Councilwoman Gloria Soto

04/28/2026

DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT FEEDBACK

Caltrans and the City of Santa Maria want your input on design concepts for Santa Maria St. & Broadway.

Help shape a more walkable, bike-friendly, and connected downtown.

‼️ Take the short survey— link below (open through April).

Your voice will help guide the future of our downtown.

Link: https://engage.dot.ca.gov/b36283

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COMENTARIOS SOBRE LA RECONSTRUCCIÓN DEL CENTRO

Caltrans y la Ciudad de Santa Maria invitan a la comunidad a compartir su opinión sobre los diseños preliminares para Santa Maria St. y Broadway.

Ayude a crear un centro más accesible, seguro y conectado para todos.

‼️ Responda la breve encuesta—enlace abajo (disponible hasta finales de abril).

Su voz ayudará a dar forma al futuro de nuestro centro.

Enlace: https://engage.dot.ca.gov/b36283

04/18/2026

Paws-itively a great day for our community! 🐾

Loved joining residents (and some very excited pups) for the opening of our new dog park on W Carmen Lane.

Looking forward to seeing you and your pups at our newest dog park.

¡Un gran día para nuestra comunidad! 🐾

Me encantó unirme con residentes de nuestra comunidad, (y algunos cachorros muy emocionados) para la apertura de nuestro nuevo parque para perros en W Carmen Lane.

Estoy deseando verte a ti y a tus cachorros en nuestro nuevo parque para perros.

04/09/2026

Last night, the Santa Maria City Council appointed Ricardo Batalla to fill the vacant District 1 seat. Congratulations to Councilmember Batalla. I wish him well and look forward to working with him.

However, when it came to the appointment process, the residents of Santa Maria deserved better. Five qualified candidates applied for this seat , each with real ties to this community. When I tried to raise questions about the process, a nomination was immediately called and the conversation was over before it began. No interviews. No deliberation. A vote at 10pm.

Our residents, especially those from D1, deserved a process that took their representation seriously. One that was transparent, deliberate, and that gave folks the opportunity for engagement.

That didn’t happen last night.

The Santa Maria City Council on Tuesday appointed political newcomer Ricardo Batalla to the District 1 seat vacated last month by Carlos Escobedo, on a 3-1 vote.

04/06/2026

This week’s Central Coast Housing Summit confirmed what our community already lives every day: housing in Santa Maria is out of reach for too many.

Last year the City permitted 930+ units but is still falling short for low- and moderate-income families. Building activity alone won’t close that gap. While on council I’ve advocated for two proven policy solutions:

1) A Housing Trust Fund: Local, dedicated dollars to provide loans or grants, support rental projects, homeownership, and emergency shelters.

2) An Inclusionary Housing Ordinance: Ensure that every new development contributes to the affordability our community needs.

The tools exist. Other California cities use them. My frustration is that the political will hasn’t been there on our Council to move these policies forward, but we need to keep pushing because Santa Maria families can’t afford for us not to.

Local leaders and industry experts warned Tuesday of mounting housing pressures on the Central Coast, as demand continues to outpace supply and affordability challenges grow.

03/27/2026

🎉 Huge win for Santa Maria!

The Santa Maria Bonita School District just received a $30 million grant to transform all 21 of their schools into community schools, bringing health services, mental health support, and family resources directly to where our kids learn.

This is what investing in our community looks like. Congratulations to every student, family, and educator who made this possible! 🌟

The Santa Maria-Bonita School District has received roughly $30.6 million in state grant funding that will allow its 21 campuses to transition into a community school model designed to expand

03/21/2026

As an elected representative and a life-long member of this community, I have a responsibility to be clear about where I stand.

I believe the survivors who have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against Cesar Chavez. Their courage in speaking publicly deserves to be met with belief, not silence, not equivocation.

Accountability is not something that can be selectively applied based on a person’s historical significance or cultural legacy. No contribution to a movement, however real and however important to our community, shields anyone from responsibility for the harm they caused.

As an elected official representing a district with deep roots in the farmworker community, I also want to be clear: honoring the labor movement and its workers does not require us to protect any individual from accountability. The farmworkers, organizers, youth and families who built that movement deserve to have their history told fully and honestly.

I stand with survivors. I will continue to stand with survivors. That is not a difficult position, it is the only one consistent with the values I was elected to uphold.

In service,
Gloria S. Soto
Councilmember, District 3
City of Santa Maria

03/17/2026

This past Friday, our community lost Leilany Diaz Vazquez, a 1-year old baby, in a tragic pedestrian accident. My heart is with her mother and family.

I’m sharing the family’s GoFundMe below to support them during this time: https://www.gofundme.com/f/donacion-para-la-nina-que-perdio-la-vida-en-un-atropello?attribution_id=sl:b75d0481-6f2f-4b03-8329-99d43f402123&lang=es_US&ts=1773539437&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp20_control&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

I will be working with my colleagues on the City Council and State partners on a initiative focused on awareness, prevention, and bringing in resources to protect our community.

Please slow down and stay alert.

A Friday afternoon traffic collision involving two pedestrians left a mother with major injuries, and killed a 1-year-old infant in a stroller, according to Santa Maria Police.

03/06/2026

We started Tuesday’s meeting with five councilmembers.

We ended it with four.

Oh, and the ad hoc committee got voted down too.

Santa Maria politics… never a dull moment.

A motion to appoint an ad hoc committee focused on immigration matters failed because of an evenly divided Santa Maria City Council, prompting angry

02/12/2026

Big win for California! 🎉👏🏽

Today’s $90 million investment keeps Planned Parenthood health centers open and protects access to affordable, essential care across our state.

When federal threats put care at risk, the California State Legislature steps up.
California standing firm, protecting patients, and fighting for what’s right.

02/07/2026

Read my latest op-ed in response to last Tuesday's council meeting, “When rhetoric harms public safety and immigrant families”.

Guest Commentary: I will continue to stand with our immigrant neighbors and push for policies that protect dignity, safety, and truth, not just resolutions that may sound good on paper.

02/07/2026

The video post from Trump depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama is racist and vile.

Hate and bigotry have no place in our country. We must reject racism in all forms.

The post quickly drew fierce criticism from Democrats, some Republicans and civil rights organizations.