Current Mayor Carmen Montano has served two terms as a Milpitas City Councilmember: one from 2012-2016 and the other from 2018-2022.
After her second Council term, she shattered the glass ceiling by becoming the first-ever woman mayor in Milpitas history. Now, as she nears the end of her first mayoral term, Montano is focused on winning re-election this November 5.
In an interview with The Beat, Mayor Montano reflected on all the contributions she’s made to the City since she started serving on the Council. For example, she spoke of how, in 2014, she was instrumental in the creation of an arts ordinance.
“The ordinance says that new developments must always add an art piece into the development, or add some money into an art fund,” Mayor Montano told The Beat.
She added: “Also, with the AARPA funds, I pushed for some to be used toward the Workforce Summer Youth Program.”
She is also proud of her work in advocating for funding from the VTA board — funding that has been put toward the Milpitas SMART transit program.
Education remains a big passion of Montano’s; she spent many years as a teacher and served on the Milpitas Unified School District’s Board of Education for eight years.
“I really believe that education is the key that gives people hope,” said Montano. “It’s the great equalizer.”
In addition, during her time as mayor, Montano has been looking at all the ways in which the city can revitalize Milpitas’ Main Street.
“I want Main Street to be a destination place, an entertainment district with restaurants and music,” Mayor Montano shared.
She also feels it’s important for Milpitas to have a museum on Main Street.
“There’s a building for sale and I would like the City to buy it and make it into a small museum,” Montano stated. “It would be great for students and young kids.”
The building she mentioned is located at 176 S. Main Street, where Black Cat Comics used to be. At a recent City Council meeting, Montano brought up the idea of purchasing the property, and now Milpitas’ City staff is researching the prospect.
Beautifying Milpitas remains one of Montano’s top priorities – and is something she will continue working on if re-elected.
In the past, she has volunteered with Cathedral of Faith to help clean up graffiti on Main Street.
“I want to make sure the city’s clean,” Mayor Montano explained. “Also, weed abatement is important to me.”
Along with beautifying Milpitas and sprucing up Main Street, Mayor Montano’s other priorities include ensuring public safety, alleviating traffic congestion, job creation, and attracting high-tech businesses.
As Mayor Montano looks to November 5, she is hopeful that her dedication, experience, and genuine love for Milpitas will see her through to victory. She is running against Councilmember Anthony Phan, Councilmember Hon Lien, and Voltaire Montemayor.
“I’ve been in Milpitas since ‘64. I was raised here as a kid and went to the public schools. That’s what sets me apart,” she said. “I know this city like the back of my hand. I served on the school board. I was raised here as a kid, and serving here is really meaningful for me.”
To learn more about Montano, visit her website.
Chua and Montano misunderstand the Council – City Manager form of government? Good grief! According to her bio, Montano was Vice Mayor from 2014-2016.
Yet, as recently as early 2023, the facilitator at a council retreat said that Chua and Montano had a “fundamental misunderstanding of the Council – City Manager form of government, their respective roles, especially Montano sought far greater authority than exists over the City Manager. The experienced facilitator further stated that Chua and Montano were so far out of their roles that she would not want to work with the Milpitas City Council again.”
Good grief! Over time, I learned that they were not good at their roles, but I had no idea they were that bad! Please don’t vote for these candidates.
Check out this story about Montano and Chua on page 12 of the McHarris Complaint: https://meansfordemocracy.org/McHarris-complaint.pdf