School board member is running for Encinitas mayor

A San Dieguito Union High School District board member who previously served on the Encinitas Union School District is now running for Encinitas mayor.

Rimga Viskanta, 51, said in an interview last week that this is the perfect time personally for her to make the shift from schools to city government — two of her three children are in college and the third is about to age out of the high school district.

And, she said, her nearly eight years as a school board member, plus her prior experience as a Solana Beach city senior management analyst, will help her be “prepared to hit the ground running on Day 1” if she’s elected mayor. She holds a master’s degree in public administration, with an emphasis on public accounting.

“As mayor, I’ll focus on results and bringing people together to tackle housing, traffic, climate change, and homelessness,” she wrote in a press release announcing her candidacy. “I understand how city government works from the inside, and I know how to turn good ideas into real outcomes. I’ll lead with transparency, collaboration, and a commitment to move Encinitas forward.”

A 20-year Encinitas resident, Viskanta lives in the city’s downtown Old Encinitas area. She was first elected to the EUSD board in 2016 and served as its board president in 2020. In 2022, she was elected to the SDUHSD board and served as board president until 2024.

Bruce Ehlers, the city’s current mayor, also has extensive background in government. Amo...