First in: Councilmember Diana Souza |
SAN LEANDRO | MAYOR | After months of chatter speculating San Leandro Councilmember Diana Souza would run for mayor this year, the two-term District 3 representative officially filed papers for a bid to replace Mayor Stephen Cassidy. Souza filed to form a campaign committee just days before the surprise announcement by Cassidy he would not seek re-election after one term in office. “I am gratified by the support I am receiving,” Souza said in a statement. “People seem genuinely excited about the opportunity to keep the city moving forward in the right direction.”
Cassidy’s early exit avoids what could have been a vitriolic fall campaign. Souza and Cassidy have grappled often in City Council meetings over the past few years. In the past, Souza has been openly critical of the mayor for leaving her and other council member out of the decision-making process. Earlier this year, Souza raised objections over how the council appoints its vice mayor. The ceremonial position has evading Souza over her nearly eight years on the council. However, with Cassidy out of the race, Souza is the first person to declare their candidacy for a likely wide-open field. Councilmember Pauline Cutter announced May 17 she intends to run for mayor and, on Tuesday, San Leandro theater owner, Dan Dillman, also announced his candidacy in a posting on Facebook.
During the fall ranked-choice voting campaign, Souza will likely resume the role she typically holds on the City Council as a moderate voice who typically seeks consensus. Recently, Souza has gravitated toward the similarly moderate Councilmember Benny Lee on the issue of medical marijuana dispensaries. The City Council approved a single dispensary last year, but consistently without the support of Souza, who has made a series of protest against the action as recently as two weeks ago. Instead of abstaining or voting no, Souza recused herself from a procedural vote on zoning for the dispensary. Opposition to the dispensary is also greatly supported by many in San Leandro’s growing Asian American community, which Souza hopes to coalesce around her candidacy.
As a two-term council member, Souza may also be able to piggy-back on the number of large projects that are beginning to transform the look and feel of San Leandro, including the new Kaiser Permanente and senior community center on East 14th Street. She plans to organize a campaign kickoff some time after the June primary. The official nominating period for candidates in San Leandro begins July 14 through August 13, five days into the customary 88 day deadline before the November 4 election since the incumbent is not running.
NOTE Additions were made to this article to reflect the candidacy of Councilmember Pauline Cutter.
HA! What a joke! Souza is a jerk. She listens only to “her” constituents. Remember, she voted FOR flying the China flag over our City Hall! This is who you want to vote for? You better think about it one more time.
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Marga had the tape since her husband was standing in lingerie with his tripod and camera, but SLPD has video of Mike running red lights
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Could never ever vote for Souza because our city needs someone with brain. She would destroy the progress that we are going in despite her mistakes and lies. I don't care who is or isn't Cassidy's puppets. He has our city going in the right direction and I think he is a bully. So is Souza, but a brainless one. I'm waiting to see who Gregory and Prola endorse because sometime they vote with Cassidy and sometimes against him. They also know Souza and Cutter better than most of us.
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No to Cassidy's puppet. Cutter NEVER stood up to Cassidy's “tactics.” If she had, Cassidy would not have endorsed her for city council, when she ran the first time. Cassidy endorsed Almonte, Mack-Rose and Cutter cause they are all cronies.
Cassidy and Cutter were best buddies while on the school board and still are. The May 5, 2014 taping of the city council meeting clearly shows Cutter during the selection of the new vice-mayor, once again playing Cassidy's game. The TV doesn't lie. You have to be blind not to see it.
If Cutter had ever once stood up to Cassidy, he would not be endorsing her for Mayor.
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You need to get out more. I've been to school board meetings and watched and listened to city council meetings. Cutter stood up to Cassidy many times and on the school board Katz was his only friend. Both Cassidy and Souza try to bully people, Cutter tries to find compromise like a leader should. Bullies always seem to have courage but that just leads to division. To be a leader you also have to have brains and a good heart. Souza is brainless and heartless, will say anything to get elected, but she has done nothing meaningful in her eight years on the city council. She is not a leader or an innovator and most of the city sees that even though you don't. Souza would just be a disaster for San Leandro.
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Disagree with last 2 postings!
No Cassidy puppets!
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Souza never showed up for anything till she decided to run for Mayor. God help San Leandro if she ever got elected. What a joke!
