Last month, Carmen Montano began her second term as Mayor of Milpitas. The Milpitas Beat connected with Mayor Montano to learn of her plans and thoughts for her next two years in office…
The Milpitas Beat: How do you feel about winning your election the second term?
Mayor Carmen Montano: Actually, it was an uphill campaign, but I did my best by running on my track record. I started my campaign in July, 4 months before the election of Nov 5th, and didn’t have the time to raise enough funds to place a ballot statement. The general public is not aware that in order to place a ballot statement in the Voter information Guide (the pamphlet that one gets in the mail before the election), one has to pay for that privilege. This election the ROV required all candidates, city council and Mayor to pay $3,700 — nearly $4000 — and every election it rises! I just couldn’t afford it at this time.
Personally, I feel the system is very undemocratic, because it discourages many who
want to run for office. The fact that I won, showed me that the voters are confident in
me as their Mayor and I am very happy about that, to continue serving them these
next two years.
MB: What are the things you are proudest of during your first term?
CM: I am very pleased that we have a balanced budget, that we are doing major
improvements in our parks; and proud that our citizens prioritized public safety by voting
for measure J. Also, it’s the little things that count as well, like making our City Hall
rotunda more people-friendly by adding art, history, and plants; placing holiday
decorations for all to enjoy in front of City Hall; sprucing up Main Street; placing new
welcome signs into our city; beautifying our city; and especially keeping our meetings
on topic and on time, by focusing on the people’s business.
MB: What are your plans for your second term?
CM: My plans for my second term, with the help of the city council, is to open up a
community museum on Main Street and create a three-block entertainment zone.
Having night food trucks to make it a destination place, having the city move forward
in providing lively murals throughout the city, finding a vacant lot to create a safe
parking area for the working poor that sleep in their vehicles. Also, purchasing the empty
land near the library for a city park. And attracting high profile businesses to create jobs.
MB: What are some things you might do differently from your first term?
Some things I might do differently from my first term is to hold events with the
community and sponsor events for our youth and community. For example, holding
forums, having poetry slams with the Mayor or even Karaoke with the Mayor since I
am known as “the singing Mayor.” Also forming more regional partnerships, and continue
having my in-person Monday meetings with the Mayor, which is held every first
Monday of the Month.
MB: What are some lessons you learned during your first term?
CM: Lessons I learned is to not let the nay sayers or the jealous folks get the best of me. To realize that you can’t make everyone happy, but just do your best to make our city,
the city I grew up in, the best place to live, and raise a family. To make it a “City on a
hill.”
MB: What are you looking forward to most during this term?
CM: I’m looking forward to forging closer partnerships with other jurisdictions to find
resources for our city and collaborating on common issues to find solutions; a calm
collaborative working relationship with my colleagues by working together for the greater
good; to hold quarterly meetings to gauge how we are doing on our goals; to be creative
and think out of the box. To make Milpitas the best place to live for our residents.
