Listen, Lead, & Lift. Listen You can expect me to start by listening. I want to understand what you are experiencing in Pacific Grove, what is working well, and where we can do better. I care deeply about this community and about making life better for the people who call it home. Lead You can also expect me to get things done! I have led through incredibly difficult situations in the military, business, and government, at all levels. I know how to bring people together, work

Pacific Grove residents for office are able to provide a candidate statement of up to 200 words. Here's mine. Below it, you can find my current issues paper. I’m Tara Leweling – a wife, aunt, woman veteran, small business owner, and proud Pacific Grove resident. My connection to PG began in 1999, when I was stationed at the Naval Postgraduate School and lived on the 100 block of Central Avenue in District 3. I returned to NPS in 2004 for my PhD and met my husband. We dreamed

Careful stewardship of public resources is fundamental to good city governance, and it is central to how I’d serve. I’ve chaired, served on, and worked with boards of directors for organizations ranging from $5 million nonprofits to $50 billion+ companies. That experience taught me how to set priorities and manage tradeoffs when resources are limited. Combined with 22 years of military service and leading financial communications at a $57 billion enterprise that reported its

Our community is selecting its next permanent city manager. I appreciate that the City Council is asking residents what we'd like to see. In a small town like ours, the city manager makes an enormous difference in the quality of life we experience. This person leads and develops City staff, manages day-to-day operations, and turns your priorities into action. I've sat on and worked with several boards preparing for and leading through CEO transitions, and I've helped design s

What should guide the decision about the roundabout? The intersection of Sunset Drive, Congress Avenue, and Cedar Street needs improvement. It's a complicated five-way intersection used by students traveling to Pacific Grove High School and Forest Grove Elementary, as well as by drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians moving through the Sunset-Congress corridor. There have been at least 13 collisions at or near the intersection over five years. The City has studied both a redesign

Our city has a strong record of securing competitive grant funding for infrastructure and environmental projects. As we plan for future capital investments, should competitive grants play a larger role in PG's long-term financial strategy? Pacific Grove Has a Strong Grant Record One example is the Lovers Point stormwater diversion system, which redirects dry-weather runoff from protected coastal waters into the sanitary sewer system. The project helped Pacific Grove comply wi

Since filing to represent District 3 on the City Council, I’ve enjoyed spending time with so many people who know and love our city. It’s been a real pleasure to hear from residents, business owners, civic leaders, volunteers, and young people who feel strongly connected to Pacific Grove and have great ideas about what comes next. One highlight was meeting members of the BreakerBots, our youth robotics club. Their curiosity and enthusiasm are infectious! I'm so inspired a

November 2026 marks the first time that PG voters will elect councilmembers by district. The map & election schedule On March 5, 2025, the City Council adopted a six-district map, known during the process as Map 101. The Council favored this map because it: Closely follows PG Unified School District boundaries Keeps neighborhoods intact Creates three coastal districts The transition is happening in two phases: 2026: Districts 1, 3 and 5 elect councilmembers, and voters citywi