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Her own colleagues on the city council don't like her. That speaks volumes.
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Disagree with the last three postings.
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Agree with the last 3 postings.
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Could never ever vote for Souza because our city needs someone with brain. She would destroy the progress that we are going in despite her mistakes and lies. I don't care who is or isn't Cassidy's puppets. He has our city going in the right direction and I think he is a bully. So is Souza, but a brainless one. I'm waiting to see who Gregory and Prola endorse because sometime they vote with Cassidy and sometimes against him. They also know Souza and Cutter better than most of us.
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Souza, mentally unbalanced? Hmmm… yes, I see it. Often there is an unfocused and random manner to her decision making. It's been noted many times that she often lies to get the council to vote her way. She thinks that people cannot tell she is doing it, but it is really, really obvious when she does it.
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Let us know when Dillman done with jail time.
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Tony Santos? Bob Glaze? Shelia Young? Pauline Cutter? Diana Soua? Give me a fricking break. What a bunch of loons. Dillman is the best of that group.
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Hermy Almonte isn't qualified to moderate for anything but he follows Cassidy's instructions to play pretend moderator on Facebook for 2014 Mayors race. When Hermy ran against Jim Prola in 2012, all of his school board trustee colleagues endorsed Jim and not him. Hermy, stop being Cassidy's puppet!
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“Blast from the Past” A comedy about a naive man who comes out into the world after being in a nuclear fallout shelter for 35 years. Where's your fallout shelter, need food supplies, want IN N OUT burgers?
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We need good, conservative values just like in the 1950s.
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Cassidy's puppets just create a FB Cassidy puppet show!
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No to Cassidy endorsement. No to Cassidy puppets. Any mayoral candidates must have minds of their own and wouldn't join his puppet show! Debate in person to public, no reading notes!
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Cassidy's puppet, Hermy Almonte pretends it's his idea to create an FB “Mayoral Candidates 2014 SL” and request everyone to join. Cutter joined early always following Cassidy's orders. Hermy read notes from Cassidy in the 2012 election forum so expect Cutter to follow along.
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Wow and thanks for the info 5:43 PM and some try to lie and say Cassidy and Cutter aren't best buddies. They deserve each other. If you hang with dogs, you get fleas.
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Indeed, we still remember loser Chris Crow lied through his teeth until Tavares pinned him down. Marga & Mike Katz lacabe tried to cover Crow's lies with lies on SL patch.
Cutter and Cassidy both did endorse Crow. Some SL residents said Cutter even joined crow's campaign knocked doors for him.
Tavares wrote serveral of articles on Crow (verified facts, Crow admitted at the end), just search Chris Crow.
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Didn't Crow also make fun of Chinese people on facebook when he was running for city council? Cassidy and Cutter both endorsed him. How smart was that? Now tell me again Cassidy and Cutter aren't joined at the hip.
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Chris Crow now there's a name from the not so distant past. When he ran for city council didn't he deny a pot warrant? Didn't he lie and say Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan had endorsed him, when she didn't? Didn't Marga Lacabe Katz help run his campaign and encourage his lies?
Didn't he use to date Pauline Cutter's daughter?
Cassidy and Cutter both endorse him knowing all this
Not hard to follow the trail. Puppets, puppets, puppets.
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If Cutter would have ever stood up to Cassidy we would have known. Reporters get agendas and minutes for all school board and city council meetings and the meetings are always recorded.
It has always been obvious that Cassidy and Cutter are great friends. That is why Cassidy has endorsed Cutter for city council and now again for mayor.
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Diana Souza as a city council member has always been very respectful and most helpful. She listens to concerns and has been great at helping to get problems solved. To say she has done nothing while on the city council is a brainless statement. Check her voting record, better yet get to know her. She has always been honest and hard working.
I like that she is not endorsed by Cassidy. I will never vote for any candidate he is backing.
Cassidy is not a good mayor! He is always rude, over bearing and self serving. He was the same while on the school board.
Cassidy has endorsed Katz, Crow, Almonte, Mack- Rose and Cutter (twice now, once for city council and now for mayor.)
Cutter was quick to use his endorsement when she announced in SL Times she has now decided to run for mayor, since Cassidy backed out. Not an endorsement to be proud of. Not voting for Cassidy's puppets.
