As an alumni of UC Berkeley and the Mineta Transportation Institute, Michael Tsai believes that he has the right education for the role of Milpitas City Councilmember. He has also served on the Milpitas Unified School District’s (MUSD) Board of Education for four years and is currently reaching the end of his term.
As for why he decided to run for City Council, Tsai said, “I saw the dysfunction on the current City Council, and that some corrupt and incompetent candidates were running that would make things even worse. So I entered the race myself.”
He explained that his ethics, education, and experience make him different from his opponents. He cited his degree in Economics and Policy from UC Berkeley, along with his degree in Transportation Leadership from the Mineta Transportation Institute.
He explained in regard to this election that “the stakes have never been higher for our community.” He further elaborated that the city needs the best, brightest, and most ethical leadership in order to rise against national crises such as inflation, crime, and corruption. Further, he added, “I look forward to joining the City Council soon and making that happen.”
During his time on MUSD’s Board of Education, Tsai has had some friction with his fellow board members. Earlier this Election Season, two board members, who are running political campaigns of their own, filed police reports against him. Last year, the Board voted to censure him, citing his behavior and absences.
As a Councilmember, Tsai plans to tackle crime and ensure public safety as his main priorities. Specifically, he hopes to tackle the spike in crime against Asian Americans due to COVID-19: “Having been a victim of racism, hate, and slurs myself this is a deeply personal fight for me,” Tsai said.
He also plans to “restore the physical, mental, and economic health of our community, all of which have been affected by COVID.” And he has plans to improve our public transportation systems to “unprecedented levels of excellence.” However, he stated that seeking to control crime and corruption at all levels of government would be his first course of action as Councilmember.
He also emphasized his track record of winning elections, stating, “I intend to win again, primarily by being a much better candidate and leader.”
When dysfunction becomes a virtue Michael should do very well.