Letters to the Editor in support of my campaign
Mates is a better choice for Belmont
Oct 11, 2022
Editor,
One of the most profound and consequential changes coming to Belmont is Stanford’s acquisition of the Notre Dame de Namur campus. This will be positive overall, but we need a strong mayor to negotiate with Stanford on revenue sharing. Stanford is infamous for pushing the boundaries on tax exemptions; it recently took $1.1 billion of property off the tax roll in Redwood City.
Julia Mates is our only choice to fill this seat. Because mayoral candidate Warren Lieberman lives directly behind the NDNU campus, he’s disqualified from these negotiations under the city’s conflict of interest code. Under our new district election system, the next mayor will be the only leader elected citywide who can speak in one voice for all of us.
Even if Mr. Lieberman wasn’t disqualified, Julia Mates is the better choice. She has a reputation as a strong negotiator. She’s been called the “velvet hammer” because she can hit you over the head without you even realizing it. She has the unique ability to throw elbows in negotiations without burning bridges. Julia has key endorsements from the County Board of Supervisors and our state Senator and assemblymen, so Stanford will know that those higher-up elected officials have her back. While Stanford is not the only issue facing Belmont in the future, it’s potentially the most impactful change coming to our city. We need a strong mayor to advocate for us at the negotiating table with Stanford, and Julia Mates is the best person for the job.
Warren Nishikawa
Belmont
Mates for mayor
Oct 21, 2022
Editor,
As a Belmont resident, physician and education community leader, I’m supporting Julia Mates in her race to become the first ever directly elected mayor of Belmont.
Although I had known Mayor Mates for several years, her exemplary leadership crystallized for me this last January. I was driving home from work and ran into a traffic jam extending from one of the schools along Alameda de las Pulgas. Drivers were cutting one another off, and verbal and physical fights were escalating.
When I finally got home, similar events were playing out on the local news — all over distribution of COVID-19 test kits as children were returning from the winter break. I picked up the phone and dialed our mayor — “We have a problem, and I need your help.” She quickly understood that the same scene was about to play out in Belmont, and Mayor Mates collaborated with other key leaders to ensure adequate traffic control and a well thought out process. The next day, our test kits distribution ran like a well-oiled machine.
Public safety is incredibly important to Mayor Mates and she helped create the Belmont Council Public Safety Committee. Her priorities of revitalizing community, rebuilding our infrastructure, and creating affordable housing align with mine.
Choose leadership that listens, cares for the community, and has a vision for the future.
Vote for Mayor Julia Mates.
Jim Howard
Belmont
The letter writer is a Belmont-Redwood Shores School District trustee but the views expressed are his own.
Support for Julia Mates
Oct 21, 2022
Editor,
I’m a longtime Belmont resident and involved parent in our education community. I’ve gotten to know Mayor Julia Mates well during her eight years of involvement in Belmont government. As a planning commissioner, Planning Commission chair, councilmember and, now, mayor, Julia has continually shown that she cares deeply about Belmont and its future.
Not only has she been a leader in the areas of public safety, affordable housing and repairing our roads in our town, but she has taken on additional responsibilities at a regional level as a member of the San Mateo County Transportation Authority Board of Directors. She was appointed to this prestigious position by a vote of mayors from across San Mateo County.
I know firsthand of her deep rooted care and concern for our young citizens in the community in finding ways the city and school district could work together to help the children during the pandemic.
It wasn’t that long ago that the Belmont City Council was known for isolationism and infighting. I’m confident that Julia is the candidate will lead us away from that culture. Join me, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Supervisor Carole Groom, Belmont councilmembers and former mayors Charles Stone and Davina Hurt in electing Julia Mates as mayor to help ensure Belmont stays on the right path.
Sam Leinbach
Belmont
The letter writer is a trustee on the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District board. Perspectives expressed are solely his own.