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We all know Cutter's adult kids are behind their mother's campaign that's what family should do, BUT since you are all ADULTS before throwing any accusations or bad mouth at others you must have proof behind you, didn't you mom teach you at least that!
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Anon 9:52—–you need to give us the dates of which meetings that your mama Cutter stood up to Cassidy. When you belittle others less intelligent and heartless than your mom, you need to come up with evidence. Sounds like you and Cutter agree we should compromise to bullying, like Cutter would with Cassidy, yielding with bullies is leadership?
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Anon 7:50——You need to get out more. I've been to school board meetings and watched and listened to city council meetings. Cutter stood up to Cassidy many times and on the school board Katz was his only friend. Both Cassidy and Souza try to bully people, Cutter tries to find compromise like a leader should. Bullies always seem to have courage but that just leads to division. To be a leader you also have to have brains and a good heart. Souza is brainless and heartless, will say anything to get elected, but she has done nothing meaningful in her eight years on the city council. She is not a leader or an innovator and most of the city sees that even though you don't. Souza would just be a disaster for San Leandro.
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Anonymous May 21, 2014 at 2:16pm, must be a Cutter family member or friend. While on the school board Cutter NEVER stood up to Cassidy's “tactics.” If she had, Cassidy would not have endorsed her for city council, when she ran the first time. Cassidy endorsed Almonte, Mack-Rose and Cutter cause they are all cronies.
Cassidy and Cutter were best buddies while on the school board and still are. The May 5, 2014 taping of the city council meeting clearly shows Cutter during the selection of the new vice-mayor, once again playing Cassidy's game. The TV doesn't lie. You have to be blind not to see it.
If Cutter had ever once stood up to Cassidy, he would not be endorsing her for Mayor.
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I've been to San Leandro council meetings and could never vote for Souza. She's done nothing in her two terms but say stupid things because she comes to the meetings unprepared and acts like a Tea Party nut.
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Marga pimped her husband's pig tail for 2 cents to try to fool voters.
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Cutter and Souza are two bullies, with bad hairdos. Someone scrub them with soap and water and make them presentable.
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6:31pm what do you mean by Souza is obviously mentally imbalanced and unethical, based on…?
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The problem with the council is not just Cassidy. Diana Souza is just as bad. She constantly sows contention. She lies without a second thought of conscience. She does not do her homework before making decisions and comes out with the most ignorant messaging. She is nothing but a thug. If she gets elected as mayor, San Leandro is in for a very rough future. San Leandro needs someone who is wise and balanced. Souza is obviously mentally imbalanced and unethical. Choose someone else for mayor and say goodbye to Souza AND Cassidy. Then watch the council improve.
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Agree with the above comment………anybody but Souza.
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Let's find out in November, Souza or Cutter is more respected in San Leandro.
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Souza stood up to Cassidy in front of the council, they're now public records. When did Cutter ever stood up to Cassidy, which meetings, like to see those minutes ? Talking out from your A@S. No Chicken sh*t mayor!
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Cutter should beat Souza for Mayor in spite of Cassidy because she is more respected in San Leandro.
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I am still trying to figure out what his crowning achievement as Mayor was/is? The whole Kaiser thing originated way long ago………………The Fiber Loop was made possible in large part due to the Owner of OSI Soft making a donation of fiber and the city letting him use existing conduit….. The Cherry Festival and budget surplus was created by Measure Z. A measure which his campaign manager Tim Holmes wrote the argument against…Has he done anything for the Washington Manor Area or maybe we should be annexed into San Lorenzo? It has all been heavily based in developing downtown and the marina area, but 4 years later we have a village marketplace with wait for it…..CVS… and the Marina is still a pipe dream Years away……
He not much of a collaborator and consistently divides the council unless they completely agree with him.
Hutch
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Souza is just as bad as Cassidy when it comes to being a bully. The difference is she is not as smart as Cassidy. In fact, some in San Leandro think she is the least intelligent of all the council members. I don't know if that's true, but I have been to council meetings and she is the least prepared and obviously hasn't read her council material. I'd vote for anybody else before I'd vote for her. I may not agree with Cassidy's tactics but he pointed San Leandro in the right direction and got a lot of positive things done. Business and jobs are now coming to San Leandro.
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I would vote for Glaze or souza but not either young or Cutter.
