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| Mark Salinas: looking ahead to 2016? |
HAYWARD | Former Hayward Councilmember Mark Salinas suffered two political defeats within the same month last July. He lost his bid for mayor, the race he chose to run instead of seeking re-election to his council seat and weeks later was passed over for an appointment back to the dais. Now, he suggests maybe more voter participation in Hayward might have returned a different result.
Salinas, who also briefly considered applying for the Alameda County supervisors seat left vacant in 2012 by Nadia Lockyer’s resignation, is viewed by many as young politician with eyes on higher public office. And although he is now political exile, a newsletter emailed to supportersThursday hints he may be mounting a comeback sooner than later.
In the newsletter, Salinas said he spent the time since the June election to contemplate its meaning. “One take away is this: more people need to vote in Hayward,” said Salinas.
The presence of voter apathy was a main story line following the four-person race for mayor last June. In a city of over 140,000 residents, Barbara Halliday needed just 4,211 votes to win the race. With over 62,000 registered voters, just 23 percent of Hayward residents participated in the election.
“So the take away is this,” Salinas continued. “municipal elections can not be decided based on a 23 percent voter turnout. As a city–especially with so many schools, colleges, and universities–we have to be more aware about local issues, local politics, and we have to be more aware of the impact our local elected officials have in our everyday quality of life.”
One culprit for the voter malaise in Hayward may be the lack of local news coverage of City Hall and, especially the last mayoral and council election, where the Daily Review was notably absent. In fact, following the election result, the paper of record never reported on the list of potential candidates for appointment to the final two years of Halliday’s seat until after the fact.
As for Salinas’ possible comeback, some Hayward politicos suggests a return to the council in 2016 is a definite possibility. Four seats will be open in two years. Councilmembers Greg Jones and Al Mendall will be up for re-election, as will Francisco Zermeno and the new appointee, Elisa Marquez. Of the quartet, Zermeno could be vulnerable and Marquez is still an unknown quantity at this point.
ebcitizen.com 
You are so wright about that. Oh well. back to school for me.
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Hey 12:24pm, look who's talking, calling Salinas a loser and you can't even spell the word. Keep spitting into the wind.
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Odd, seems as though everyone has lost interest in Mr. Salinas. That the way it goes when you are looser.
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Leticia Salinas should run for city council. She's more geniune & sincere than her husband Mark. He slings too much bull. The city wasted money to send him to China and he came back babbling about how “educated” everyone there was. Bet they don't have a failing school system like Hayward does, and they have a thriving economy. Although I'm sure they don't have a 60 million dollar library, like Hayward will soon have. Whoopie!
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Salinas is his own biggest supporter.
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Salinas harped on education, which if Hayward had better schools maybe more families would move to Hayward. Too bad he is a failure on all accounts. He may have paid attention to people who vote, but even they didn't vote for him. He is just another Sweeney crony, not a young upstart. Hayward has enough lame ideas, Also, he is far from being a supporter of working people.
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Smart to care about your whole city. Last I checked council members are not elected by district, sadly many council members legislate that way though.
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Smart to care about people who actually vote.
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And he lost. Go figure. He accomplished nothing for any of the groups mentioned. Lots of talk but no action. Yes, ideas on council are old and antiquated.
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Hayward is stuck in the 50's, and will stay there because Sweeny, Halliday, Peixoto, and Mendall only care about White voters over 65. Salinas brought the voice and concerns of segments of Hayward's population that have long been ignored. YOUNG families, working people in their 20's 30's, people of color. He pushed and pushed for more dining, and revenue producing locales that would allow people to spend money in Hayward. Deaf ears to opposing council members in bed by 7pm and want Hayward to look like it did in the 50's.
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Salinas' greatest accomplishment was the fact that me made me and many others vote against him.
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What did Salinas achieve for the economy in his 4 years? Absolutely nothing. You are also the Sweeney, Halliday, Piexoto, etal don't have a clue or plans to help the local economy. Other cities are on the road to recovery. Hayward is stuck on 70s.
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Newsflash, Hayward's economy is already wrecked! And the old timers who are part of the machine that made it that way and have been silent as the city continues to turn Hayward into a place with zero attractions. Salinas did have different points of view, thank God!! You had Sweeny, Halliday and their political cronies for years and look at what you have.
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Salinas will never win another election in Hayward, because he was acting like a child during the debates and he is a spoiled brat. Walmart destroys cities Mark. Read the University studies on Walmart and how they destroy the local economy loser!
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So Salinas' crowning glory would have been a Walmart grocery store? Pointing fingers at council old timers during the election for not attracting businesses to Hayward. Complaining about “all those empty businesses.” Vowing to waste taxpayers money to buy The Green Shutterr to “clean up” downtown and have another empty building. If that's what's in “the best interest” of the people–count me out. Oh, and it is not headline news that Hayward elections often have low voter turn out. Not sure why Mr. Education didn't figure that out sooner. Old Barbara threw him a bone and said he ran a classy campaign, but he threw his colleagues under the bus at the League of Women Voters debate. Weird thing is that I almost voted for him, until I saw him at most of the candidate forums. His message was weak & empty. He behaved like a spoiled brat.
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Salinas is delusional. He needs to give up politics. The Daily Review gave a glowing endorsement for Halliday-and sainthood to council for their imposing on 300 city workers. If it's something inflammatory, TDR is there to whoop things up.
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Interesting that Sweeney, Mendall, Jones and Piexoto are zombies for voting in best interest of Hayward. Outrageous Salinas thinks he is the smartest, most political savy S.O. B in town. Oops, I forgot, he lost.
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Hey 6:48, if you are referring to Salinas it is obvious you have not done your homework. Salinas has voted in the best interest of all the people of Hayward. A prime example was the Walmart vote that he voted yes on because it would provide food services to an isolated area, provided much needed jobs, and filled a space that had been vacant for years.years.
Other council members were zombies and voted no because that's what the union wanted. Mark listened to local residents, neighboring merchants, and knew people were hurting for jobs and despite being a union member himself, and a general supporter of unions realized that it takes a blended economy to have a stable economy.
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Yes, please go away Zermeno.
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Go Zermeno! 2016 election!
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Jerk is a loser union whore. His day has come and gone.
Old news.
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