BY EMILY MIBACH
Daily Post Staff Writer
One Belmont candidate leads all of the other candidates seeking a seat on the city council.
Julia Mates, who is currently on the council but is seeking to be the city’s first elected mayor, has raised $28,803, her only competitor, longtime Councilman Warren Lieberman has raised $6,140, but has made a hefty loan to his campaign.
There are two competitive races this year in Belmont — one for the at-large mayor which will appear on every ballot in town, and the race for District 1, where two fresh faces are squaring off. There is no election in District 3, as only Robin Pang-Magnaris filed to run. The council switched from being elected at-large, where residents can vote for all five council members, to by-district, where the city is split up into four districts and there is one at-large mayor. When it comes to voting, the mayor will be considered a council member. The city is making the switch after being threatened with a lawsuit.
Mates and Lieberman are running against each other for mayor.
Donors listed
Julia Mates has raised by far the most in the campaign for either seat, bringing in $28,803.91. Mates donors include Belmont residents, officials from the county and labor unions. Donors over the past month to Mates’ campaign include Plumbers, Steamfitters, Refrigeration Fitters Local 396 ($500); Belmont resident Anne Hoffman ($500); San Carlos Councilman Adam Rak ($500); Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 3 ($300); Belmont resident W. Mitchell Baker ($500); resident Rand Wacker ($500) and Millbrae Councilwoman Gina Papan ($299).
Meanwhile, Lieberman has raised $6,140, but loaned his campaign $45,075. His donors include former Mayor Doug Kim ($500); resident Jennifer Hennings ($500); retired resident Jane Ledoux ($500); Doug Ricket ($500); Michael Picone, one of the owners of the Carlmont Shopping Center ($500) and resident Adele Della Santina ($500).
A look at the competitive council race
Meanwhile, far less cash is flowing into the District 1 race, where Planning Commissioner Gina Latimerlo and community member Michael Craig are running against one another. The district includes El Camino Real, the Sterling Downs and Hillview neighborhoods and the area east of Highway 101.
Latimerlo, a singing instructor and planning commissioner, so far has raised $3,206 during her campaign. Donors include: consultant Tim Hoffman ($500); attorney Jeffrey Selman ($500); Northern California Carpenters Regional Council ($500); AFSCME AFL-CIO Local 829 ($250) and Laura Reed, wife of late Belmont Mayor Eric Reed ($100).
Craig, a business to business salesman in banking and real estate, has raised about the same amount at $3,748. His donors include The McLellan Company, which owns apartment buildings in the area ($500); Los Altos software engineer Siyun Wang ($500) and his wife Elizabeth Ramos Craig ($250).