Politics

Another Gaspar Steps Into The Encinitas Political Ring

By Alison St John / Reporter

Published July 21, 2016 at 11:33 AM PDT

This story was published more than 8 years ago.

Cars cruise beneath the Encinitas sign on South Coast Highway, 2013

Paul Gaspar, the husband of Encinitas Mayor Kristin Gaspar, declared he will run for the job in November. Kristin Gaspar cannot run for a second term since she is challenging San Diego County Supervisor Dave Roberts for his seat.

Paul Gaspar will not be able to step right into his wife’s shoes without a fight. Encinitas Councilwoman Catherine Blakespear has already declared her intention to run for the mayor’s spot.

Paul Gaspar, a Republican, cites a "leadership space left behind by his wife" as a reason for running. He has launched a growing physical therapy business with his wife, whose pro-business credentials have earned her the support of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

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Blakespear, a Democrat, is an attorney specializing in trusts and estate planning. She describes herself as "pro environment and smart growth.”

The coastal city of Encinitas has a population of about 60,000 living in about 20 square miles. With land values rising, it is struggling to meet state requirements for growth and affordable housing.

The city is the only jurisdiction in San Diego County without a certified "housing element," or plan for future housing growth. The city’s political landscape is characterized by battles over new developments.

The mayor’s job only became an elected position two years ago. At that time, five candidates ran and Kristin Gaspar won with just under 50 percent of the vote.

The deadline for other candidates to get on the November ballot is Aug. 12.

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Alison St John currently serves as a general assignment reporter and occasionally co-hosts KPBS Midday Edition. She fell in love with KPBS Radio when she arrived in San Diego in 1985 and first heard NPR. She has been a voice on KPBS Radio since 1989, and has served as a news reporter for radio, TV and the web, as well as anchoring, hosting, producing and editing. Alison has reported on stories about North County and was based in the KPBS' North County Bureau. Alison covered the metro beat during the critical period of the San Diego City pension crisis, and the education beat while Alan Bersin was the controversial Superintendent of San Diego City School District. She covered health when the industry was converting to managed care and told welfare reform stories in the late 1990s when Clinton was “ending welfare as we know it.” She has covered land use issues extensively, looking at the challenges of meeting a growing population while preserving community character, and developing a better transportation system to meet environmental concerns. She has done many stories on the military in San Diego, and the series she edited on the challenges veterans face returning from active duty to civilian life won “Best of Show” from the San Diego Society of Professional Journalists. She occasionally hosts the KPBS Roundtable and KPBS Midday Edition. Alison has won awards from the San Diego Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists, the Associated Press TV and Radio Association, and the California Golden Mike Awards. Alison was born in Tanzania, brought up in Scotland, and earned her degree in psychology and sociology from Durham University in England. Her postgraduate diploma is in student counseling. She worked in England, Nigeria, Switzerland, Belgium, India, and Japan before moving to the United States in 1981. She now lives in Oceanside and enjoys how her community is growing and changing.