Wanted: The right CM for D3

April 8, 2025.

That’s the date for the D3 councilmember special election.

It’s thrilling to be in the arena again and finding common ground with my fellow D3 residents.

But I wanted to pull back before we get going, to share my perspective — as a resident, not just a candidate — about what I think makes the right kind of CM for D3.

These three job prerequisites rise to the top:

1.) Wide-ranging professional experience.

D3 is a wonderful melange of people, businesses, groups, and neighborhoods. As a result, expertise in multiple organizations — from business and non profits to community and educational organizations — is a plus. Limited, narrow category expertise should be a red flag. By way of example, I thought both Omar and I brought the right combination of competencies to the election in 2022.

2. Proven leadership skills.

There’s nothing like being in the chair where the buck stops. And that’s especially relevant for the councilmember job, because it is, at its core, an executive function. It’s not being a staffer in city government. It’s not a junior partner in a voting bloc. It’s not just another voice on the council dais. It’s being the representative of every single person in D3: directing huge budgets responsibly, and working across many aisles. As such, we need to look for people with proven legacies of managing fiscal and organization complexities, establishing followership, and reaching across many aisles.

3.) Independence from big special interests.

I cannot say this enough: after the Omar debacle, D3 needs a candidate that is 1000%, 24x7, wholly committed to D3. Our district is awash in very serious issues, and we desperately need someone leading us who only reports to us. Being marinated in — and beholden to — any of the power cabals floating around City Hall is not the sort of job experience we’re looking for. Rather, we want someone who’s free to address D3’s unique, local issues full throttle, not someone who’s held back by needing to appease the agendas of power players from outside our district.

After all we’ve been through, D3 deserves that kind of councilmember,

Irene

Campaign Supporters Update:

* Let me quickly say how touched and energized I have been by the waves of texts, phone calls and emails of encouragement I get all day, every day from past (and new!) supporters — even before I have formally filed.

And while I don’t have the room here to recognize everyone, allow me to share this statement from D3 resident Tim Clauson, as he calls out one of the key promises I hope to deliver on:

“I support you for the District 3 City Council position because your campaign is independent which will allow you to freely embrace good ideas from across the board while making the best decisions for our district as well as San Jose.”

Tim Clauson D3 Resident

* I plan to file formally for my candidacy within the next few weeks. I will let you know when I do, and will begin campaigning officially then.