In smaller cities like Millbrae, district elections don’t mean as much as in other cities with more diversity of neighborhoods and economic status. In fact, one could argue they hurt the city’s ability to elect its leaders because you may get two candidates in one district who would be good for the city.
Such is the case in District 3, where Reuben Holober and You You Xue are running. Both are bright and enthusiastic candidates with good ideas. Xue is more of an outside-the-box thinker, with a connection to the downtown business community as a restaurant owner there. However, the city of Millbrae has been through a tumultuous time with the battle over the county’s plans to turn the La Quinta Inn into housing for formerly homeless, which we supported, and the recall of two councilmembers, which we did not support.
Holober is a natural for the position, and is one of the more skilled councilmembers Millbrae has seen in recent years. He is thoughtful, helpful and collaborative. Electing him will serve Millbrae well in providing a stabilizing force on the council while it finds itself on the other side of the recall and La Quinta battle.
In District 1, Ghassan Shamieh and Stephen Rainaldi are running. While all candidates say they are against the La Quinta proposal as it stands now, Rainaldi took the lead on opposition effort as well as the effort to oust two council candidates through a recall. Rainaldi has a can-do personality and has his pulse on the collective and vocal majority right now. He is likely the best candidate to represent that group. He believes Millbrae is united because of La Quinta and the recall, and if you are like-minded, he is your candidate.
Shamieh believes the city to be divided and he can bring them together. He is light on specifics likely because he is not firmly on the side of the recall and the La Quinta battle but rather thinking of ways to progress despite them. Though we believe Rainaldi is the choice for many in Millbrae, and is the candidate the rising vocal majority deserve, we have fundamental disagreements with two of his main beliefs — support of the recall and opposition to housing for formerly homeless at the La Quinta site. For these reasons, we support Shamieh.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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