My name is Mark Turner. I’m a candidate for City Council Morgan Hill District A.

My motivation for running for public office remains the same as it was two years ago when I first ran and that is to keep the council focused on four foundational priorities, such as, public safety, local job creation, tourism, and local control.

As the only candidate for mayor with more than 10 years of executive experience, and now nearly two years as mayor, I have run more efficient meetings allowing for greater community participation. For decades, I have worked closely with businesses and the community.

My vision for Morgan Hill and the key issues I plan to address if elected are:

Public safety

Having restored respect for our law enforcement officers after several years of disrespect by some council members, we are in a good place to add additional officers each budget cycle as our community grows.

Local job creation

With an estimated 65 percent of our working residents traveling out of Morgan Hill for work (down from about 70 percent several years ago), we need to continue focusing on creating better paying jobs.

Tourism

Namely youth sports and recreation. A 2017 study done by a consulting firm identified the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center and the Aquatics Center as opportunities to drive overnight stays, economic activity within town, and the generation of much needed revenue. While the previous two councils did not take advantage of prioritizing this opportunity, I have pushed and will continue to push for this to be one of our highest priorities and look to make Morgan Hill the premier destination in Northern California for youth sports and recreation.

Local Control

The state legislature continues to pass laws limiting local control over our housing and commercial lands. We cannot allow legislators, who have never been to our town, control our town. I also plan to advocate for a funding mechanism for new public art.
What sets me apart from other candidates and why voters should elect me is that residents and the business community can count on me to show up on time, to represent them with the best I have to offer and be ready to go when I sit down in a meeting. The mayor has a responsibility of being prompt, professional, and prepared. I believe that’s what sets me apart from my competition.

My name is Michael Orosco, and I am running for Morgan Hill City Council District C.

I am a 15-year resident of Morgan Hill. I was born and raised in Turlock, a small town in the central valley that has similarities to Morgan Hill, such as a quaint downtown, agriculture heritage, etc. It was these similarities that attracted me to this gem of a city in the first place. My first eight years living here, like many of you, I traveled to the bay for work.

In 2016, I took the leap and opened a business and have been living and working in town ever since. My motivation for running for this office is the same as it was 10 years ago when I was appointed by Mayor Tate to the city planning commission, which is to help shape Morgan Hill’s business and residential development while keeping that small town charm.

I bring a wealth of qualifications to represent District C. I was a planning commissioner for the city and was part of the team that crafted our 2035 plan. I am a U.S. Veteran and served honorably as a Combat Medic for eight years in my youth. I run an electrical engineering consulting business downtown. I am an Electrical Engineer with a P.E. license and have years of experience in the development and construction industry. I am a registered independent and come with an open mind and a willingness to compromise.

Morgan Hill can become so much more than a bedroom community for the Silicon Valley. I want to help foster commercial and industrial growth and help achieve the Live & Work in Morgan Hill Dream. I will work with the council to adopt new policies for small business growth and new strategies for attracting diverse industry with quality jobs.

By running for office, I am providing the voters with a choice. In that choice, the key difference is experience. I may be a political newcomer, but I am ready to hit the ground running as your city representative. I would be honored to have your vote.

My name is Soraida Iwanaga and I am running for Morgan Hill City Council District C.

Morgan Hill has been my home for many years, and I am blessed to have raised my family in this town. I am a proud mother of two young men. I cherished the years my boys attended Crossroads Christian school, and was proud to cheer them on as they played hockey for Martin Murphy and Sobrato.

Much of what drew me years ago to Morgan Hill remains the same, friendly people, community minded citizens and a cute downtown. During the past few years however, I have watched our city changing at a very rapid pace. I want to fight to preserve the things that make Morgan Hill exceptional.

I feel strongly that we can grow wisely by advocating for local control of our own growth. We understand the limits of our natural resources and infrastructure needs better than anyone else. I will fight for our rights as a city to control our future. I will fully support our police and fire departments so they can continue meeting the needs of our community. I would like to see our parks and recreation department enhancing and adding programs for our youth and senior citizens.

Fiscal sustainability is vital to our city, so I will advocate to support local businesses and attracting industries that will not only provide revenue for our city and entertainment for our families, but also provide local jobs.

I have been a nurse since 2003. My experience as a nurse has taught me the value of listening to others, advocating for those in need, the importance of critical thinking and how to be creative with finding solutions to meeting needs. I take serving others seriously and would carry this attitude with me as a city council member. I believe in working with people on all sides and respecting each other’s views. In the end we all want the same things, safe schools, safe neighborhoods for families and our businesses and we want our city to thrive. I am honored to be running for city council.

My name is David Dindak. I’m a candidate for City Council Morgan Hill District A.

Morgan Hill was a blip on the radar screen with a population of about 24,000 when I moved here in the 1980s. It allowed my family to grow and thrive. We had little concern about leaving doors and windows unlocked at night. Since that time, our town has grown exponentially to more than 46,000 residents, and with growth comes challenges. Most important for me is providing the residents of Morgan Hill with the same safety and quality of life my family enjoyed growing up. That’s why I’ve decided to run for City Council.

It all starts with maintaining a fiscally sound budget funding police and fire with staff and equipment as a top priority. I will work with the city manager and collaborate with my council colleagues to create and manage a stable budget.

Generating revenue is another challenge. Morgan Hill is ripe for recruiting advanced manufacturing, health & science, R&D industries as well as retail along with assisting existing businesses grow. I will push economic development to find and bring formidable companies to town.

A third challenge is housing. We should be able to determine our own future. Sacramento has tied the city’s hands by mandating development of an overwhelming number of units with no funding to assist with infrastructure. I will advocate for city hall to work with the League of California Cities to lobby Sacramento for fair and equal solutions.

Currently, I’m president of the downtown association, member of Leadership Morgan Hill Class of 2024, and a Rotarian. I’ve been self-employed for more than 40 years. I’m a licensed Realtor and proud owner-operator of Bubbles downtown since 2014.

Vast business experience knowing how to maintain a sustainable budget and seeking innovative ways to grow has prepared me for these and other challenges our city will face. I will work hard, ask tough questions, and always put your interests over special interests for a better quality of life in Morgan Hill. Respectfully, David Dindak For City Council District A. electdaviddindak.com.

Editor’s note: Yvonne Martinez-Beltran and Miriam Vega did not provide statements.