Maple has held the District 5 seat since 2022.<\/p>\n
CapRadio sat down with the candidates and asked about their priorities, how they feel about homelessness in Sacramento, the area\u2019s potential for economic development and their thoughts on the city\u2019s $66.2 million dollar budget deficit.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n Caity Maple Age: 34<\/p>\n Party Affiliation: Democrat<\/p>\n Notable Campaign Donations: Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber PAC ($7,300), Sacramento Central Labor Council ($5,300),\u00a0 State Senator Angelique Ashby ($2,200)<\/p>\n Outside of her present council duties, Maple works in\u00a0 government and public affairs, predominantly for the nonprofit California Afterschool Advocacy Alliance.\u00a0<\/p>\n Prior to her council experience, Maple worked in and around the state Capitol as a legislative advocate for animal welfare and the cannabis industry.\u00a0<\/p>\n Maple, who lives in Hollywood Park, said her key areas of focus in District 5 are housing, homelessness, economic development and affordability \u2013 which largely mirror her priorities citywide.\u00a0<\/p>\n Housing and homelessness, she added, are big topics of conversation for her and constituents.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a deep area of concern for folks, especially in my district,\u201d Maple said. \u201cI think that they are connected, which is why I\u2019m often advocating for solutions that combine them and the ways that we talk about them in the policy solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n Maple supports Mayor Kevin McCarty\u2019s plan to create tiny home communities to address homelessness<\/a> and get people into shelter as quickly as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI support any and all efforts to think outside the box and create more spaces,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Another priority for her is the city\u2019s $66 million budget deficit.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have made a lot of progress, but it\u2019s still tough and we have a lot of hard choices in front of us,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s really important that we have steady leadership during this time.\u201d<\/p>\n Maple said that the city has a \u201ccontract problem.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re not all bad,\u201d Maple said of contract services. \u201cSome of them are very good and for good reason, but I do think we don\u2019t look back enough and assess whether or not those contracts are needed at that moment.\u201d<\/p>\n In terms of economic development, Maple said she is looking at ways to activate underutilized spaces in her region \u2013 including the Sacramento Executive Airport. Maple said she could see the area as a drone testing site.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are these companies that are building these and need places to do research and development,\u201d Maple explained. \u201cMy thought is, let\u2019s partner with these companies. A lot of these companies are using old, smaller airports in parts of the state.\u201d<\/p>\n Henry Harry Age: 60<\/p>\n Party Affiliation: Independent\u00a0<\/p>\n Notable Campaign Donations: None Reported\u00a0<\/p>\n Candidate Henry Harry is a retired sheriff\u2019s deputy who spent 23 years with Sacramento County\u2019s Sheriff\u2019s Office. In his run for the District 5 seat, Harry has emphasized his dedication to community service. He formerly served as the vice president of the Oak Park Foundation, an organization devoted to helping children in the community.\u00a0<\/p>\n Harry grew up in Mississippi and then spent much of his life in San Francisco. He\u2019s lived in Oak Park since 2006.\u00a0<\/p>\n Harry told CapRadio his top priorities in District 5 are bringing light industrial manufacturing jobs to the area, establishing a rule that District 5 residents get priority for new housing coming to the area, and increasing law enforcement\u2019s presence.\u00a0<\/p>\n In general, Harry said he sees the most pressing issues Sacramentans face as homelessness, public safety, government accountability and taxation.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I\u2019m out campaigning, people are just exhausted with taxes,\u201d Harry said. \u201cThey just want a government that works for them.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked about homelessness, Harry said the problem is \u201ctremendous\u201d. While he said he won\u2019t criticize McCarty\u2019s tiny home plan for unhoused seniors, he does have some concerns.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDo we become the landlord of tiny homes?\u201d he said. \u201cMy concern is where does it stop?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n When it comes to how to balance the city\u2019s budget for this year and create long term stability, Harry said the city must become stricter about its spending, consider reducing management pay and city councilmember salaries.<\/p>\n \u201cI think management pay is excessive across the city,\u201d Harry said. \u201cA lot of people were outraged by a city manager making $400,000, and when they get a new city manager, they pay her just under $400,000.\u201d<\/p>\n Harry cites public safety as another way to encourage development in the city\u2019s downtown core.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s clear evidence of people saying \u2018I walked away from this business, I limited my business because of the crime\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cSo they\u2019re closing up early, they\u2019re walking away. That can\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p>\n Santiago Morales Age: 49<\/p>\n Party Affiliation: Independent\u00a0<\/p>\n Notable Campaign Donations: None reported<\/p>\n
\n![\"Portrait](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/042126_caity_maple.jpg\")
Courtesy of Caity Maple<\/p>\n
\n![\"Portrait](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/042126_henry_harry.jpg\")
Courtesy of Henry Harry<\/p>\n
\n![\"Portrait](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/santiago_morales.jpg\")
Courtesy of Santiago Morales<\/p>\n