Editor,

I am writing to express my strong and unequivocal support for Eric Rodriguez. Eric has been actively involved the community for many years and has the support of many residents involved in their neighborhood associations. Eric is the candidate for all in our community: he has lived in several neighborhoods and is concerned in maintaining our unique neighborhood character. I am also saddened to hear other candidates and their supporters speaking ill of Eric and placing their signs one inch in front of Eric’s signs. It has been the long-standing precedent in our city to agree to disagree. I find these recent acts are in strong opposition to this precedent and disrespectful to all residents and past city leaders of San Mateo. Eric has been working non-stop on his campaign since late 2016 while other candidates pondered running and have only been serious during this past summer.

Recommended for you

(4) comments

Lisa

In response to JA, our Justin Alley, whose affiliated group One San Mateo has intensely expressed over the past two weeks the fact that they do not support Eric. I can tell you by attending many meetings with Eric that he has done a lot for the community. I feel that I have been very involved with my community for at least the 5 years, but Eric has done far more than I. He regularly represents his neighborhood at San Mateo United association meetings, and the time he spends on that is nothing in comparison to the time that he has put in at the Planning Commission level. I attended the Planning Commission interviews at the time of his interview, and have been following Eric ever since. He is not one to beat his own drum. He is not one to seek the limelight. Perhaps that is why his immeasurable contributions to his neighborhood and our city are not on your radar. He prefers to hunker down, listen, understand details in depth, and touch base with those involved before a final rolling up of his sleeves and getting down to business. Perhaps if you and your group have this little knowledge about Eric you should spend less time talking about him.

J A

I asked an honest question. You might answer with a bit more substance and a bit less personally directed bile laced into each sentence. I find the way that any reasonable questions about Mr. Rodriguez's candidacy are treated with outright hostility very very disturbing. It is as if his backers think he should be beyond any push-back from us lowly little people.

If someone wants to operate below the radar or out of the limelight, and simply doesn't want to take credit for things he has done for the community, that can, in certain contexts or certain fields, be very commendable. But then, he is running for public office, emphasis on "public." And the accomplishments you list, such as being on the planning commission and being a representative for his neighborhood association, certainly are not unique to him; they could be said for other candidates too. So I am still trying to understand the rabidness of his support. Where does this come from?

Mike

Thank you for your enlightenment Lisa. One San Mateo is all about rent control and the focus on the few not for all San Mateo. This is what the voters in San Mateo soundly defeated last year. While voting Yes for Eric Rodriquez also vote No for Noelia Corzo a founding member of One San Mateo. Don't be mislead. The candidates that One San Mateo supports Are Not the candidates that have the right direction for San Mateo.

J A

Perhaps you can answer this for me. I ask it with all sincerity. What has Eric Rodriguez done for the community? I follow closely the goings-on in and around San Mateo, and I can easily name a whole raft of things which a number of the other candidates, even those I'm not inclined to support, have done for the community. But I honestly cannot name a single initiative Mr. Rodriguez has carried forward in San Mateo. And I never see him at city or community events. What am I missing?

Welcome to the discussion.

Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.

Thank you for visiting the Daily Journal.

Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!

Want to join the discussion?

Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.

Already a subscriber? Login Here