January 27, 2006

Michael Mulcahy Files as Candidate for Mayor of San Jose

San Jose native says it is time for citizen leaders, not career politicians

Community leader and businessman, Michael Mulcahy, today filed as a candidate for Mayor of San Jose.

Mulcahy said he was taking the first official step to organize his mayoral campaign in order to “return city government to the people it is supposed to serve.”

“We live in one of America’s most dynamic cities and I believe that our government must be as innovative and open-minded as the people of San Jose,” Mulcahy said.

Michael Mulcahy

“Politicians have become more than just part of the problem – too often, they are the problem,” Mulcahy said.

Mulcahy, 40, was born and raised in San Jose. He is a businessman and the former executive director of Children’s Musical Theater San Jose, a public benefit corporation he helped grow into one of Silicon Valley’s most effective programs serving youth and families. The organization is nationally recognized for its unique use of an arts-based curriculum to teach life skills, teamwork and responsibility to youth.

Mulcahy is now managing partner of SDS NexGen Partners LP, a San Jose-based real estate and investment firm. Mulcahy has been a co-chair of the Greater Downtown Development Strategy Task Force, a board member of the San Jose Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and a founding member of Baseball San Jose. He currently serves on the boards of Team San Jose, Willow Glen Business Association and American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley.

Mulcahy said the recent decision to give $4 million in city subsidies to the San Jose Grand Prix without adequate citizen input or professional review was just the most recent example of a government that is “out of touch with the people of San Jose.”

“The politicians view problems through the prism of City Hall. We need a citizen-leader, not a politician, to open up the process so that every single resident of this city can participate in our government,” Mulcahy said.

“We’ve had enough decisions made behind closed doors, enough partisanship, special-interest influence and party politics. We need a strong independent leader to restore trust in our government by changing the current culture of secrecy at City Hall,” Mulcahy said.

Mulcahy’s action today is the first step in becoming an official candidate for mayor. He filed his “declaration of intent” to seek the office and gladly accepts the city’s voluntary campaign spending limits.

Mulcahy said his campaign would be focused on finding solutions to improve education, fighting traffic gridlock, promoting safe and family-friendly neighborhoods, and creating and retaining high-wage jobs.

Mulcahy said he has every reason to be optimistic about the future of San Jose, so long as the city government starts to reflect the culture of creativity and innovation that has made San Jose a world economic leader.

“It’s ironic that we have a city with some of the greatest minds in this world – and a city government that is not tapping into this tremendous potential.” Mulcahy said.

“I believe we have the right to expect the very best from our government. We will not get there unless we dream big and demand more,” Mulcahy said.

Mulcahy said the hallmark of his administration would be a city government that was open to new ideas and new ways of doing business.

“We can make this government the best in America by opening our doors to the people we serve. Politicians don’t have all the answers, and they should stop pretending they do. But we are fortunate that here in San Jose we don’t need to look very far to find the answers. We just need to start listening,” Mulcahy said.

Mulcahy said he would run a positive campaign, and forego any personal attacks on his opponents.

“I am sick of politics as usual. I will be a citizen leader who seeks office to unite the city so we can attack our real problems together,” Mulcahy said.

Mulcahy said he would formally kick-off his candidacy early next month.

Mulcahy lives in Willow Glen with his wife, Kimberly, and their three daughters. Kimberly Mulcahy was a policy analyst to former San Jose Mayor Susan Hammer.