The Town of Los Gatos is gearing up for its Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 8. Here are some of the notable items on the ballot.
Town Councilmember Election
Three Town Councilmembers will be elected in November to serve for a four-year term. Hot topics on the campaign trail include the Town’s $4 million ongoing budget deficit and the fight to preserve the “historic charm” of Los Gatos.
Mary Badame
Mary Badame is a long-term Los Gatos resident and has been on the Planning Commission since 2014. Focusing her platform on preserving Los Gatos’ character, she has voted against overdevelopment and supports decision-making based on the Town’s General Plan and Hillside Design Standards and Guidelines.
Click here for a list of endorsements.
Rob Rennie
Rob Rennie has served as a Los Gatos Councilmember and Mayor over the last 8 years and has worked to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through implementing safe routes to schools, as well as a school bus pilot program. For the upcoming election, Rennie’s campaign focuses on fighting for local control to preserve architectural compatibility, view sheds, and land use management.
Reza Tavana
Reza Tavana is a current Los Gatos Planning Commissioner and sales director for an industrial products company running for Town Council.
Rob Stump
Rob Stump has lived in Los Gatos for over 50 years and is a business owner and community advocate. Stump is focusing his campaign on several issues ranging from the Town’s financial deficit to preserving open spaces, affordable housing, and the threat of wildfires.
Click here for a list of endorsements.
Margaret Smith
Margaret Smith has been an active member of the Los Gatos community for close to 30 years as a Planning Commissioner, an attorney, and as a business owner. Smith’s top priorities as a candidate include annual budget management, anticipating and adapting to changing demographics in Los Gatos, and protecting the Town’s historic character and charm.
Click here for a list of endorsements.
Rob Moore
Rob Moore is a non-profit manager focusing on building tiny homes, promoting environmental conservation, and managing government relations. Moore also serves on local boards, and commissions, and is running for Town Council to make Los Gato’s streets safer, create more affordable housing, support local businesses, and protect the Town’s natural environment.
Click here for a list of endorsements.
Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District Board of Trustees
Three seats will be filled this year on the LGHS District Board of Trustees. Top issues range from student mental health, to teaching staff shortages.
Steve Chen
Steve Chen has lived in Los Gatos for 29 years, is a math teacher at Los Gatos High School, and is a parent of three Los Gatos-Saratoga school system graduates. Before becoming a math teacher, Chen was a high-tech sales and marketing executive. He aims to provide a balanced and educated perspective on all matters before the board.
Click here for a list of endorsements.
Misty Davies
Misty Davies has a Ph.D. from Stanford University and works as a project manager for a large engineering project. Davies has lived in Los Gatos for 16 years, is an active community volunteer, and received the Saratoga Union School District Volunteer of the Year award in 2018. Davies’ top goals are to provide well-rounded comprehensive academic programming to students, attract and retain outstanding teachers and staff, and maintain the District’s financial transparency.
Click here for a list of testimonials.
David Guidry
David Guidry is a high-tech consultant and the current president and director of the Saratoga High School Foundation. As a candidate, Guidry’s top priorities are to build financial strength in the face of rising pension costs, improve communication with parents and students, and ensure student safety, high academic standards, and students’ social-emotional development.
Click here for a list of endorsements.
Chris Miller
Chris Miller is a former elected member of the Los Gatos Union School District Board of Trustees (2004-2012) and currently teaches sophomores and juniors at a private high school. Miller is focusing his campaign on the mental wellness of students, staff and faculty, school board communication, and teacher recruitment and retention.
Alex Schultz
Alex Schultz is a retired LGHS biology teacher running for the LGHS District Board of Trustees.
28th State Assembly District
California’s 28th Assembly District sits in the southwestern corner of Silicon Valley which includes parts of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
Lis Lawler is a Better Streets Commissioner, former Council Member and Monte Sereno Mayor. Lawler is running to help students succeed, build needed homes, find real solutions to violence and homelessness and tackle the mental health crisis.
Lawler’s endorsements include former U.S. Congressman and former California Finance Director Tom Campbell, San Jose Councilmember Dev Davis, former Santa Clara County Supervisor Don Gage, and others.
Gail Pellerin served as the chief elections official in Santa Cruz County from 1993 until her retirement in December 2020. As County Clerk, Gail managed all elections conducted in the county and served as the Commissioner of Civil Marriage. Pellerin’s priorities include tackling the housing shortage, and homelessness, creating jobs, addressing climate change, and fighting for equality.
Pellerin’s endorsements include U.S. California Senator Alex Padilla, California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, and former Speaker of the California State Assembly, Willie L. Brown, Jr., among others.
U.S. 16th Congressional District
The U.S. 16th Congressional District (CD-16) includes parts portions of San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties. As a result of redistricting in 2022, the 16th district now largely replaces what used to be the 18th district.
Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA) is the current U.S. representative from California’s former 18th district, running for her 6th term in the role in the now 16th district. The two districts now largely overlap following redistricting in 2022. Eshoo was previously a San Mateo County Supervisor for 10 years, and led the establishment of the Health Plan of San Mateo, took on the AIDS crisis, preserved thousands of acres of open space, and fought for and protected the most vulnerable citizens. Eshoo’s re-election campaign focuses on defending voting, LGBTQ+ and women’s rights, strengthening the economy, and collaborating with state and local leaders.
Eshoo’s endorsements include U.S. Congressmember and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Governor Gavin Newsom, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, and others.
Rishi Kumar is a Silicon Valley high-tech executive and a current Saratoga City Councilmember. Kumar is focusing his campaign on reducing crime, curbing inflation, gas prices, championing Medicare for All and Pro-Choice legislation.
Kumar’s endorsements include Former Saratoga Mayor Stan Bogosian, Former Assemblymember Kansen Chu and Monte Sereno Mayor Liz Lawler.
Business License Modernization – Measure J
Measure J amends the Town’s business license tax, which the Town Council says will help boost town revenue. The tax, which hasn’t been updated in 30 years, is used to generate revenue to find municipal services and infrastructure. Proponents say in its current form, the tax does not take into account new business models like e-commerce and delivery services.
Voting YES on the measure increases flat taxes by 30%, retailing gross receipts taxes by 40%, and adds E-commerce to the manufacturing, wholesaling, and job gross tax receipts – and increases it by 120%.
There has been no official argument against Measure J submitted to the Los Gatos Town Council.
For additional information on measure J, click here.