GILROY
– Al Pinheiro, casting aside a safe seat on the City Council and
preaching a theme of city unity, declared his intention to run for
mayor of Gilroy in the November election.
GILROY – Al Pinheiro, casting aside a safe seat on the City Council and preaching a theme of city unity, declared his intention to run for mayor of Gilroy in the November election.
Councilman Pinheiro, who has lived in Gilroy since 1964 and been an insurance broker here since 1976, said he made the decision to run last night after a kitchen-table discussion with his wife, Vilma, and the family’s three children.
“I believe that Gilroy is going to come across a new era, where with all of the different things that are happening – whether it be budget constraints, peoples’ positions on how much to grow or how much not to grow, how much we need to get involved with bringing more jobs and more or less retail – that it needs a mayor that will be able to work with these different points of view,” Pinheiro said Friday of his decision.
“I believe I am the person that can sit at the table, hear all sides and work together to find an answer for the common good of Gilroy.”
The decision means Pinheiro will challenge at least incumbent Mayor Tom Springer, but the field could get wider still. Although none have announced yet, other potential candidates could include former Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Guadalupe Arellano and current Councilman Charles Morales.
Springer could not immediately be reached for comment.
The mayoral bid also means some political risk for Pinheiro. Because his current seat is due to expire in November, if he loses the mayoral election he will also lose his place on the Council.
“That was definitely one thing that always weighed on my mind, taking this kind of a chance,” he said. “But I believe Gilroyans are ready to see a city government that works together, and I can be the conduit for that kind of city government.”
Before his election to Council, Pinheiro, 50, served on the city’s Planning Commission. He has also served as president of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce and on boards of the Gilroy Downtown Development Corp., the Gilroy Economic Development Corp., the Bonfante Gardens nonprofit organization. He was also founding president and is a current board member of the city’s Exchange Club.
Pinheiro, a registered Democrat, says he does not vote according to party lines and considers the mayoral race a non-partisan affair.
“I believe I bring a round, balanced candidacy,” he said. “Not one extreme or the other, but someone who looks at issues on their own merit.”
He also serves on the task force that’s helping to revamp land-use regulations in the city’s downtown area, and has frequently lobbied for downtown improvements during his current Council term.
Pinheiro declined to go into specific detail on his goals or planned agenda Friday, saying there will plenty of time to discuss the platform in coming months.
“The main thing I want to get out there is to let the community know they do have a choice,” he said. “I’ll be working very hard for them to understand where I’m coming from, and hopefully they’ll give me their vote.”
Pinheiro also declined to discuss specific endorsements at this time, although he said he met extensively with both his family and with supporters in the community before making a decision.
“This was not done in a vacuum,” he said. “It was done after a lot of soul searching and touching bases with prior supporters and others who have come to the table and asked if I would consider running for mayor.”
He got an informal endorsement from Councilman Roland Velasco Friday, who said Pinheiro’s decision is “good news for the city” and that he will offer Pinheiro “110 percent of my support and my time.
“I think Al is going to bring the vision, leadership and collaborative skills needed to bring the city together,” he said. “I believe Al is the best person for the job.”
Morales congratulated Pinheiro for his decision, although he said he was not surprised. The Councilman also said he’s keeping his own options open for the mayoral seat and projects at least four candidates will make a bid.
“I think the platforms are very important in elections today,” Morales said. “This isn’t a popularity contest or ‘who likes who best.’ ”
Among issues Morales says will be important come November are the state budget’s effect on Gilroy, keeping Gilroy in the black, achieving balanced growth while keeping levels of service high and environmental issues.
“Those would be my objectives,” he said.
School board trustee Jaime Rosso said Friday that he “hates to get into the political fusion of a campaign, but has always been a strong supporter of Pinheiro.
“I think he’s been an excellent city councilman and he would be an excellent mayor … ” Rosso said. “He’s level-headed and approachable, he’s a collaborative type of person and he’s a good leader.”
GUSD Trustee T.J. Owens said he will support whoever is mayor.
“We (the school board) are non-political with things like this,” he said.
Velasco and Councilman Peter Arellano are also up for re-election.
Staff Writers Dave Steffenson and Eric Leins contributed to this report.
