Be an informed voter
Morgan Hill voters can take us forward or backwards this November. Some want to go back to a time when respect for people in positions of power was granted exclusively to white men. There are people who literally cannot fathom respect for leaders like Kamala Harris, Dr. Carmen Garcia or Yvonne Martinez Beltran.
Some people prefer to go back to a time when our schools catered only to the middle and upper classes rather than creating opportunities and pathways that meet the needs of every student.
There are people running for office who scoff at the very concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), values that many of us see as the largest strengths for our communities and nation.
These are the “closeted MAGAs” in our community. Don’t be fooled by them.
To those of you committed to going backwards, you should support Mayor Mark Turner, and city council candidates David Dindak and Soraida Iwanga as well as MHUSD Trustee candidates Tyler Smith, Tom Pocus and Rebecca Munson. Note who they stand with, their actions and how often they want to impose their choices above your rights and freedom. If you are a MAGA, support them.
But, if you strive to build a strong community that demands “Freedom for ALL,” vote for Yvonne Martinez Beltran, Miriam Vega and Michael Orosco for our city and vote for Jennifer Marques, Mary Patterson and Veronica Andrade for MHUSD trustees.
Be an informed voter.
Ann R. Horner
Morgan Hill
Two choices for mayor
After contemplating the upcoming election for mayor of Morgan Hill, I would like to share my experiences with both candidates. Hands down the debate made it evident that only one candidate presented well defined accomplishments and a clear forward vision for our city by providing specifics on issues and goals.
I have been a very involved Morgan Hill resident for over 20 years. I reside in Councilmember Yvonne Martinez Beltran’s District B. In a community leadership role, I attended nearly all city council and commission meetings in person for over 10 years. Enjoyed working with very capable city staff. I now attend most remotely.
Leadership is more than hollow words and posting photos. It’s about understanding your purpose, knowing your bandwidth and managing your priorities to be an effective team player in achieving goals.
Integrity, commitment and accountability are the values I look for in a leader.
Mayor Turner has demonstrated these values. His leadership at city council meetings has resulted in more effective meeting management. Outside of meetings, he makes the time to engage with the entire community to understand community-wide issues, work with organizations to provide support and seek solutions as appropriate.
On the other hand, I have had the opportunity to observe Councilmember Yvonne Martinez Beltran’s actions over the years, while she was on the planning commission and now on the council. It is my opinion that she has not demonstrated the broad understanding and engagement required to represent an entire community and its needs.
She typically arrives just in time or late for council meetings, having not done her homework. She expects staff and other council members to educate her on agenda topics, taking unnecessary time and prolonging meetings well into the evening. To this point, speaking time limits had to be adopted for council members. I have observed an over reliance on city staff to do her work which is a waste of valuable city resources.
I’d like to share a couple telling personal experiences. Several years ago she showed up late at one of my community fundraising events justifying why she should not have to pay. This prompted a discussion about the goals for the event and payment for her attendance. I was so taken back by her behavior that I shared this experience with other community leaders only to have them smile and nod in agreement that they have experienced the same.
Recently I again observed this expectation at another major community fundraiser.
When at these events her main goal appears to be rushing in to canvas the room and take photos with dignitaries to post on her Facebook page. She makes little contribution to the goals for raising funds to support community philanthropic causes.
Mark Turner is a mayor for all of us. He has demonstrated his engagement and commitment to our community through his leadership, actions and accomplishments.
Kathy Sullivan
Morgan Hill
