As the November municipal election approaches, the race for the East Palo Alto City Council is heating up with seven residents vying for two open seats on the five-member council.
The seat currently held by Councilwoman Martha Barragan is up for grabs. She announced she will not be seeking reelection due to health reasons.
This leaves Vice Mayor Ruben Abrica as the sole incumbent on the ballot, facing a diverse field of six local challengers ranging from military veterans to city commissioners. Here are bios of the candidates:
Ruben Abrica is a 77-year-old substitute teacher who is running as an incumbent. A true political veteran in the area, Abrica has a deep legacy in local government, having participated in East Palo Alto’s original incorporation back in 1983. He has served on and off the city council for decades and is running to protect the city’s affordable housing guidelines and continue representing his longtime community.
Ofelia Bello is a 31-year-old nonprofit leader who serves as the Executive Director of the Pahali Community Land Trust and as a program director for EPACando. An East Palo Alto native, she has a background in urban planning and public policy. She does not currently serve on an official city board or commission. Her platform centers tightly around local housing justice and tenant rights.
Gail Wilkerson Dixon, 77, is a legal investigator and businesswoman. She has lived in East Palo Alto since she was 8 years old. She’s been on the Senior Advisory Committee and an alternate for the Public Works and Transportation Commission. She is running on a platform aimed at improving the city’s existing infrastructure and reviewing local city bidding contracts. Wilkerson Dixon wants to bring back Whiskey Gulch, a retail district that was redeveloped in 1998 that she called East Palo Alto’s “Black Wall Street.”
Sam Jimenez is a 43-year-old small business owner who owns the Redwood City-based plumbing company, Bayshore Plumbers. He is a political newcomer, a homeowner, and a former Green Beret military veteran. Jimenez does not serve on any city board or commission. He joined the race with a campaign focused on connecting blue-collar workers to trades and unions, and driving new commercial tax revenues. Jimenez’s employees were recognized by the Menlo Park Fire Board on July 21 for saving a woman from a burning building and helping put out the fire.
Deborah Lewis-Virges is an ordained minister and pastor at the Saint Mark AME Zion Church in East Palo Alto, where she additionally operates as a community advocate. Her professional ballot occupation is listed as a pastor and community advocate. She does she hold a seat on any city board or commission. She is focusing her run on inclusionary housing, economic development, and small business support.
Michael Mashack is a 70-year-old consulting professional who currently serves on an active city board as an East Palo Alto Planning Commissioner. Mashack, a U.S. Air Force veteran and Ravenswood High School alumnus, has deep community ties and previously earned recognition for his extensive volunteer work with the local YMCA.
Holifa Windom is a business owner and a wartime military veteran who grew up on East Palo Alto’s westside. Windom does not serve on any municipal boards or commissions. Her campaign emphasizes small business stabilization, managing local traffic flow, and protecting housing stability for families.
Be the first to comment