Tracy City Councilwoman Suzanne Tucker is calling it quits after three terms on the council. Press file photo
Councilwoman Evelyn Tolbert, who’s term also expires this year, has yet to announce whether she’ll seek re-election, though she’s disbanded her two campaign committees. She said when she ran for mayor in 2008 that she was leaning against running for another council term, but now she’s undecided and might run, she has said.
Tucker was on the school board for four years from 1994 to 1998, when the elementary school district unified in the middle of her term. She was first elected to the City Council in 1998, when for the next two years the council majority were women. Barbara Matthews, who later went onto the serve in the state Assembly, and Tolbert were on the council together with Tucker until 2000.
There are two declared candidates for the City Council, home inspector Larry Hite, who ran for a council seat in 2008, and Bob Elliott, said he’s a retired Green Beret and works as a manager at Westinghouse Electric in San Jose.
Both have raised money in 2009. In form filed with the Tracy city clerk, Hite said he raised $1,312 in cash from July through December, and had non-cash contributions worth $1,157. He has $971 in the bank, records show.
Hite’s biggest contribution was from fire Chief Chris Bosch, who gave him $312; $224 from businesswoman Patricia Munson of Munson and Associates; $204 from real estate agent Annie Dingman; and $172 from real estate agent Steve Hartje.
Elliott raised $3,000 during the same period, contributing $1,000 of his own money, while Mizuno Farms, Inc. and Kagehiro Company, LLC each gave him $1,000. Elliott showed he had $3,000 in cash on hand.
Contact Tracy Press City Editor Eric Firpo at 830-4223 or efirpo@tracypress.com.
You may be interested to know, there is a town hall meeting tomorrow hosted by the Tracy Police.
(Tracy, CA) – The Tracy Police Department will be hosting a violent crime and gang suppression update meeting this Friday, February 5 from 7:00 PM to 8:00PM in the Council Chambers in City Hall at 333 Civic Center Plaza.
I don't know why this infomation isn't front page and highlighted in bold in the local newspaper. Anyway I thought I would post it here for others who may be interested.
You mentioned it.
Tom,
I think you might be right that most people probably aren't aware . And Larry H will probably do well after running once already.
No I have no intentions of running for any city office right now.
And when you vote in that new blood for those seats, remember they are voted in by the public. If the public get's it's head turned with the rhetoric they want to hear, simply because the candidate wants to get elected, you are not going to fair any better than what you have right now and most likely end up a lot worse.
I do believe that most people can comprehend that simply voting for someone to make a change without knowing what that change is or how it will be implemented doesn't fix anything and makes things worse.
Hopefully we will have some qualified candidates who are genuine in their personal agendas to want to do what is best for the entire community than what is best for them personally.
How you digest the previous sentence is up to you and all I will add is that if you vote you also should take on the responsibility to educate yourself on all of the issues, as opposed to a favorite issue, and be certain the politician you are casting your vote for is going to represent everyone and not just a few.
I will say in closing that I too am not happy with all of their decisions. But that is pretty much a fact of life with just about anything these days. Hopefully who ever takes on the position will make more good decisions than bad.
But lets be honest here, we are dealing with politicians that are human and have human frailties, not supermen that cannot possibly make any mistakes at all.
For the most part I still feel the current City Counsel members have done a good job. I don't agree with everything they have done but on the broad scale, when you consider everything, they could have done a lot worse and cause more damage than is necessary.
Spikeidaho
From looking at your name I assume you came from Idaho. Nice state and I have spent many hours playing around in it. Sort of makes me wonder, why you moved to Tracy? Especially since you don't seem to like the leadership here.
But you, like I, may have just been caught up in life and didn't have any other options and I can completely understand that.
Dave Hardesty
So you will be making a run for this seat?
1) Spend MANY hours reading reports, attending meetings and representing the City at social events for little $$$$$.
2) Are "fair game" everywhere you go and citizens stop you to voice their opinions. And because you are a PUBLIC SERVANT, you will be expected to stop and listen, or will be called "inaccessible, uncaring, uninformed, etc."
3) Willl be inundated with "special requests" from individuals and groups and somehow you'll be expected to fill them all, even if they conflict with each other.
4) Will have everything you say or do scrutinized and if you happen to change your opinion or your stand on an issue, you'll "suffer" because of it.
It's easy to be an armchair quarterback when you don't have anything to lose. Once you're an elected official, every step you take could result in you not being reelected.
Every person who runs for political office has an "agenda". It may be simply to do a good job for Tracy or as self-centered as gaining funds for a "pet project". Whatever the reason, it takes a unique individual to do the job. So if you're up to the challenge take the plunge and run for a Council seat(s) during the next election. And if you do.....GOOD LUCK, 'cuz you WILL eventually be the subject of blog entries like those posted below for the above stated reasons (items 2, 3 & 4).
The link: http://www.ci.tracy.ca.us/uploads/fckeditor/File/city_council/agendas/2006/04/04/minutes-2006-04-04.pdf
If the link doesn't work for some reason, go to the City's website and look for the specific Council agenda date.
We had our differences in the past, but truly thank for your service to the community. Many don't know what dedication it takes to run and serve the people of Tracy.
Good luck in what you decide to do.
Where did you get your info? I was only aware of them receiving a small stipend. If your info is true it must be public record.
Most of the city council members already have insurance. Two of them are retired police officers.
They are NOT salaried and only receive a stipend. I'm not sure but I doubt they are living large off the taxpayers.
They could have voted that way to attract people who may want to run for council.
I dare you to run for city council and do it 4 free.