The pool of candidates for the Santa Maria City Council race has shrunk to six. On Sept. 17, Dr. Michael Moats, a board certified dermatologist and owner of Moats Laser & Skin Care, announced in a press release the withdrawal of his candidacy for one of two open City Council seats.
“My reason for withdrawing is the significant time conflict between my obligations to my patients in my very full medical practice and the time I would need to devote to the many difficult and pressing issues facing the City of Santa Maria today,” Moats said in the press release. “I wish to thank the many people who supported my campaign.”
He hadn’t returned phone calls for further comment as of press time.
Moats is also a Santa Maria Planning Commissioner. His withdrawal narrows the competition to current City Council member Alice Patino, who is seeking reelection; former City Council member Marty Mariscal; former Santa Barbara County Planning Commissioner Jack Boysen; businessman Jose Vargas; Terri Zuniga, supervisor for the county District Attorney’s Office Victim-Witness Assistance Program; and machinist Tom Davidson.
The candidates will vie for Patino’s seat and the seat currently held by Hilda Zacarias, who is running for the 33rd District State Assembly seat.
This article appears in Sep 23-30, 2010.