Escondido voters should return Lori Holt Pfeiler as their mayor Nov. 7.

A member of the City Council for 12 years -- eight as the city's mayor -- Pfeiler has led Escondido down a path to renewal.

Under her stewardship, downtown has come back to life. A new movie theater and its accompanying shopping center were built. And a new downtown hotel is on the way.

Pfeiler has been a strong supporter of the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, and is looking to expand Grape Day Park, which will shore up the city's cultural center.

The mayor's time hasn't all been rosy. She often flies in the face of a council majority that would rather make headlines than progress -- calling for common sense while others divide the community.

Pfeiler was sensible about keeping Palomar Medical Center in Escondido and allowing it to build a new hospital at the Escondido Research and Technology Center -- keeping that valuable community asset and the jobs it creates in the city.

She was also a voice of reason when it came to the city's recently passed ban on renting to illegal immigrants. While presiding over contentious meetings, Pfeiler kept her cool and explained that the city can't afford to fill in for the federal government.

The challenger in the race, former Councilman Tom D'Agosta, hasn't given us a compelling reason to oust Pfeiler. Though he raises a few good points, his divisive style stands in contrast to Pfeiler's ability to see the big picture and work with her colleagues.

Pfeiler has been an excellent mayor and deserves to be re-elected.