Candidates have similar stances, but big gap in campaign
funding
Morgan Hill – With their financial disclosure forms due today, the city’s two mayoral candidates have raised drastically different sums of money for their campaign coffers.
City Councilman Steve Tate said he has an excess of $16,000, while longtime local businessman Dennis Delisle said he’s raised about $2,400.
And with little separation on the issues, each is hoping for a good rapport with voters before the Nov. 7 election.
“We have different approaches,” said Tate.
So far, it’s been a friendly campaign. But each candidate is touting a different background.
For Tate, 62, it’s his familiarity with the inner workings of the city. Tate, who’s finishing his second four-year term on the city council and who has spent seven years on the city’s planning commission, wants his experience to be a selling point.
On the other hand, Delisle, 58, wants voters to see him as a firebrand who can hit the ground running and bring business sense to the city council. His slogan? “New Leadership – New Direction.” He has some political experience, too, being a member of the South County Joint Planning Advisory Committee made up of Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill residents.
Then there are the similarities between the candidates.
Both Delisle and Tate stand for fiscal responsibility. Both pride themselves at crunching numbers (Delisle’s an accountant and Tate earned a math degree before working 38 years at IBM). Both want more police and fire protection. And both want the Morgan Hill Redevelopment Agency to be extended.
So which candidate is not like the other?
Tate’s raised more money and has notable endorsements from fellow politicians including Mayor Dennis Kennedy, City Councilman Greg Sellers (who’s running for re-election in November), City Councilman Larry Carr, County Supervisor Don Gage and Assemblyman John Laird (D-Santa Cruz).
He’s also endorsed by the Morgan Hill Police Officers Association, Santa Clara County Firefighters and the California League of Conservation Voters.
“The campaign is going good,” Tate said, adding he’s enlisted volunteers to knock on doors and plant signs.
Tate wants to continue the revitalization of downtown and use the redevelopment agency to bring mixed-use development to areas such as the Morgan Hill Plaza shopping center, located at Dunne Avenue and Monterey Road.
Adopted 25 years ago, the agency has spent $250 million to rejuvenate blighted areas in the city. A map has been drawn and property taxes that normally would go to the county have been re-directed to the agency. The city council acts as the agency’s directors. In November, the council will consider renewing the agency and authorizing more flexible financing and limited eminent domain powers.
Delisle hopes the race for the two-year mayor’s seat ends like the original David v. Goliath biblical story.
“Getting my face out there is the biggest challenge,” Delisle said. “Morgan Hill needs to make some changes.”
For Delisle, those include making Morgan Hill more business friendly, providing incentives for new or expanding businesses and redirecting redevelopment agency funds for city improvements and incentives to stimulate downtown.
He’s banking on a personal touch. He and his volunteers have canvassed more than 700 homes so far – and he said they’d continue that push until election.
Delisle and Tate both have spent campaign funds on glossy pamphlets, lawn signs and campaign literature. Delisle has even made “calling cards” with his top three priorities printed on the back: Balancing the budget, stimulating economic growth and, yes, redirecting redevelopment agency funds to city improvements.
Tony Burchyns covers Morgan Hill for The Times. Reach him at (408) 779-4106 ext. 201 or tburchyns@morganhilltimes.
