Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide
Name: Stephanie Klopfenstein
Current job title: Radio Broadcasting and Marketing
Political party affiliation: Non-Partisan
Incumbent: No
Other political positions held: Garden Grove City Councilmember, District 5
City where you reside: Garden Grove
Campaign website or social media: Stephanie4gg.com
How can the city best meet the demand and mandates for more housing, including at lower prices, while also preserving the quality of life for existing neighborhoods and residents? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
Since being elected in 2016, I have done my due diligence in making sure housing demands remain a priority while still holding true to neighborhood integrity. In recent years, we have held fair housing and advocacy workshops, study sessions with the community and built relationships with qualified developers to build affordable housing in our community.
Garden Grove’s housing element was certified by HCD in December 2023, and we have allocated and zoned for low and moderate-income units.
California is working toward achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2045. Where does climate change fall in your list of priorities? How, if at all, would you address this as a councilmember? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
Garden Grove is continuously looking ahead to the future and how we can position ourselves as a community that takes green energy seriously. We encourage environmentally friendly and responsible practices through building and remodeling to green and high-performance buildings. We see solar energy as a viable source for energy now and into the future. Our team is creating unique green building incentive programs.
Since my time on the City council and as an OCTA board member, we have prioritized active transportation through miles of bike and pedestrian trails, and we have many EV charging stations, one of which is a Tesla supercharger site.
How should the city balance paying off debts, such as pension liabilities, and building reserves all while meeting residents’ needs? Should a solution involve finding new revenue, trimming the budget, or something else entirely? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
As a council member, I am very proud of the great strides we have taken to achieve a strong financial position. We have an AA+ bond rating, our budget is structurally balanced and we have healthy reserve levels. This means we can dedicate specific resources to address the priorities of the council and community.
In your opinion, what is the biggest need your city faces, and how would you address it? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
Since I joined the council in 2016, one of the top priorities facing our city has been homelessness. I am proud that we have addressed this issue head-on in Garden Grove with a forward-thinking, comprehensive and strategic plan. This plan provides emergency housing, rental assistance, supportive services, medical/mental health services and more. We have a strong partnership with our Garden Grove Police Department Special Resource Team, Be Well OC and CalOptima Street Medicine Program, and we opened our Central Cities Navigation Center in June on time and on budget. I look forward to addressing other top issues in our city with the same creative solutions and tenacity.
Why would you make a good leader, and how would you represent the diverse communities of your city? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
My roots run deep in Garden Grove. My family came here in the 1800s, and I am one of five generations of women born in Garden Grove. I have been on the Garden Grove City Council for two terms. My years of experience on the council and working in the community have helped prepare me to lead as mayor. I also believe my regional leadership, policy experience and legislative work make me a well-rounded candidate.
Our diversity is one of our strengths in Garden Grove and as a council, celebrating our cultural diversity has been very important to us. As your mayor, I want to make sure everyone feels valued and heard. I welcome the conversations and ideas of our community and want to support our residents and business owners that truly are the backbone of Garden Grove.
Sourcing & Methodology
The Orange County Register sent questionnaires, based on current events and questions from readers, to candidates on the ballot in Orange County via email, phone and/or mail in August. Answers have been lightly edited only to correct spelling or grammar or to remove offensive language and hate speech.
