A Chula Vista Boy Scout who moved away for law school is back as a candidate for City Council Seat 4.
London Meservy, 37, says he moved back to raise a family and help improve his hometown.
“I bring new blood to the table and that’s what is needed,” Meservy said. “I’m going to fight for the city that I love.”
Meservy obtained his bachelor’s in sociology from the University of California, San Diego, in 1998.
He later received his law degree from Cornell Law School in New York in 2001.
“I will work hard to help the city produce a balanced budget, while still having funds available for restoring and protecting police and fire services as well as park and library hours…” he said. “I want to make this city better going forward.”
Meservy, who said he spends more time at Filippi’s, La Bella’s and Lolita’s than anywhere else in town, said if elected he will always be accessible to the public.
“I want to hear from everyone and I am going to let them know what I think,” he said.
Meservy is currently a shareholder at Meservy Law, P.C., where he represents a range of clients from publicly-traded companies to individuals and start-up businesses.
“One of the funnest parts of what I do is helping people with problems find creative solutions,” he said. “And that’s the same reason why I think I’ll be a really good council member. There are always groups with different wants and needs.”
Meservy said that having analytical skills is one of the most important aspects of being a good attorney.
“You’re looking at every issue you handle from both sides to determine the right outcome and determine what you need to do to get there,” he said. “As a city council member you have to know when you’re outside of your wheelhouse … and meet with people to come to a resolution.”
Meservy said if elected, he will not stand for self-serving agendas.
“If I want to do what’s best for the city I can’t have special interests… The appearance alone is an issue,” he said.
Meservy said that attracting and retaining local businesses to provide local jobs and generate adequate city revenues is important and that in order to keep revenue in the city, people must take advantage of what is available.
“One of the biggest things is to encourage people to spend their money in Chula Vista,” he said. “If we just got residents to buy their gas in Chula Vista on their way to work, it would contribute an additional $300,000 to the budget.”
Meservy said the city could attract and retain businesses two ways.
“The bayfront plan has to go through,” he said. “It’s estimated it will contribute (at least) 7,000 jobs in construction alone in the next 20 years and another 2,200 in ongoing jobs that need to be filled.”
The other is through enterprise zones.
“There are opportunities for businesses that are already here that can get tax credits from the state but the message isn’t out there,” he said. “We’re close to the border and the port. We’re in a unique position.”
Meservy will join other council candidates Monday, April 30, at 6 p.m. at the Chula Vista’s south branch library located at 389 Orange Ave. in room B for a question and answer session.
“I’ve always wanted to be involved in politics,” he said. “The city needs help and I’m here to do that.”
Meservy is married, with two daughters ages 4 and 5.
