Join Our
Revolution
of Common Sense
San José Faces a Crisis of Homelessness, Crime and Dirty Streets.
We deserve better. And we can do better. But it will take a revolution of common sense to make sure government is working as hard as we do.
That’s why Matt Mahan first ran for mayor — to make sure our city government is working for us.
Join Us
Matt Mahan is the current Mayor of San José. He comes from the business world, where he founded and grew companies dedicated to empowering neighborhoods and communities and holding government accountable. He built tools millions of Americans are using to demand radical transparency from their elected officials and to hold them accountable at the ballot box.
In 2020 he ran successfully for city council — pledging to give government “a wake-up call.” After Matt took office he saw just how bad the problem really is. Matt saw how all too often our government doesn’t work for us, it works for itself — with little accountability, built in inefficiencies and almost no incentive to do better. Matt’s campaign — our campaign — is about requiring accountability, efficiency and innovation. It is about demanding common sense.
- We believe government should focus first on the basics, such as cleaning up our city, paving our roads, and keeping our neighborhoods safe.
- We believe that homeless residents should have access to basic and safe shelter, but that they have a responsibility to use it when provided. Those suffering from severe mental illness and addiction belong in treatment centers, not in our streets and parks.
- We believe in police oversight and accountability, not defunding police and reducing patrols and enforcement.
- We believe new housing should go near transit downtown and in urban villages, not wherever developers want. That way we can have affordable housing without traffic gridlock, displacement and environmental damage.
- We believe we should demand radical transparency from government, clear accountability and results.
In short — we believe in common sense.
Change Starts With
ACCOUNTABILITY
Change Starts With
ACCOUNTABILITY
San José families are working harder than ever and many of us are struggling to pay our bills as the cost of just about everything keeps going up and up. Matt is fighting everyday to make sure our city government is working just as hard as we are.
It is just common sense that if we want government to work better, we need to stop rewarding failure. We wouldn’t get a raise if we weren’t doing a good job at work. Politicians and top bureaucrats shouldn’t either.
Matt’s solution is to bring basic accountability to government by linking any future raises for elected leaders and top bureaucrats to better delivery of services. So if crime goes up, or homelessness goes up, or traffic gridlock goes up — the wages of politicians and bureaucrats should not go up. It is that simple.
Measure Results
We live in a valley that has brought world-changing innovations driven by data.
But too many politicians simply ignore the facts, opting for ideology over reason.
A perfect example is the fight over ending single-family zoning in every part of San José, even in communities poorly served by transit. The facts show this idea will create even worse traffic gridlock, even more air pollution and environmental damage and it will lead to displacement of poor and working-class communities. The facts show we need better ideas — like building new housing near transit. But too many politicians simply ignore the facts.
Demand Better IDEAS
Demand Better IDEAS
We expect innovation and improvement from business. But why not from government?
Matt will run an administration that will embrace change — and demand better.
Just one example of demanding better is Matt’s proposal requiring the city to meet their own deadlines for important actions like granting permits. Matt thinks if the city can’t deliver on time the permit fee should be waived. It is one small improvement, but it is exactly the kind of basic accountability and innovation Matt is bringing to city government.
When it comes to homelessness Matt sees what we see — what we are doing now is failing. We spend up to $750,000 per door to build housing for the homeless and even if we could afford that we are building it so slowly that we fall farther and farther behind. Matt embraces a simple and bold idea — build basic, decent, safe shelters in sites like the county fairgrounds and then require those living in our creeks, streets, and parks to use it. We all have rights — we all have responsibilities. And our homeless neighbors should be accorded the basic right to a safe place to sleep at night and be required to use that safe space if it is available.
When it comes to housing Matt knows we don’t need to embrace the false choice advanced by some advocates and many developers — it isn’t a choice between single family neighborhoods and more affordable housing. We can have both by building new housing where it makes sense – downtown and in our urban villages next to transit – not indiscriminately in the suburbs.
When it comes to safety Matt rejects the sloganeering. We don’t need to “defund” police, we need to train our police, deploy them more effectively and support crime-prevention efforts like job training, mental health and better schools.
Focus On What Matters
As governments grow more and more politicians tell us government can do it all.
Matt believes government should focus on the basics — safety, addressing homelessness, clean streets, good roads and transit, more affordable housing, better schools, a strong and equitable economy and cleaning up our air and water. These are the core priorities of any responsible government, and we should focus together on these tasks.
There are many things government could do. But these are basic services government must do first and must do well for all of us to prosper. And Matt is working to keep San José city government focused on these basics.
This is our government. With Matt Mahan, we are embracing common sense solutions, so it works better for all of us.
Join us — because we can do better!
If you agree – our government should work as hard as we do – join us!
