Neighbor News
Dr. Natalie Guse Launches Campaign for RSM City Council District 2
A campaign focused on driving affordability, fiscal responsibility, revenue growth, and preparing our city for the future.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Dr. Natalie Guse, local entrepreneur, mother, and Rancho Santa Margarita resident, has officially announced her candidacy for City Council District
As a business owner and parent raising a family in the community, her campaign is rooted in a clear and focused message: increase affordability, stop wasteful spending, grow city revenue responsibly, implement term limits, restore civility amongst the council and take real action to prepare RSM for the challenges of today and tomorrow.
At the heart of Dr. Guse’s campaign is a growing concern shared by many residents - the rising cost of living and the increasing pressure on working families, seniors, and our youth.
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In response, her campaign is built around a clear set of action-driven priorities
1. Bring Back After-School Care & Support Families
Find out what's happening in Rancho Santa Margaritafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
2. Fiscal Responsibility: No More Ego Projects or Vanity Spending
3. Accountability & Term Limits
4. Affordability, Revenue Growth & Positive ROI
5. Preparing RSM for the Future
6. Civility, Unity & Community First
Bringing Back Affordable After-School Care
“Families are being stretched thin,” Dr. Guse said. “After-school programs should not be luxury - they are essential infrastructure for working parents. When we invest in our children and support systems, we strengthen the entire community.”
The current City Council took away The Boys and Girls Club’s home at the Bell Tower. That left the organization with no path to remain in the city. As a result, hundreds of families lost access to after-school care. A costly mistake, because every $1 the Club receives returns $9.60 in community value. That wasn’t just a theoretical policy decision - it directly impacted working parents and directly affected affordability and disposable income.
“Supporting after-school care in RSM, is not just the right thing to do - it’s a smart economic decision. It puts money back into families’ pockets - and back into our local economy. I will take action to bring after-school care back to improve affordability for families.”
Fiscal Responsibility: Stop Wasteful Spending
Dr. Guse is taking a firm stance against what she calls “ego-driven spending.”
While essential community programs are scrutinized, the City Council approved an $800,000 monument sign and a $1M fence along Antonio Parkway. “These are cosmetic projects that do nothing to improve residents’ daily lives - yet they create ongoing maintenance and irrigation costs.”
Her position is clear:
No more vanity projects. No more negative ROI spending.
“We need to prioritize projects that actually deliver value - not ones that drain resources.”
Accountability & Term Limits
Dr. Guse is calling for meaningful accountability in local government - with a focus on giving residents a real voice in the decision-making process.
Her action plan includes:
• Improving accessibility and communication between the city and residents
• Creating a resident-driven agenda process, allowing community members to bring items forward without requiring approval from two council members
• Implementing term limits to ensure accountability and fresh leadership
“Residents should have a real voice in what gets discussed - not a filtered one. With most council members in power for over 15+ years, it’s time for new voices, new ideas, and a council that truly represents the community.”
Affordability & Revenue Growth
With a Doctorate in Business Administration and a Master’s in Public Administration, Dr. Guse brings a results-driven, ROI-focused mindset to city leadership.
“As a business owner, I don’t just look at spending - I look at outcomes,” she said. “We need to grow revenue strategically while protecting residents from unnecessary financial burden.”
Her approach includes:
- Identifying new revenue opportunities that align with RSM’s character
- Supporting local businesses to strengthen the tax base
- Ensuring every dollar spent generates measurable return
- Bring in state and federal funding
- Target Grants for after-school and youth programs (Prop 49), senior services, home hardening and community infrastructure.
“Affordability doesn’t happen by accident - it comes from smart financial strategy.”
Preparing RSM for the Future - With Action Steps
Dr. Guse emphasizes that leadership must move beyond maintaining the status quo and start actively preparing for what’s ahead.
“RSM is facing real challenges - demographic shifts, rising costs, and changing economic conditions,” she said. “We need a proactive plan, not reactive decisions.”
Her forward-looking strategy includes:
- Planning for demographic changes, including families and a growing senior population
- Investing in programs that support working families today and long-term stability
- Aligning city spending with future needs - not past priorities
- Leveraging data and real-world insights to guide decision-making
“This is about preparing RSM for the next 10, 20, 30 years - not just managing the present.”
Civility, Unity & Community First
Dr. Guse is also calling for a return to respectful, community-centered leadership.
“Leadership should unite - not divide,” she said.
“This campaign is about people feeling heard again,” she said. “Many residents feel dismissed, ignored, or shut out of the process.”
She points to moments where community voices were not reflected in decision-making - including when hundreds of residents spoke out at city council meetings or made their voices heard on social media, urging the City Council not to scrutinize and ultimately displace the Boys & Girls Club from the Bell Tower.
“Families showed up. They spoke. They asked to be heard - and they were still ignored,” she said. “That creates a real sense of disconnect between leadership and the community.”
Dr. Guse also raises concerns about the tone and direction of local leadership.
“When elected officials label large portions of their own community or reduce differing viewpoints to political talking points, it shuts down dialogue instead of encouraging it,” she said. “That’s not how you build trust - and it’s not how you lead a diverse community.”
Her campaign emphasizes:
- Open, respectful dialogue - even when opinions differ
- Decision-making that reflects the broader community, not a small subset
- Independent leadership - not automatic, aligned voting without discussion
- A renewed focus on serving all residents, not just a few
“With long-standing leadership comes responsibility to stay connected,” she added. “But when the same voices are in power for decades, there’s a real risk of becoming disconnected from the people you serve.”
Dr. Guse’s vision is clear: “RSM deserves a council that puts community over politics, people over ego, and collaboration over division.”
Looking Ahead
Dr. Natalie Guse’s campaign represents a shift toward action, accountability, and a clear plan for the future of Rancho Santa Margarita.
Putting people over politics.
Taking action where it matters.
Building a stronger, more affordable, and future-ready RSM.
Vote Dr. Natalie Guse for City Council 2026
Natalie4rsm.com
Info on District #2:
District 2 represents the heart of Rancho Santa Margarita - the central stretch from the bridge to the lake, where families live, gather, and build community.
