OXNARD : Councilman Plisky Will Run for Mayor

Oxnard City Councilman Mike Plisky announced Wednesday that he will run for the mayor’s seat that is being vacated because of Nao Takasugi’s bid for state office.

Plisky, a Republican, is the second candidate to officially announce his candidacy for the November mayor’s race. Councilman Manuel Lopez, a Democrat, stepped into the race in February when Takasugi announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 37th Assembly District race.

Plisky was first elected to a four-year term on the council in 1984. He and Lopez ran unsuccessful bids in 1988 to oust Takasugi.

After a two-year-hiatus, he was again elected to the council in 1990.

Plisky has said he advocates budget reform and economic revitalization to bring Oxnard more jobs and police protection and better schools.

“We must set tough spending priorities so that money is available to provide a needed increase in police protection and other vital programs,” Plisky, 50, said in a prepared statement.

Plisky’s wife, Mabi Covarrubias Plisky, is Oxnard’s city clerk.

Oxnard citizen activist Roy Lockwood has also announced plans to run for mayor. Councilwoman Dorothy Maron, who lost to Takasugi in a 1990 mayoral bid, said she will not run for the mayor’s office again this year.