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Victoria Baca was the first Hispanic woman to serve on the Moreno Valley School Board and City Council.
Moreno Valley City Councilwoman Victoria E. Baca died on October 6 after a lengthy illness, she was 62.
According to the Moreno Valley Office of the City Manager, the three-term councilwoman had been battling medical challenges for an extended period, though no other details were provided; HMG-CN learned that Ms. Baca had some form of cancer.
Her last in-person appearance at a Moreno Valley City Council meeting was August 17.
“Victoria Baca exemplified what it meant to be a true public servant,” Mayor Yxstian Gutierrez said. “She brought knowledge, compassion, enthusiasm and a genuine love for the community to the City Council. As she battled her illness, she continued to connect with and serve the residents of District 1. It was a testament to her unwavering dedication to Moreno Valley.”
“It’s an incredible loss for the city, and I will miss her not only as a colleague, but also as a friend,” he said.
Baca was first elected to the City Council in 2012 after serving on the Moreno Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees.
As a council member, Baca was known for her support of the city’s big warehouse projects, including the Skechers distribution center and the planned World Logistics Center.
Skechers Warehouse in Moreno Valley.
Baca operated an education consulting firm and served on the boards of multiple public and private organizations, including the Inland Empire Regional Mexican American Political Association, the March Joint Powers Authority and the Moreno Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
“She credited her mother’s strong belief in the power of public education as inspiration to pursue her own career,” according to a city statement.
Baca leaves behind a daughter, three grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
She is the second Moreno Valley council member to die this year. Carla Thornton — the first African American woman elected to the council — died Jan. 21 at age 42 after an undisclosed illness.
Thornton’s District 2 seat has been empty since her death, and will be decided in the Nov. 2 election in which six candidates are running. It was not immediately clear what would become of Baca’s seat on the four-member council.
