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A VISION FOR OUR SAN LEANDRO
San Leandro leaders should work for you,
never against you.
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WHAT IF ________
We drastically improved public safety the right way?
WHAT IF ________
We took a smarter, creative approach to the issues?
San Leandro can't thrive if we keep voting for politics as ususal.
We need leadership you can rely on, where you are at the center.
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HI! IM JAMES AGUILAR
I have lived in San Leandro for over thirteen years, and I am incredibly honored to have served our beautiful city on the School Board and now on the City Council.
Outside of my work on the City Council, I am a high school social science teacher and Activities Director. I have worked up and down the latter of education for all of my adult life, and have had the privilege of working beside local, state, and federal leaders to address the systemic issues of public education.
I love our city so much. San Leandro made me who I am, and is a unique place to work together, build together, and thrive together.
Your support on November 3rd would mean the world to me. Let's work together on
Seven years ago, I stepped on to the San Leandro School Board and now proudly represent you on the City Council. If you're interested in a detailed account of what I've been up to on the City Council, check out my monthly updates on Substack by clicking here.
What will I continue doing as your Councilmember?
Improve the Quality of Life in San Leandro
ON THE ISSUES
WORK TOGETHER ★ BUILD TOGETHER ★ THRIVE TOGETHER
The City Budget is not in a great place. And, while we have done work on Council to address some of the challenges of a major deficit and unfunded capital projects and pension liabilities - we need to do more. I will continue to...
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Bring realistic solutions to generating revenue including supporting programs for children and families, and brining business to our city.
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Build partnerships with local organizations and nonprofits with resources we need.
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Make hard decisions on budget reduction measures with empathy and realism.
Qualifications: City Council, Nonprofit Executive Vice President and Audit Chair, CSBA Audit Committee, San Leandro School Board
THE BUDGET. PRIORITY #1
Even in my years on the School Board, we struggled to 'define' the relationship between City staff and School District staff. Let's do that. We need authentic engagement and collaboration with our school district partners. I will continue to...
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Work with the School District Governing Board, Superintendent, and staff to literally develop a working definition of city/school relations.
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Collaborate with School Board members frequently and consistently.
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Fund projects to support school operations, and partnership with city parks.
Qualifications: San Leandro School Board, City Council, California School Boards Association, High School Teacher, Master of Education
SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS
The Climate Crisis is no laughing matter, and it has come early to San Leandro -- coastline degradation, lack of accountability to address climate action. I will continue to...
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Be a vocal advocate in upholding the city's commitment to the Climate Action Plan.
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Work with local organizations such as San Leandro 2050 in acquiring grants, and acquiring climate data (via Aclima, et. al) to make informed decisions related to projects with an effect on San Leandro's air quality and environmental impact.
Qualifications: City Council, San Leandro 2050 Steering Committee and Senior Director, Nonprofit Environmental Policy Coordinator
RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CRISIS
Public safety is on the mind of so many San Leandro residents. The reality is that people feel unsafe, and equally that they face a department with structural issues. I will continue to...
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Fight for increasing capacity at San Leandro Police Department.
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Work with SLPD and City Council to develop plans for alternate community-centered response to calls.
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Increase emergency response time throughout the entire city.
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Hold SLPD accountable.
Qualifications: City Council, Collaboration with Alameda County Sheriff's Office, Legislative Advocacy Efforts
OVERHAULING PUBLIC SAFETY
What if it was easier and more affordable to live in San Leandro? It would mean San Leandro residents stay, and our community thrives. We need more housing and solutions for our unhoused population. I will continue to...
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Partner with county, state, and nonprofit organizations to collaborate on resource building and developing safety nets.
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Support and maintain existing Rent Stabilization ordinance.
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Work toward creating a Rent Registry.
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Address the issue of housing supply.
Qualifications: City Council, Council Facilities and Transportation Committee, Legislative Advocacy Efforts
HOUSING, THE ISSUE OF OUR TIME
It's no secret that the City Council still has work to do to rebuild trust with San Leandro residents among infighting and federal indictments. I will continue to...
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Advocate for a City Council self evaluation mechanism similar to the School Board.
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Be a vocal advocate on the Council for governance best practices.
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Communicate with residents about progress regularly and consistently.
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Strengthen and ground the relationship of the Council as a governing body, moving us toward consensus model leadership and stewardship.
Qualifications: City Council, San Leandro School Board
COUNCIL GOVERNANCE
ENDORSEMENTS
ELECTED OFFICIALS
Fiona Ma, California State Treasurer
Aisha Wahab, State Senator
Dylan Boldt, City Councilmember
Jim Prola, Former Vice Mayor
George Syrop, Hayward City Councilmember
Janani Ramachandran, Oakland City Councilmember
Marisol Rubio, San Ramon City Councilmember
Alysse Castro, Alameda County Superintendent
Cheryl Cook-Callio, ACOE Board Member
Angela Normand, ACOE Board Member
Jennifer Brouhard, Oakland School Board President
ORGANIZATIONS
San Lorenzo Education Association
Run for Something
LOCAL LEADERS
*This could be you!*
WORK TOGETHER ★ BUILD TOGETHER ★ THRIVE TOGETHER
WORK TOGETHER ★ BUILD TOGETHER ★ THRIVE TOGETHER
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