With the deadline to file papers to run for the Mountain View City Council fast approaching, four candidates are currently in the running as of Aug. 11.
Incumbents Lucas Ramirez, Ellen Kamei and Alison Hicks all filed their nomination documents earlier this week. The three candidates each accepted the voluntary expenditure limit of $28,744 which aims to limit the amount of money influencing the election.
Those who don’t accept the limit are subject to tighter campaign contribution restrictions. In recent election years, all candidates have accepted the limit.
While three newcomers – Justin Cohen, Berkley Hinton and Alex Mrozack – had pulled nomination papers, only Cohen filed those papers, formalizing his intention to run. Hinton and Mrozack both decided against running, according to the city clerk’s office.
According to his LinkedIn page, Cohen is a Tesla engineer. Like the incumbents, he accepted the city's voluntary expenditure limit.
As of Aug. 11, one other City Council hopeful named Li Zhang had pulled papers but hadn’t filed them yet, the city clerk’s office said.
All candidates must file their paperwork by Friday, Aug. 12, at 5 p.m.
Comments
Registered user
Martens-Carmelita
on Aug 11, 2022 at 5:51 pm
Registered user
on Aug 11, 2022 at 5:51 pm
If you care about the future of Mountain View, please get involved in what is going on with our Council. The three running for re-election - if there is no competition - will easily be given four more years. Considering their previous votes, is that what Mountain View really wants?
A real campaign will lock in what their plans and viewpoints are, and we need to hear those viewpoints and pledges. We won't get campaigns without competition, so I hope we will have several from which to choose by Friday!
Registered user
Old Mountain View
on Aug 11, 2022 at 9:19 pm
Registered user
on Aug 11, 2022 at 9:19 pm
What I understand is this.
The new rules in effect require any candidate to disclose where donations are coming from, and that means if any group like the California Association of Realtors of the California Apartment Association has to be disclosed, those candidates KNOW they are not welcome in the city of Mountain View.
It makes you think what it will be like when Lisa Matichak and Margarete Abe Koga have to step down, who will get their places?
The new rules are CLEANING UP the politics of Mountain View, GOOD WORK
Registered user
Cuesta Park
on Aug 20, 2022 at 2:05 pm
Registered user
on Aug 20, 2022 at 2:05 pm
@Steve Goldstein. 'The old rules in effect...' The existing rules of the California Fair Political Practices Commission (at FPP.ca.gov) has long had reporting requirements for all local elections (including .. all) where contributors - at $100 or above - had to be included by name in the candidate's committee reports.
Total contribution / not just one time or daily contributions.
In low spending campaigns / used to be $1000 total but it has now risen a bit / reporting requirements are waived. The FPPC rules are minimums, jurisdictions can have different carrots and sticks. Note, the MV City 'limits' are carrots. A candidate could raise and spend $99,000 if they had 1,000 supporters at $99 each.