On Wednesday April, 18th, from 5 to 7PM, Milpitas Mayor Rich Tran appeared at Tea Society on N. Milpitas Blvd. to host a “Tea Time With The Mayor” gathering, as a way of getting to know the city’s residents.
Seated at the cafe’s central table and surrounded by spirited local neighbors, Mayor Tran was an energized and upbeat presence, characterized by the youthful and approachable vibe that makes him likable to many and controversial to some. He tries to host one such event per month, as a way of staying in touch, and he singles out the city’s young people as being of particular importance to connect with.
“I look out the window [of my office],” said the mayor, “it’s 12 o’clock at night, I see all the young people having tea.”
Mayor Tran, who works across the street from Tea Society at City Hall, cites “quality of life” as the main concern among Milpitas residents, from the water in our homes to the air we breathe to the roads we drive on “to get where we need to go.”
“The work I’m doing is a comprehensive effort for all the challenges in Milpitas,” said the mayor, who seeks to distinguish himself from politicians who might focus on one particular issue or set of issues to the exclusion of others.
Indeed, his mayoral campaign was built upon 4 major pillars: limiting housing development, lowering the water rate, fighting the city’s landfill issue (and the resulting odor), and mitigating the traffic.
On that third item, Tran acknowledged that the odor not only impacts our quality of life, but also hurts the city’s reputation. “Those northwestern winds coming from the SF Bay, end up at the tip of the bay, which is Milpitas,” he explained.
Tran went on to say that progress has been made in all 4 areas, with more work and effort being put in regularly, and that he’s encouraged, if feeling a little pressed for time…
“A two-year term is as short as it gets.” But he worked to hit the ground running in office: “I came into the two-year term thinking I had no tomorrow.”
In other words, he wanted to move quickly and efficiently.
“It’s been a roller coaster, a very fun one. I’m looking forward to continuing on this journey and ride, with a little less roller coaster action,” the mayor laughed.
