Milestones – Can You Be Fooled Again? – Opinion

Is it believable that a Santa Clara resident could sit on city council as a council member or as mayor for 21 of the last 32 years?

It may not make the top ten list of “Ripley’s Believe It or Not,” but it is an eye-opening fact. For a city with 131,000 residents to choose from … this is an anomaly, not a coincidence.

Lisa Gillmor has been elected by using nearly every election scheme, tactic in the game of gaining office.

Ask yourself this, “Is it in the community’s interest to elect and re-elect the same person to city council as mayor or council member for decades?”

The results are not always beneficial; as was demonstrated just a few years ago when Gillmor orchestrated and directed her own council majority. She began that mayoral term with a $6 million surplus. After four years of Gillmor controlling the city council, Santa Clara had a $41 million deficit in 2020.

Yikes!

This record budget-breaker did not sit well with Santa Clara tax-paying voters.

Citizens voted in a new council that has plugged the budget leaks, fired Gillmor’s hand-chosen and costly lap dogs, and returned sanity to the city council and the budget while adding high-caliber personnel.

But wait! There is more! Mayor Gillmor now wants to do a repeat. “Holy Cow, Charlie Brown!” Did you fall for that football trick again?

Fool me once. Shame on you. Fool me twice. Shame on me.

This axiom is especially true this election. Even more than Santa Clara’s last election, Santa Clara’s current council majority is at risk of being replaced by Gillmorites.

There are three councilmembers that Santa Clara residents must return to City Council. Suds Jain has been solidly in favor of residents and making great decisions. Jain has earned the right to be returned to the council.

Anthony Becker, who has performed extremely well, even while being politically persecuted for daring to run against Mayor Gillmor for Mayor in 2022. He has earned the right to be re-elected for being “solid for citizens” and taking the risk of running against the Gillmor guillotine.

Kevin Park injects common sense into his council position and has led the charge to keep costs controllable while still getting major objectives completed.

Gillmor’s only council supporter is Kathy Watanabe who will be termed out in November. There will be three candidates running for Watanabe’s seat. These three will be (1) a Gillmor selection, (2) a current SCUSD trustee, and (3) a free-spirited community leader, Harbir Bhatia.

Choose wisely.

Related Posts:
Milestones – Great Living! – Opinion
Milestones – The Gillmor Guillotine (Part Two) – Opinion
Milestones – The “New” Gillmor Guillotine – Opinion