No sooner than the November 2014 elections were over, San Jose found itself preparing for another race for City Council seat in District 4, this time on April 7th. The seat was vacated by Kansen Chu after he won his race for the State Assembly in District 25. Just like other Council races, this one will be very critical for the residents of District 4 and for the City of San Jose. Local races have the most direct impact on day to day life — planning, zoning, and other City services and are how a government entity is most responsive to the residents. This Council Member will be making decisions on what kind of housing is built and what road improvements ARE needed to address additional traffic.
District 4 is one of the most dynamic and diverse districts in San Jose. It borders Milpitas and Santa Clara and encompasses North San Jose — a huge development frontier, with many office buildings and even more residential units, with the potential for a lot more development. Regionally, District 4 is going to be the first link to the rest of the Bay Area via BART. With all of this potential and critical decision-making on the horizon, it is important to have someone qualified who knows the community to help shepherd these projects to completion and take neighborhood concerns into account.
Additionally the San Jose/Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility is located in District 4. This is one of the most valuable and critical facilities owned by the City of San Jose. It treats wastewater from San Jose, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Campbell, Cupertino, Monte Sereno, Saratoga and Cupertino. Besides the vital role it plays in the growth of the Silicon Valley, the facility is embarking on a multi-billion dollar rebuilding and renovation project. It will take a proactive Council Member from District 4 to ensure that this facility continues to play this role in the community and that the money spent will ensure that this facility will perform in the most efficient manner to serve the residents and protect the environment.
This is a time of transition for San Jose both politically and in leadership. We’re a City recovering from a steep economic downturn. We need leaders who have solid viewpoints on how to make Silicon Valley more equitable. Local businesses and neighborhoods need a progressive representative who will advocate for them. The current City administration focuses a lot on downtown and high-rise development, but we need someone who is going to be an advocate for neighborhoods outside downtown, to ensure that current issues with these neighborhoods are addressed.
Just as important, the Distinct needs a voice for the City services that have been slashed. A voice that will make sure they are restored equitably across the City. We need a person who will focus on the relationship with workers, and restore a professional staff that can address the needs of all of City neighborhoods and understand the special needs in each of them.
Here’s a list of the candidates running for SJ City Council Seat 4. Here’s who the South Bay Labor Council has endorsed in that race. The special election for D4 is April 7th.
John Mukhar, P.E.; a Senior Engineer with the City of San Jose for over 23 years and the president of the Association of Engineers and Architects (AEA), IFPTE Local 21.
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