South county city leaders tout political experience in bid to become District 3 supervisor

Sonny Dhaliwal and Steve DeBrum have each led neighboring south San Joaquin County cities as mayor. Now they are competing to succeed Tom Patti as supervisor of San Joaquin County’s District 3.

The two advanced after a close primary in March to take over the seat that represents Lathrop, Manteca and a western portion of Stockton.

Lathrop Mayor Sonny Dhaliwal got 44% of the vote in the primary on a platform of security, economy and infrastructure, while DeBrum garnered 40%.

Dhaliwal touts his 20-plus years of experience in government. His long history as a public servant began in 2003, when he began work on in Lathrop’s Planning Commission. He was sworn in as a councilmember in the city 2006 and currently is serving his sixth term as Lathrop’s mayor.

“I’m so blessed to have this opportunity that I got a chance to serve my fellow Americans, and I’m very passionate about serving,” Dhaliwal said during a recent candidate’s forum hosted by the League of Women Voters. “I am very accessible. That is why people in Lathrop keep electing me term after term.”

Dhaliwal, whose campaign did not respond to requests for comment on this article, has previously said he can make tough decisions at the right moment and highlights his effort as Lathrop’s mayor to balance the city’s budget deficit. According to the California Department of Finance, Lathrop is the fastest-growing city in the state, with Manteca not far behind, at fourth place.

Infrastructure is also an important issue for Dhaliwal, who said that as a supervisor, he intends to make large businesses, such as Tesla and In-N-Out, pay fees to offset the wear and tear on local roads and highways.

“The citizens should not pay for what the businesses are going to create,” Dhaliwal said. “They are coming in and they are creating jobs, but they need to pay their fair share so that we can continue to improve our infrastructure.”

Like Dhaliwal, DeBrum is promoting his political experience to propel his campaign. He entered politics in the early 2000s, serving on the Manteca City Council for three terms before being elected mayor in 2014. He lost a reelection bid in 2018.

DeBrum said if elected to represent District 3, he will advocate for people in the entire county, not just Manteca and Lathrop.

“He’s (Dhaliwal) serving the people of Lathrop, and I applaud him for that,” DeBrum said of his opponent. “But many times when he has talked, he’s talking about Lathrop, Lathrop and Lathrop. I’m talking about Lathrop. I’m talking about Stockton. I’m talking about Manteca.”

DeBrum said he has been interested in a seat on the Board of Supervisors since 2014, but he did not run until last year, when Patti asked him to consider taking over his position. Patti is making a bid for Stockton mayor.

Crime, jobs and homelessness are DeBrum’s top priorities. He says behavioral issues and mental health problems should be part of the conversation when San Joaquin County is talking about how to reduce homelessness and crime. 

“I’m a firm believer that we have to work diligently to find ways to increase support for the mental illness facilities in our communities and have facilities individuals can go and get help,” DeBrum said.

DeBrum says he wants to see the county grow well into the future and provide a better quality of life for its residents.

“We are in a position here that we can make so many things happen, and under my leadership and working with the other supervisors and my vision we can make that happen,” he said.