School trustee Francisco Dominguez plans to run for the state
assembly on the Democratic ticket and, if elected, would not run
for reelection in 2010.
School trustee Francisco Dominguez plans to run for the state assembly on the Democratic ticket and, if elected, would not run for reelection in 2010.
With 12 years serving on three different school boards under his belt, experience working for the state legislature and a levelheaded approach to doing business, the current Gilroy Unified School District trustee believes he has a background that will set him apart from the competition vying for the 28th state Assembly seat, currently held by Anna Caballero.
Although Caballero’s has not made a public announcement that she will run for a state Senate, at least five people expect her to make such a decision soon and they are already jockeying for her seat. Dominguez, 47, would run on the Democratic ticket in the primaries next June. If all goes well in the primaries, Dominguez said he would not seek re-election as a GUSD trustee when his term ends in November 2010.
“I’m trying to think as positively as possible,” he said with a laugh when asked if he would run again for the board of trustees if he didn’t make it through the primaries. “We’ll cross that bridge once we get past the primaries.”
According to Caballero’s press secretary, Catalina Martinez, Caballero has not made an official announcement about running for a state Senate seat but is “looking into the possibility.” She said she could not answer when Caballero might make an announcement.
Caballero has filed her intent to run for State Senate in District 12, a seat that will be vacated by Jeff Denham when he terms out in 2010. Her pursuit of the state senate seat would leave the race for the 28th Assembly District – which includes Gilroy, Hollister, unincorporated areas east of Gilroy, San Martin, and Morgan Hill to San Jose, Watsonville and Salinas – wide open.
Dominguez could be vying against at least four other area residents for the seat. The current list of interested participants include Watsonville Councilman Luis Alejo, San Benito County Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz, Hollister Mayor Eugenia Sanchez, and political consultant and campaign manager Rick Rivas.
Dominguez, who owns a Gilroy consulting firm and lives in town with his wife and two of their children, said he would likely scale back his business and spend Monday through Thursday in Sacramento and return home to Gilroy for the weekends if elected.
“The hard part will be splitting my time in terms of family and work,” he said, adding that his family is very supportive of his decision. “The commitment I would make would be to give it my all.”
Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Dominguez’s family moved to California when he was still a child. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science at San Jose State University, has lived in Gilroy for almost five years and previously served on school boards in Oxnard and San Jose.
Running for an assembly seat is an idea has been mulling for several reasons and estimated the position pays a $95,000 salary, he said.
“I’m very frustrated, just like other folks, about what’s happening in Sacramento – not being able to resolve the budget and deliver to residents,” he said. “There needs to be more cooperation in the legislature. My style is to resolve conflict.”
Education and restoring California’s nationwide standing in terms of per-pupil spending – which is currently near the bottom of the barrel – is also one of Dominguez’s top priorities.
Dominguez said he would also like to attract new businesses to and keep current businesses in California.
Although he’s waiting for Caballero to announce her decision, Dominguez said he hoped to get his campaign rolling in the next few months.
The other candidates
Luis Alejo
“Every week since the word got out that Anna [Caballero] might not be running, people have been approaching me from different communities,” Luis Alejo said. “I started talking to different leaders, and so far the support is very strong.”
Alejo has served on the Watsonville planning commission and is completing his first term on the city council as mayor pro tempore.
Alejo works as a staff attorney in Monterey County and handles family law issues. He also worked as a legal aide lawyer for a time. He is a 1992 graduate of Watsonville High School; holds a dual bachelor’s from the University of California, Berkeley; a master’s of education from Harvard University and a law degree from the University of California, Davis.
He worked as a legislative aide in Sacramento, under San Jose representative Manny Diaz.
Jamie De La Cruz
Jamie De La Cruz did not want to talk in detail about a possible run. When contacted by a Pinnacle reporter, he said this: “What I am doing right now is talking to my supporters and getting a feel for it, and talking to my family. The truth is I am waiting for Anna [Caballero] to make her announcement.
He said he would run on the Democratic ticket.
“I am still talking to my supporters.”
Rick Rivas
Rick Rivas studied public policy at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he received his master’s degree. He has worked on the campaigns of San Benito County supervisors and city council members, and has worked as a political consultant on city and school bonds measures. He was a major player in passing Measure A, a $90 million school bond for Alisal Unified School District, and he volunteered his time to help pass Measure T, a 1 percent sales tax increase in Hollister approved by voters in 2007.
Rivas served as a campaign manager for Caballero during her successful bid for the 28th assembly district. He later worked as a legislative aide to Caballero in Sacramento, and most recently is the director of public affairs for the Civil Justice Association of California, a nonprofit coalition that works to eliminate frivolous lawsuits.
“To be frank, the reason I am taking this on is we need fresh ideas,” Rivas said. “The state is almost bankrupt. We need people from various backgrounds. We can’t continue to do what we are doing in Sacramento and expect things to improve. It is time for new ideas, for fresh ideas.”
For Rivas, that starts with sound fiscal policy.
“Making sure we balance the budget is not conservative or liberal,” he said. “We’ve got to be smarter.”
Eugenia Sanchez
Eugenia Sanchez, who took on the role of mayor in Hollister when she was selected in the rotation in December, started out her political career to support her children in school. She started out on the District Language Advisory Committee and the English Language Advisory Committee, two groups that review bilingual education for the district. She is currently a kindergarten teacher at Las Animas Elementary School.
Sanchez had earned an associate’s degree from Gavilan College, but took a break from her education when she got married and had children, now 15 and 17. She took several years off before she enrolled at the California State University, Monterey Bay to finish her bachelor’s and earn a teaching credential.
Sanchez served on the Hollister School District board and is in the third year of her first term on the city council. She cites her accomplishments as helping to get the Measure T sales tax passed; the city council’s collaboration on creating a gang coordinator position to fight gang prevention; and steps to create an open-door policy for the council. She acknowledges that many of these items are still in the works, including filling the gang coordinator position.
Sanchez sees her approachability as one of her strengths.
“I’m really open to people’s insights,” she said. “I feel approachable and hope they feel comfortable voicing their concerns. And, of course, I am a collaborator.”
Staff writer Melissa Flores contributed reporting to this article.
