Sandoval: It’s time to get Cupertino back on track

I love Cupertino. I loved serving as a school board trustee, councilwoman and then as mayor of this beautiful city. Yes, there were contentious debates and divided votes. But we rolled up our sleeves, worked through our differences and came together to build a better city for residents.

Today, the city I love has lost its way. For the last 10 years the misnamed “Better Cupertino” representatives have abused their power, violated open meeting laws and created a toxic work environment, leading to multiple grand jury reports documenting the extent of their poor governance.

Voters can help put Cupertino back on track Nov. 3 by electing J.R. Fruen, John Tang and Seema Lindskog to the City Council.

Representatives of the misnamed “Better Cupertino” have had a controlling council majority for eight of the past 10 years. Since they took control, there have been multiple grand jury reports that exposed a host of issues ranging from councilmembers creating a toxic work environment, councilmembers abusing their power, open meeting law violations and general poor governance. Rather than using the power of council to build community like we used to, those in power have increased division and mistrust, and are now backing a separate trio of candidates to carry on that legacy.

Look no further than the experience of Greg Larson, who served more than 20 years as a local government executive, including as city manager of Los Gatos and Milpitas, deputy city manager and environmental services director of San Jose and president of the California city manager’s professional association. He says that his six months in 2021 as interim city manager of Cupertino was the toughest job he ever had, and it was all due to an out-of-control council majority. He noted that the staff were some of the finest he ever worked with, despite the horrific political leadership.

Greg was the fifth of nine Cupertino city managers in 10 years. That’s not a staffing problem — it’s a clear city council problem.

Imagine if your business had nine CEOs in 10 years, and a board of directors that routinely harassed staff and flouted the law. The investors and customers would both be poorly served. That’s the sad story for Cupertino, which should be the gem of Silicon Valley.

As documented by the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury, the longstanding ruling tyranny of so-called “Better Cupertino” has driven out the best and the brightest, cost the city millions of dollars in lawsuits and lost revenue and abdicated the council’s responsibility for meeting the state’s affordable housing requirements and creating a town center that should be the envy of Silicon Valley.

Good governance should lead to collaboration, particularly with our local community-focused organizations. The Cupertino Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club of Cupertino and our volunteer city-sister groups, to name just a few, previously worked side-by-side with councilmembers and staff to uplift the city. Now those groups are shunned and distrusted by the city council. The “Better Cupertino” majority even picked a fight with our award-winning Foothill-De Anza Community College District.

Greg and I have had an interest in Cupertino for decades. We feel strongly that the crossroads Cupertino voters face is crucial. Continuing down the same path is not an option.

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Cupertino voters have a chance to turn Cupertino around by electing J.R. Fruen, Jon Tang and Seema Lindskog to the city council. Cupertino can become that shining city that the residents and businesses deserve by decisively saying “Yes” to positive change and a new council majority, and “No” to the chaotic divisiveness of the past.

Dolly Sandoval is a retired math teacher and former Cupertino mayor and councilmember. She has served on a number of local nonprofit boards, including Fremont Union High School District Bond & Parcel Tax Citizens Advisory Committee and NAMI Santa Clara County. Sandoval was raised in Cupertino and is a proud graduate of Cupertino Union School District, Fremont Union High School District, De Anza College and University of California, Santa Cruz.