Wagstaffe again?

If Wagstaffe runs again and is reelected, he will be 80 at the end of the next term. He will have served a total of five terms — 22 years. His current term, like that of the sheriff, was extended to 2028. His tenure is — and is not — a record in an office that has been extraordinarily stable.

There have been only three district attorneys in San Mateo County since 1953, the year Keith Sorenson was elected. He served for 29 years, retired at 61 and died in 2015 at the age of 93. Jim Fox succeeded Sorenson, defeating Sorenson’s hand-picked successor. He served for 28 years, retired at 66 and died in 2010 at the age of 75.

Wagstaffe will not match either tenure of his predecessors, but he joined the DA’s office in 1977 as a deputy, and has remained there for 48 years, so far. Tack on another term, and it will be 52 years. That is a record no one will break.

A few names were in circulation — potential candidates proceeding under the assumption that Wagstaffe would retire. But the rumors evaporated once it became clear Wagstaffe was disinclined to step down. It is notable that none of the names bandied about were people within the DA’s office. Thus far, there is no indication Wagstaffe will try to anoint a successor.

IT AIN’T BROKE: Even as I was pondering the appropriate way to rant again last week against those who insist that Caltrain needs to be spun off into an independent (and more expensive) agency, two remarkable announcements were made that further demonstrate that this effort is brainless.

Caltrain’s recent annual ridership survey, the first since electrified service began, shows the rail service has regained its pre-COVID popularity. Riders gave Caltrain its highest marks: A record satisfaction rating of 4.41 out of 5, up from 4.01 in 2024; 93% of riders said they were satisfied with their overall experience, up 15 points from 2024; 52% said they are riding more often because of the effectiveness of the electrified service in travel times and frequency.

Meanwhile, a report by the American Public Transportation Association, the trade association for the transportation industry, reported that Caltrain is America’s fastest growing transit agency. Ridership has grown 57% in 2025, compared to 2024; weekend ridership has doubled; the rail agency reported five months in a row of more than 1 million riders.

All of which compels the continuing and unanswered question: What problem are they fixing by breaking Caltrain off from the current management by SamTrans?

This is bad policy and bad politics and the San Mateo County representatives serving on the Caltrain board of directors have been all-too-meek in responding to this senseless effort being pushed by “big city” leaders. As Jenks would say: weak.

SHOP LOCAL: December is a critical month for most small businesses — the holiday season often can make or break a year. So, the closure of Hassett Ace Hardware in Redwood City due to a car crashing into the store, could not come at a more unfortunate time. The store is one in a chain of five family-owned stores on the Peninsula known for providing outstanding service, a wonderful range of items and competitive pricing. The hope is that customers will find their way to their other stores in Half Moon Bay, Belmont, Pacifica and San Mateo.

BUCKLE UP: As the year rolls to a close, it is beginning to look like 2026 could be an election year of unprecedented activity, particularly at the city level. Nearly every city in the county has council races on the ballot.

Here at the Daily Journal Election Central, we still are tracking down rumors of would-be candidates, but if half of them pan out, we could see widespread challenges to long-standing incumbents in a number of races, and, perhaps, a generational realignment of the status quo.

HUH? I am as proud of anyone about the place the Peninsula holds in cutting-edge technology and vibrant companies. But driving up and down the Bayshore, I see billboards touting AI products that are incoherent and dumbfounding. I assume somebody knows what these ads mean, but, in my dotage, it is lost on me.