Councilman Craig Gartman announced Friday that he will run for
mayor in the November election.
Gilroy – Councilman Craig Gartman announced Friday that he will run for mayor in the November election.
The decision came the same day as a Dispatch story detailing strained relations between Gartman and his council colleagues, whom he has accused of failing to push back against a city bureaucracy that over-reaches its authority. That opinion, he said, has been echoed in recent weeks by local voters.
“The overwhelming feedback from the community compelled me to offer myself up for this run for mayor,” Gartman said Friday evening, reading a statement. “My goals are to ensure the voice of the community is heard at our city council meetings, to bring a more detailed eye to the operations of the city, to continue pushing for a balanced budget, to instill the best balance between economic development and the needs of the community, and to find the best solution for a comprehensive plan for our schools as the community grows.”
Mayor Al Pinheiro, who is in the final year of his initial four-year term, said the choice will come down to differences in leadership style.
“Mr. Gartman comes across as someone who looks at things deeper,” Pinheiro said. “But is that looking at things deeper or micro-managing? … The other thing that people will have to do is decide if Gilroy is better or worse off today. You get things done in increments and I think we’ve done that. We’ve come a long way in our downtown … and we’ve stayed financially sound. Those are all things that, once the community does the checklist, I’m hoping they’ll turn to me.”
Gartman has been the sole dissenter on a number of controversial votes recently, including a salary-range increase for city managers that will cost $200,000 annually. That issue will likely emerge as a hot topic in the council race this fall.
If Gartman loses, he still has two years left on his council term. Incumbent councilmen Russ Valiquette and Roland Velasco have also announced their intention to run. They will face off against former Councilman Bob Dillon, planning commissioners Tim Day and Joan Spencer, and Parks and Recreation Commissioner Cat Tucker.
