The November 3, 2020 Election will be held to elect one city council member for District 3 and one council member for District 4. North County Daily Star invited the Candidates to be interviewed. They were asked the same questions. This week District 4 candidate interviews are available. District 3 will be posted next week.
I am a California native, leaving the state for seven years to serve in the US Army. I am a retired San Diego Sheriff’s Captain and am proud to say I began my patrol time working in San Marcos. My experiences with the Sheriff allowed me to lead a homicide team, work internal investigations, command a Sheriff’s Station and run the Personnel Division, entrusted with nearly 4,000 department employees.
I have managed multi-million-dollar operational budgets and homeland security grants. I have extensive training and experience in critical incident management and working with multi-disciplinary first responder agencies. After retiring from the Sheriff’s Department, I worked for a non-profit school and the largest public transportation agency in the county.
For eight years I sat on the board of directors of a non-profit agency, the last two as the president. We worked with the business community to provide public safety grants and graduate school scholarships for local public safety leaders. I served on the San Marcos Traffic Commission for four years and I’m currently in my third years as a San Marcos Planning Commissioner. I support several San Marcos non-profit civic groups through membership and by donating personal time.
I operate a sole-proprietor consulting business from my home, helping public agencies identify the best qualified applicants to be our next generation of first responders. I am adjunct faculty at Palomar College where I teach at the police academy. I have a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in organizational leadership. My wife Carole, and my two adult daughters and I live in the Twin Oaks Valley and are proud to call San Marcos Home.
Bio for Neil Kramer
Candidate for San Marcos City Council District 4
Neil Kramer has devoted his personal and professional life to service to his community. Currently, Neil serves as Fair Hearing Manager and Director of Legislative Affairs and Advocacy for the San Diego Regional Center, the largest non-profit agency in San Diego County. The San Diego Regional Center coordinates and funds services for more than 32,000 persons with developmental disabilities and their families.
As Director of Legislative Affairs and Advocacy, Neil advises the Board of Directors on legislative policy and meets with legislators and their staff to inform them of the services provided by the San Diego Regional Center, current challenges facing the system, and to request support for legislation to improve service delivery systems for individuals with developmental disabilities across California.
Neil is a former member of the City of San Marcos’ Budget Review Committee where he studied budget details to recommend a balanced budget to the Mayor and City Council. Prior to moving to California, Neil worked in Michigan for a County Commissioner where he staffed the County’s Ways and Means Committee, overseeing a budget of over $2 billion.
Neil has a bachelor’s degree in Human Services/Management and a master’s degree in Marriage, Family, and Child, Therapy.
Three years ago, Neil was diagnosed with a form of Muscular Dystrophy, which has made his work in human services and advocating for the disabled all the more meaningful.
Neil is happily married to his wife, Cheryl, and has two children and recently became a grandfather to twins.