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Souza has accomplished nothing in her two terms. What a waste of space! I would vote for Glaze or Cutter but not Young before Souza. It's a long time before November. Maybe someone else will jump into the race?
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I agree anybody but Cutter who would be dumb for San Leandro.
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The dumbest person on the council is Souza by far. Cutter has stood up to Cassidy many times on the council and school board. Souza has done nothing for our city in eight years.
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Anybody but Cassidy's puppet, katz & Cutter.
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I agree anybody but Souza who would be terrible for San Leandro.
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Anybody but Souza or Young. I could vote for Glaze.
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Don't vote for liar Mike Katz-Lacabe
Mike Katz-Lacabe knew that his wife was not a human rights lawyer but he still campaigned for her because he knew this lie would get his wife elected to the Democratic Central Committee. He lied to all voters in Alameda County and can never be trusted to hold office ever!
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Cutter lets Cassidy scold her in public all the time, that's how she got his endorsement. She stands riding on his coattails. Everyone seems to knows that except you.
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Don't vote for Souza for the following reasons: She lies. A lot. She doesn't read the material she's given so she doesn't even know what the salient points are. She has no skills as a statesperson. She brings nasty into the room. There needs to be more smarts in the council chambers. As mayor she will doom San Leandro.
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12:08 You are not even accurate. Cutter was not on the same side as Cassidy and Katz on almost all of the split votes. She did stand up to his tactics many times as I attended most school board meetings.
As far as Souza is concerned, she is simply not competent to run our city and most of us in San Leandro know that except you. I voted for her as Council, but after watching her for eight years, would never vote for her again.
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Yes to Bob Glaze No to grumpy Young.
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How come many people asking me to run? Just last evening t my VFW meeting, my colleagues asked me if I was getting into the race-at the gym and in the grocery store, same thing. What does this tell us? That not every sold on present prospective candidates for Mayor in SL. I could never vote for either Cutter or souza-Souza not labor friendly and she and Starociak interfered in a lot of what we were attempting to accomplish. We can do better I hope-PS: Mayor Young, who would have tremendous business support, is also interested in getting into the race. The best person for all of us is: BOB GLAZE-Tony Santos-the one who did it-
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Cutter ran for council to supplement her income. She has dobe zero.
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At what school board meeting did Cutter ever stand up to Cassidy? You need to check your facts. I attended school board meetings (still do) and Cutter NEVER voted against Cassidy. They were always best friends and it showed. Voting records of the school board meetings are public information and are kept for records. They have to be, it's the law.
Cutter was NOT going to run for Mayor till Cassidy chickened out. Cassidy talked Cutter into running. Does anyone really think Cassidy would have endorsed Cutter if she had ever stood up to him? Cassidy endorsed Almonte and Mack-Rose because they too never stood up to him. CUTTER, Almonte and Mack-Rose all puppets and Cassidy pulling the strings.
Cutter was never the brightest bulb on the school board and it showed. Cutter has always been Cassidy's gal pal.
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Most of us like Pauline Cutter, even those who don't like Cassidy, and hope she jumps into the race. She is nobody's puppet as she has voted against Cassidy many times particularly on the School Board where Cassidy's only ally was Katz.
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Cutter is Cassidy's puppet, NO to Cassidy endorsement.
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I'm not aware whether Cutter has announced, but most believe she will run for mayor. I wrote about it on Friday. She's included on the Candidates List on the left hand column, along with some other likely San Leandro council candidates
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Isn't Pauline Cutter in the mayoral race too, saw on SL Times?
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Most people in San Leandro despise Marga and Mike Katz-Lacabe's bullying and lying. They lied to all voters when Marga campaigned for democratic central posing as a human rights lawyer when she just sits at home cyber bullying people. Mike Katz-Lacabe knowingly produced and handed out Marga's campaign flyers with her as a human rights lawyer. That makes him liar just like her. They are both liars to voters in Alameda county.
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Most of the people who live in San Leandro are not in favor of Souza as she has done very little in her two terms. She doesn't seem prepared at Council meetings and either she hasn't read her material or isn't very smart. Hope other people throw their hat into the race. Both Cassidy and Souza try and bully other people and San Leandro deserves better than Souza or Dillman.
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Diana, this household and my block and community are voting for you! Campaign signs on any of our lawns, your pick!
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Did Dillman file papers for earth Mayor?
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