Gilroy City Councilman Dion Bracco said Tuesday he will run for
mayor in 2012. Bracco, who was re-elected to the Gilroy City
Council in November, said
”
it’s been a while
”
since he decided he would run.
”
I was just seeing how things were in the city,
”
Bracco said.
”
In the times we’re in, we need leadership.
”
Gilroy City Councilman Dion Bracco said Tuesday he will run for mayor in 2012.
Bracco, who was re-elected to his second term in November, said it had “been a while” since he decided he would run.
“I was just seeing how things were in the city,” Bracco said. “In the times we’re in, we need leadership.”
Fellow Councilman Perry Woodward told the Dispatch in December he also planned to run for mayor.
Bracco and Woodward said the city will need a strong candidate to replace Mayor Al Pinheiro, who said he does not intend to run again.
“I don’t think we can afford a drastic change where everything gets turned upside down,” Bracco said.
Pinherio said he welcomes the announcement.
“I’m glad he’s thrown his hat in the race,” Pinheiro said. “It’s nice to have choices.”
He added, “I’m sure there’ll be others.”
Pinheiro said he thought Woodward announced his bid “way too early.”
As a result, “Others aren’t going to be waiting to announce, now that you have Perry being the catalyst to start,” Pinheiro said.
Woodward said he wasn’t surprised to hear Bracco was running, saying there had been rumors suggesting it would happen.
When re-elected to the council in November, Bracco said he would continue to work on having a new youth center and a stronger gang task force, which would target the top 10 at-risk youth and those who are already in a gang. Police, school principals and parents would work together to reel them back in or chase them out of town, he said.
Bracco, who was born and raised in Gilroy and is a fourth-generation resident, owns Bracco’s Towing and Transport.
He’s has been a board member for the Gilroy Gang Task Force, Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park, the Gilroy Historic Heritage Committee and was once the chair of the Gilroy Planning Commission.
“I have a heart for this city,” Bracco said. “And I’m the best choice. It’s that simple.”
Check back for updates to this story.
