With two open seats up for grabs on the Cupertino City Council, incumbents Kitty Moore and Hung Wei are vying against five challengers this November as the city reckons with an affordable housing crisis, the revitalization of the old Vallco property and a budget deficit following the loss of millions in sales tax dollars.
Residents can expect to see a more seasoned group of political hopefuls, with a majority of candidates consisting of former Cupertino councilmembers and mayors, running for a four-year term on the five-member council.
Here’s who’s running
Kitty Moore
Having served on the council since 2020, Moore is prepared to speak up for residents and be a “smart watch dog” for council affairs. “I’m pretty universally known for doing my homework and being detail oriented about city manners,” she said.
One of Moore’s priorities is to monitor tax dollars in the city’s finances and make “important reforms” to ensure fiscal transparency and accountability.
Moore said she supports city growth and wants leaders to consider the environmental and public safety impacts of large projects, like the Vallco development. During her time on the council, Moore was known for advocating for proper oversite of hazardous waste at the demolished mall site, which will soon hold thousands of affordable housing units.
Last year, in the wake of an independent investigation looking into the misconduct of the Cupertino City Council, Moore and Councilmember Liang Chao were stripped of their committee assignments. Former Mayor Darcy Paul was also investigated by the county’s District Attorney’s Office for his behavior towards city staff. Both members were reinstated in fall 2023, following the city’s decision to require additional training for councilmembers on council governance and staff communication.
Hung Wei
Although her first term as councilmember is coming to an end, Wei wants to run for reelection because she “needs to finish the work we started four years ago” including bringing more housing and reliable transportation to the city. Wei wants to make sure all families have access to good schools, and amenities, including more parks and trails.
She hopes Cupertino will see itself as a Silicon Valley city, and work with neighboring cities to bring more housing, business, transportation and education opportunities into the area.
“It’s important for us as city councilmembers to have the future in our mind for every decision we make,” she said. “We should have this mindset that we’re making this decision for the next 10 or 20 years, not just five.”
In addition to serving as a Cupertino councilmember and former mayor, Wei was a trustee for the Fremont Union High School District and board president for the Fremont Union High Schools Foundation and the Rotary Club of Cupertino. Outside of the city, Wei was a board member for the Asian American Parent Association and Northwest YMCA as well as a board director for the League of Women Voters of Cupertino-Sunnyvale.
Barry Chang
Chang, who served as a mayor for one term and a councilmember for eight years, said he is returning to improve resident’s quality of life.
His priorities …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
