Candidate Close Up 2024: Felipe Delgado
Felipe Delgado moved to Irvine before its incorporation as a city, and wants to maintain the values he enjoyed as a founding resident. Photo credit Felipe Delgado
Felipe Delgado, a candidate for Irvine's mayoral seat, might surprise some residents with his hands-on approach to problem-solving.
“I’m what you’d call a Renaissance man,” he shared in a recent interview. “I’m an accomplished auto mechanic, electrician, and I fix appliances, air conditioning units, all sorts of things. It comes naturally to me.”
This inclination to fix things extends beyond mechanics. Delgado is eager to apply his repair skills to Irvine’s challenges.
Having moved to Irvine in 1969, Delgado has witnessed Irvine’s maturation along with his own. He decided he owed it to the city to run to be its mayor.
“Growing up, I felt like the city belonged to me,” he said. “But as I got older, with jobs and life happening, I lost track of that connection. Irvine has given me so much—my job, my education, my family. I felt it was time to give back.”
His decision to run for mayor was also heavily influenced by his 13-year-old son, who has ambitious goals of his own.
“He’s determined to be president of the United States one day!” Delgado said, adding that his son has been his biggest supporter and is even serving as his campaign manager. “Part of why I’m running for mayor is to show him how hard public service really is—it’s not like on TV.”
Delgado’s public service record includes serving on the board of the Woodbridge Master Association, overseeing multiple sub-associations in the area. He was appointed in 2020 after stepping up when a board member resigned, and he was subsequently elected to the position. He also serves on the board of the Irvine International Academy, Irvine’s first charter school. These roles have given Delgado valuable experience in leadership and governance, but Delgado admits that Irvine’s challenges as a city are much larger than those of a homeowners association or school board.
According to Delgado, the two biggest issues facing Irvine are population growth and the city budget.
“The city has doubled in size over the last 15 years, and about 30% of that growth has occurred since 2019,” he explained. Delgado connected this growth with a rise in traffic, crime, and a strain on public services, which he believes the city has not properly accounted for.
Delgado’s proposed solution involves slowing down the pace of new housing developments, particularly the large apartment complexes that have sprung up in former commercial areas.
“It’s happening too fast, and the city’s infrastructure—policing, roads, services—hasn’t caught up,” said Delgado. “We need to strike a balance between housing demand and maintaining the quality of life here.”
Another challenge Delgado highlighted is the city’s budget shortfall. Irvine is facing a deficit of $10–14 million annually for the next five years, according to Delgado. He believes this needs to be addressed with greater scrutiny. He pointed to a recent purchase by the Irvine police as an example of questionable spending.
“I heard they bought a $140,000 Tesla Cybertruck,” said Delgado. “That doesn’t make sense when we’re facing budget shortfalls.” he remarked.
Delgado emphasized that he is not in favor of raising taxes, but instead wants to cut unnecessary spending. “We need to be smarter about where we allocate our resources.”
Throughout the interview, Delgado’s passion for fixing problems was evident, whether it’s addressing infrastructure issues or finding solutions for the city’s financial struggles. He brings a hands-on mindset to the role, something he believes sets him apart from the other candidates.
“In both my professional life and public service roles, I’ve proven that I can solve problems with care and dedication, and I’ll bring that same energy to being mayor,” he said.
As the race for Irvine’s next mayor unfolds, Delgado’s message of returning to the city’s roots and fixing what’s broken could resonate with voters looking for a leader who can take on the challenges of a rapidly growing community.
Irvinite Questions
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Irvinite Questions 〰️
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The increased traffic is part of the problem. People are frustrated. I’d work with the city manager to address this and also look at the issue of e-bikes, which kids are riding recklessly through the city.
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That’s a good question. Larry Agran has been leading the Great Park development, and it’s starting to move along better now. I think public transit options for events, similar to Laguna Beach's shuttles, would be a great idea, and I’d like to see that integrated into the city's iCONNECT system.
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I’m not too familiar with the specific plans for libraries, but they’re more than just places to check out books—they’re hubs for community activities. Libraries are still important for providing spaces to study and collaborate.
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