Editor's note: This is part of a series of profiles on candidates running for two seats on the Escondido City Council in the Nov. 4 election.

ESCONDIDO -- Making life better for the "average" Escondido resident is why incumbent Ed Gallo ran for City Council eight years ago, and he wants another four years to continue his efforts.

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In a recent interview, Gallo said efforts to reduce crime and make the city cleaner over the past eight years have improved the "quality of life" for most Escondido residents, while also making the city more attractive to developers and businesses that offer high-paying jobs.

Some critics say Gallo and the rest of the council have taken their efforts to clean up the city too far.

Those critics say the council has badly damaged the city's reputation with a failed attempt to prohibit landlords from renting to illegal immigrants in 2006, and a more recent attempt to adopt parking restrictions as a way to combat overcrowding in predominantly Latino neighborhoods.

But Gallo said the council's efforts are similar to the way Mayor Rudy Giuliani cleaned up New York City in the 1990s. He sent a message that ordinary residents would no longer have to cope with ubiquitous graffiti and lawlessness, Gallo said.

"Quiet enjoyment of the city is the goal," said Gallo, a 67-year-old real estate agent. "The average person wants us to do something about the parking and overcrowding problems."

In addition to reducing crime and graffiti, Gallo takes credit for a crackdown on unlicensed drivers and replacing some mobile home parks with more attractive, low-income apartments.

"There's no reason people should have to live the way they were living," Gallo said.

Gallo, a divorced father of three grown children, is a New Jersey native who moved to Escondido in 1973. He worked in retail management until he earned his real estate license and began selling commercial and residential property in 1976.

Gallo has also been a prolific volunteer since shortly after his arrival. He is a longtime member of the Escondido Jaycees and Escondido Rotary. He served on the city's planning commission and other boards before he was elected to council in 2000.

While conceding that criticism bothers him, Gallo said politicians sometimes have no choice in the matter.

"No matter what you do, some folks will agree and some won't," said Gallo. "So I do what I think is right. So far, majority rule has kept me in office."

Gallo said one of his biggest disappointments on the council has been the city's struggle to attract more high-tech businesses to its research and technology park near the San Marcos border. But he said he will continue the campaign to increase the city's median income, which is the lowest in North County.

Wally Gutierrez, a Jaycees member and longtime Gallo supporter, said Monday that Gallo deserves another four years because of his devotion to the community and his willingness to stand up for ideas that might get him criticized.

Gutierrez also said people who have painted Gallo as an elitist, most notably council challenger Olga Diaz, are way off the mark. Gallo goes to events for all groups and is the least wealthy member of the council by far, said Gutierrez.

Tom Hogarty, chairman of the Escondido Chamber of Commerce, said Monday that his organization endorsed Gallo because of his tireless efforts on behalf of local businesses.

But Hogarty said another important quality in Gallo is his work behind the scenes.

"Ed is kind of like an iceberg," said Hogarty. "There's so many things he does, like his work on the budget and the performing arts committee, that you never see and that he doesn't take credit for."

Contact staff writer David Garrick at (760) 740-5468 or dgarrick@nctimes.com.