As you may know, Jim Desmond is termed out as our Board of Supervisor representative at the end of his current term in 2026. Jim has declared his run for the 49th Congressional District. For the seat he will leave behind at the Board of Supervisors, several Republicans have announced their candidacy, including Vista Mayor John Franklin. TERC is pleased to invite you to attend the March 17th meeting at J&M’s Restaurant from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 pm to hear John in person.
2022-2026: Mayor
2022: Deputy Mayor
2018-2022: Council Member
2019 and 2017: Appointed Deputy Mayor
2014-2018: Council Member
Elected on a platform focusing on solutions to homelessness and improved public safety, Mayor John Franklin was a leader in the creation of Vista’s award-winning Homelessness Strategic Plan.
First elected to the Vista Irrigation District Board of Directors in 2012 and elected to the Vista City Council in 2014, Franklin was appointed by his colleagues to serve as Deputy Mayor in 2017, 2019 & 2022.
Franklin is also a strong believer in a fiscally responsible and transparent government and has worked to improve Vista’s financial position on the City Council. During his tenure, the City has achieved new levels of financial stability, eliminated the structural budget deficit, and the city’s bond rating has improved. The City’s emergency reserves have increased to 35% and continue to grow, ensuring important services will not be jeopardized during future economic downturns.
Franklin has also been a strong advocate for improving traffic flows in our community to get residents home safer and faster. In addition to his core priorities, Franklin has worked to eliminate blight in Vista, improve our parks, acquire new public park lands, and promote public art in our community.
In support of the City’s long-term efforts to revitalize downtown and the Santa Fe corridor, he has worked to create a business-friendly climate to attract new investments and employers to Vista.
A graduate of The American University in Washington, D.C., Franklin served nearly a decade as a congressional policy advisor before opening his own small business in Vista. John and his wife Shanna are residents of Shadowridge in Vista.