There are only two possibilities when you vote for a candidate.
One: you are informed and objective; you evaluate the individual’s record, their success and contribution to your community; and find they used funds judiciously and made common-sense decisions.
Or, two: you vote by name recognition or friendship.
In Santa Clara, if you are a voter in category 1, the lineup of candidates provides either one of two options.
One: The candidates have been hand selected by Mayor Lisa Gillmor — so selected that they don’t even appear to be campaigning for themselves — and represent her philosophy of politics and management, or…
Two: The candidates that you pick represent the community and have made and will make common-sense decisions.
Now, this is where you fit in. You’re the voter and you are the one that is going to determine the direction of Santa Clara.
Friendships or name recognition aside, you must examine the record. Ask yourself this question. Would you loan Mayor Gillmor a million dollars of your money to manage based on her record?
Now we are getting into reality.
Lisa Gillmor has spent millions of your money foolishly and selfishly:
- The $6 million challenging the court decision to make six council districts in Santa Clara — money that could have rebuilt the Senior Center.
- The $800,000 a year compensation package Gillmor gave City Manager Deanna Santana could have hired a Wall Street guru. Santana duplicated Mayor Gillmor’s lead and hired cronies from her previous posts. You would think the salary awards she handed out were on helium.
- The $2 million the City lost because Gillmor’s hand-picked City Attorney, Brian Doyle, withheld a settlement offer from the council. This would have been enough to rejuvenate Central Park.
Over the past year, this column has covered the actions and decisions of the council members and substantial coverage has been given to Mayor Gillmor.
While the current council has a handle on the budget, the inheritance left by Gillmor is a $17 million deficit.
Lisa Gillmor has a lot of collateral wrapped up in the title of Mayor. To move on and up in politics it reads better when you read “Mayor” as opposed to “former Mayor.”
This year you will decide if you vote for more of the same leadership. Or, a candidate who will return sanity to the budget, who works with his associates and who arrives at collaborative decisions.
Consider these thoughts as you cast your vote. Just maybe, Anthony Becker is better.
View Comments (16)
Ask yourself this question. Would you loan Anthony Becker a million dollars of your money to manage based on his record or life experience for that matter?
If you had to choose a successful real estate professional or a social media 'professional' (not sure what to call it) to invest your money, who would you choose?...
I understand it's an opinion piece...but any logical argument needs to address both sides.
I am also a District 6 resident. I agree with Miles. My ballot went into the mail box last week for Becker.
Based on the record, it appears there is enough information to make an objective decision.
Considering the record of her past six years you have to admit Gillmor has been consistent.
A solid of record of wasting our money every year.
Enough said.
Anything is Better than Gillmor - thats the truth, 19 years in a council position, 60 years of one family being involved in our city, what other city can 'boast' these stats in a urban area, if we were in Loyalton or Benicia maybe!
People can say Becker is not polished, he's too young, he's this or that, the one thing for sure is he's got the Guts to take on a Big Bully. Lisa and her cohorts not just the ones that sit on council but the others that claim to be her "advisor to the Mayor" but run a Pizza Parlor on the side. Or the ones that like to accuse council of corruption etc.
I usually don't agree with Miles when it comes to his choices and have used his recommendations as a guide What Not to Do but this time around I concur - Vote for Becker, Hardy and Chahal
Ask yourself the question Why does Lisa want to Hold on so tight to the reigns at City Hall - what dead bodies / cover ups is she hiding. Not once has she done something for the residents - she took on the niners when her soccer field was in jeopardy that was not about the residents that was her own interest.
Do some deep thinking here people - Lisa is not here for YOU she's here for Herself and her Daddy
Becker had the "guts" to get into politics with the backing and mentorship of Patty Mahan and John McLemore. I wonder if you stood against Patty Mahan because of the many decades spent on council and as mayor by her and her father.
Becker has had far more powerful backers the last couple years. He has had Jed York, behind him to spend almost $3,000,000 in 2020 on Becker and Jain and Park and this year spending $3,500,000 on Becker and Chahal and Hardy.
Massive investment but one that seems to be worth it to Jed York with Becker voting exactly the way he wants him to vote.
One must wonder if Becker and his allies would have voted against going to arbitration and accepting the Forty Niners demand for a $4 million dollar rent decrease that Gillmor refused and won the ability to keep plus an increase in arbitration.
She has had no power to make decisions against the Forty Niner bloc for two years. One must wonder why it is worth so much money to the Forty Niners to make sure she cannot be witness to closed sessions of the stadium authority.
One has to also wonder how many millions of dollars the Forty Niners will spend in two years to replace Watanabe and buy themselves a 7-0 rubber stamp city council.
Watanabe will be replaced without anyone spending a single penny.
Davy,
The Forty Niners spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to get Harbir Bhatia elected instead of Watanabe in 2020.
Wherever Gillmor goes, Watanabe will surely follow. Gillmor’s getting the boot. So, guess Watanabe will be next.
My theme for this election.. Giltmor has to GO
I gladly second your theme.
The choice for voters is not actually to continue or end Gillmor's leadership of the city. Her leadership was ended two years ago when a council majority bloc was cemented with millions of dollars in Forty Niners support. For the past two years this council bloc of Becker Chahal Hardy Jain Park has been running the city with an overwhelming 5-2 council majority.
Gillmor's role has been ceremonial because the office of mayor in Santa Clara is one council vote plus ceremonial powers.
Gillmor is already "out" in terms of decisionmaking powers. Voting her out as mayor only cements the influence of the Forty Niners and leaves Kathy Watanabe as the sole watchdog against this in council. If Becker is elected mayor then the council majority will undoubtedly elect to appoint a replacement rather than have a special election and they will vote for a replacement that will go along with the Forty Niners bloc and make it 6-1 instead of 5-2.
Vote Becker only if you have zero questions about why he and the other four have been going to the trouble of having private meetings in groups of two and three back to back in order to evade public meeting requirements. Who vote to refuse to have public discussion about accepting the Forty Niners early and inadequate settlement offer and also vote to refuse to have public discussion about their reasons for accepting after it was all said and done.
Meanwhile the Forty Niners have seemed to reward their faithful service by spending at least $1,700,000 to help Anthony Becker become mayor. And have spent at least $1,700,000 more to help Raj Chahal and Karen Hardy get reelected.
In what reality would the Forty Niners spend about $3,500,000 on Santa Clara elections without having strings attached?
Money well worth spending to give the boot to Gillmor.
Miles,
It is quite a thing to see a "news" publisher write an opinion piece that centers around a false dilemma fallacy.
Miles,
It is a quite a good thing to state your opinions clearly and honestly and share them with us. You certainly have a much better view of our City than most of us. Thank you.
Gillmor has to go!
End of story, she brought the niners here, and refuses to fix the mess.
When in doubt - re-elect no-one.