless, she felt there were areas in the Industrial Park that were in greater need of discussion.

“We need to concentrate on our businesses out there (and) making them more successful,” she said. “Their success will trickle down into more jobs and more investment out in the park.”

Overall, Strawbridge said she has gotten a lot of support during her campaign and believes her background in community involvement will carry her back to the council.

“People understand my experience and background in economic development and are really behind me for that, supporting my efforts,” she said.

For more information on Strawbridge’s campaign, go to christinaforbeniciacouncil.com.

The other candidates in the City Council race are Planning Commission Chair Kari Birdseye, retired carpenter William Emes and Economic Development Chair Lionel Largaespada. The top two vote-getters will serve on the council with the candidate getting the most votes earning the title of vice mayor. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 6.