Moreno Valley Voters Elect Mayor,
Two New City Council Members
On Tuesday, November 8th, Moreno Valley voters elected a citywide mayor for the first time in the City’s history along with two new City Council members. The City of Moreno Valley is pleased to introduce the City's first directly elected mayor, Dr. Yxstian A. Gutierrez, and City Council Members Victoria Baca and David Marquez. The City’s five former City Council districts were consolidated and redrawn into four districts under a measure approved by voters in 2014. The measure also created the office of mayor, to be elected in a citywide election. The November 8th election was the first time the new council districts were in effect. Dr. Gutierrez is also an alumnus of USC's Executive Education in Public Policy program.
Mayor – Dr. Yxstian A. Gutierrez
A resident of Moreno Valley for more than 20 years, Dr. Yxstian A. Gutierrez served as the Council-appointed mayor in 2016. He began service as a City Council member in 2013.
He will serve as the City’s elected mayor through 2018.
Mayor Gutierrez is a product of Moreno Valley’s public schools, having attended Armada Elementary, Landmark Middle School, and Valley View High School. For the past decade, Mayor Gutierrez has helped educate Moreno Valley’s children as a special education teacher with the Moreno Valley Unified School District.
The first member of his family to go to college, he earned an associate’s degree from Moreno Valley College, a bachelor’s degree from California Baptist University, a master’s degree in Education, and a Doctorate degree in Special Education from Northcentral University.
Dr. Gutierrez is also an alumnus of USC's Executive Education in Public Policy program.
City Council, District 1 – Victoria Baca
Educational consultant Victoria Baca was elected by voters to represent the newly drawn City Council District 1. Ms. Baca will serve a four-year City Council term.
Ms. Baca moved to Moreno Valley in 1990 and started a small business. She also helped launch the first Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Moreno Valley. In 2006, she was elected to the Moreno Valley Unified School District Board of Education and served for four years.
In 2012, Ms. Baca became the first Latina elected to the City Council in Moreno Valley. A year later she was selected by her council colleagues to serve as Mayor Pro Tem of Moreno Valley.
Ms. Baca has one daughter and three grandchildren.
City Council, District 3 – David Marquez
Voters elected 30-year Moreno Valley resident David Marquez to represent District 3. Mr. Marquez will serve a four-year City Council term.
Mr. Marquez is a Vietnam Veteran who served two tours of combat while a member of the United States Air Force. After completing his military service, Mr. Marquez graduated from the Rio Hondo Police Academy and joined the Montebello Police Department.
Mr. Marquez has established himself as a dedicated volunteer for a variety of Moreno Valley causes including organizing neighborhood clean-ups and anti-hunger campaigns for the homeless and veterans, and assisting local schools in supervising students during the daytime. He was named 2016 Moreno Valley Volunteer of the Year.
Mr. Marquez and his wife have four children and 10 grandchildren.
Upon request, this news release will be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with disabilities, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Any person with a disability who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participate in this meeting should direct such requests to Guy Pegan, ADA Coordinator, at 951.413.3120 at least 72 hours before the meeting. The 72-hour notification will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting.