November elections

Corzo works for the Golden Gate Regional Center with the disabled community, lives in North Central San Mateo, is a product of local public schools and has been active in the PTA at her son’s Spanish immersion school Fiesta Gardens. She graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in sociology. She is also a board member of the San Mateo County Latina/o Democratic Club and, at 27, is the youngest candidate (Watkins is not much older at 33). She is endorsed by San Mateo Mayor David Lim and Deputy Mayor Rick Bonilla; Foster City Vice Mayor Sam Hindi; and Supervisors Don Horsley and Carole Groom.

Kanga, of Foster City, is a real estate agent and was active in her three boys’ schools, Brewer Island Elementary, Bowditch Middle and Hillsdale High schools. Her youngest son is attending Design Tech, which will move to Oracle next year, where her husband and eldest son already work. Kanga was born in a small village near Bombay, India. She attended university there and majored in biochemistry and biology. She followed her husband to the United States in 1993. She is a member of the Foster City Rotary Club. She has been endorsed by Foster City Mayor Charlie Bronitsky and Foster City councilmen Gary Pollard, Hindi and Herb Perez; San Mateo councilwomen Maureen Freschet and Diane Papan, Bonilla; Supervisor Dave Pine and Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco.

Watkins lives in the new Bay Meadows community. She grew up in Wisconsin, attended Wellesley College and was hired by Teach for America to work in one of New York City’s most difficult schools. She received a degree in special education and worked at another New York school with special need students. She moved to California with her husband who is an attorney for Apple. Today, she works at a startup company in downtown San Mateo which helps teachers tailor individual education programs. Watkins has the support of Groom, Papan, Freschet, Bonilla, Pollard and Perez. Morgan is a Sunnybrae parent, a certified public accountant, and ran for City Council two years ago. Hitchcock runs a preschool at Highlands Recreation Center.

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As for the race for the vacant seat on the San Mateo City Council with the retirement of Lim, anything can happen before November but right now it looks as if Planning Commissioner Eric Rodriguez is the front-runner, and may even outpoll the two incumbents, Rick Bonilla and Joe Goethals. Still, the race could tighten.

When Lim first indicated he might not run again, three members of the city’s Planning Commission made plans to fill his seat. They were Rodriguez, Pamela O’Leary and Charles Drechsler. Drechsler previously served on Pubic Works and Community Improvement Commissions. He surprised everyone when he withdrew in favor of O’Leary. Then O’Leary decided to withdraw. By then, Rodriguez had lined up endorsements and contributions some of which might have gone to Drechsler. In the meantime, Chelsea Bonini, San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District trustee, joined the race. Today, both Drechsler’s and Bonini’s chances are a stretch while the incumbents look strong. Rodriguez has major endorsements plus three members of the City Council. Drechsler has the support of Lim, O’Leary and Planning Commissioner John Ebneter. Bonini has the support of Lim, O’Leary, and many school trustees.

Most of the candidates have websites with more details but also try to attend the following candidate forums: San Mateo City Council: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 and Oct. 3, San Mateo City Hall; and San Mateo-Foster City Elementary School District board: 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23, school district office on Chess Drive.

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This year’s new candidates are also the most diverse. For school board, Corzo is Latina, Kanga comes from India and Watkins is African-American. Rodriguez, in the City Council race, is the son of a Mexican father and a mother from Kansas.

Sue Lempert is the former mayor of San Mateo. Her column runs every Monday. She can be reached at sue@smdailyjournal.com.